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Bob Graham on War & Peace
FL Sr Senator (retiring 2004); Democratic Primary Candidate for President
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Yes on $87B for Iraq-but not one dime for Halliburton
Q: [Bush has asked for] $87 billion for the ongoing war on terrorism. Your vote, yes or no, and if yes, how do you pay for $87 billion? GRAHAM: I will support whatever is required for the troops in Iraq. I will not support a dime
for the profits of Halliburton. We have two clear issues: one, support of the troops. I believe that should be done by eliminating the tax breaks for the wealthiest of Americans and using that to pay the cost of occupation of Iraq.
Source: Debate at Pace University in Lower Manhattan
Sep 25, 2003
Don't trust Bush with a blank check on Iraq reconstruction
Q: Should Iraqis pay with their oil for damages from a war that we initiated? GRAHAM: I will support whatever is required to protect our brave men and women in Iraq. I will not support a dime to protect the profits of Halliburton in Iraq.
If you notice what the president said on Sunday night, he said that he would agree to an internationalization of the military in Iraq, but when he talked about an internationalization of the economic and political decisions in Iraq, all he said is,
"We want to turn it over to the Iraqis as fast as possible." That is the latest example of the blank-check mentality of this president.
Let me read to you what the resolution was that Congressman Kucinich and I voted against. The president's
resolution said, "The president is authorized to use the armed forces of the United States as he determines to be necessary and appropriate." Those who voted for that gave the president a blank check. We cannot trust this president with a blank check.
Source: Congressional Black Caucus Institute debate
Sep 9, 2003
The president intentionally misled Americans on Iraq
Do you believe that the president intentionally misled the American people?GRAHAM: Yes. I have been a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee for 10 years, chairman the last two years during the investigation into 9/11. The president knew,
or should have known, that the materials that he alleged were going to be used to rebuild Iraq's nuclear weaponry [were not]. The president knew or should have known that there was no relationship between 9/11, there was no relationship between "Osama
bin forgotten" and Saddam Hussein. The president also abandoned the war on terror in the spring of 2001 by moving military and intelligence resources out of Afghanistan to begin the war on Iraq.
I believe that the war in Iraq has been a distraction from winning the war on terror in Afghanistan, in Yemen, in Syria and the other places where it's yet to be fought. That's why I voted against the resolution.
Source: Congressional Black Caucus Institute debate
Sep 9, 2003
Yes, $87B to protect troops; Hell no, $87B to protect profit
Q: Will you vote yes or no on the president's request for $87 billion to continue the effort in Iraq?GRAHAM: Well, I will vote to do whatever is necessary to protect our troops.
I will not vote in order to avoid the economic and political internationalization of the occupation of Iraq and therefore to protect the profits of those friends of the president who have been getting no bid, no competitive contracts to rebuild Iraq.
Q: We all know we want to protect the troops. So if you don't hear what you are suggesting from the president, you are indeed willing to say no.
GRAHAM: I am not willing to say no for the amount of money that's necessary to protect our troops. I am ready to say, "No, hell, no," to providing money that is designed to protect profits, not our uniformed men and women.
Source: Congressional Black Caucus Institute debate
Sep 9, 2003
We must support US troops in Iraq
Q: The administration is expected to ask the Congress for $80 billion to continue the mission in Iraq. Will you support that spending? GRAHAM: Yes. I believe that we have courageous men and women on the ground who are putting their lives at risk.
We have an obligation to support those troops. The president has an obligation to speak candidly to the American people, to answer the questions that have not been answered such as:
- What will be our long-term commitment in Iraq?
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What will we do about restarting the war against Osama bin Laden, which he effectively abandoned 12 months ago?
What will we do about those countries that pretend to be our friends, who in fact have been our enemies in the war on terrorism?
What is our exit strategy? How will we leave Iraq?
And finally, who is going to pay this $60 billion to $80 billion? Are we going to ask our children to pay for this by adding to an already staggering national debt?
Source: Democratic Primary Debate, Albuquerque New Mexico
Sep 4, 2003
Iraq is wrong war & wrong enemy: focus on terror instead
I voted against the resolution to go to war in Iraq for a somewhat different reason than Governor Dean. I voted against it because I thought it was the wrong war against the wrong enemy, which represented the lesser threat to the people of the US.
As chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, I concluded that the greatest threat to the people of the US [were] Al Qaida, Hezbollah and the other international terrorists who have demonstrated the will and the capability to kill Americans.
Source: Democratic Primary Debate, Albuquerque New Mexico
Sep 4, 2003
Must rebuild alliances to extricate US from Iraq
Today, the question is one of how do we extricate ourselves from Iraq, and I believe the first step in that extrication is going to be to rebuild relations with our key allies. It's not just Iraq. It's the Kyoto treaty. It's the ABM agreement.
It is agreement after agreement, which were critical to the maintenance of the victory of the Cold War and now to environmental sanity that this president has rejected. No wonder we have so much trouble getting support when we need it.
Source: Democratic Primary Debate, Albuquerque New Mexico
Sep 4, 2003
Iraq distracted from real problems and made them worse
Q: Will you repeal Bush's pre-emptive war doctrine? A: I opposed and voted against authorizing the US to go to war with Iraq because I simply felt it was a distraction from the real threats facing this country and it only enhanced the hatred of Americ
Source: MoveOn.org interview
Jun 17, 2003
Criticize Bush for covering up terror reports
Q: How will you demand the truth and an end to this conspiracy of deceit of Bush on the war? A: One of the centerpieces of my campaign is holding Bush responsible for keeping Americans in the dark throughout his administration. I will continue to push
my case to find out the truth on weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. I have taken the lead in criticizing Bush for his failure to release to the public the report on the terrorist attacks of 9/11. Bush has instead decided to engage in a cover-up of this
Source: MoveOn.org interview
Jun 17, 2003
Iraq was a distraction from the war on terror
I'm running for president because of your personal and our national security. We all admire the valor of the troops. But Iraq was a distraction from the war on terror. We are less secure, not more secure. The terrorists have regenerated.
And the president is now attempting to cover up the facts. Just as you are being asked to be held accountable in your work, the Oval Office should also be accountable for its.
Source: AFSCME union debate in Iowa
May 17, 2003
Iraq invasion was about liberating Iraqi people
We have an opportunity [in post-war Iraq] to rehabilitate relationships that have been severely damaged. And we have a chance to show the world that we were in fact in Iraq for the right reasons. And we were there for the purpose
of liberating the Iraqi people. This was not about the expansion of American power, that this was not about oil. But the president has that test going forward. And we ought to lay this marker down, and we ought to hold him to that.
Source: Democratic Debate in Columbia SC
May 3, 2003
Voted NO on $86.5 billion for military operations in Iraq & Afghanistan.
Vote to pass a bill that would appropriate $86.5 billion in supplemental spending for military operations and reconstruction in Iraq and Afghanistan, in Fiscal 2004. The bill would provide $10.3 billion as a grant to rebuild Iraq. This includes:- $5.1 billion for security
- $5.2 billion for reconstruction costs
- $65.6 billion for military operations and maintenance
- $1.3 billion for veterans medical care
- $10 billion as a loan that would be converted to a grant if 90% of all bilateral debt incurred by the former Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein, would have to be forgiven by other countries.
Reference: FY04 Emergency Supplemental for Iraq and Afghanistan;
Bill S1689
; vote number 2003-400
on Oct 17, 2003
Voted NO on authorizing use of military force against Iraq.
H.J.Res. 114; Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002. The administration would be required to report to Congress that diplomatic options have been exhausted before, or within 48 hours after military action has started. Every 60 days the president would also be required to submit a progress report to Congress.
Bill H.J.RES.114
; vote number 2002-237
on Oct 11, 2002
Voted NO on allowing all necessary forces and other means in Kosovo.
Majority Leader Trent Lott motioned to kill the resolution that would have authorized the president to "use all necessary forces and other means," in cooperation with U.S. allies to accomplish objectives in Yugoslavia.
Status: Motion to Table Agreed to Y)78; N)22
Reference: Motion to table S. J. Res. 20;
Bill S. J. Res. 20
; vote number 1999-98
on May 4, 1999
Voted YES on authorizing air strikes in Kosovo.
Vote to adopt a resolution to authorize the President to conduct military air operations and missile strikes in cooperation with NATO against Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro).
Bill S.Con.Res 21
; vote number 1999-57
on Mar 23, 1999
Voted NO on ending the Bosnian arms embargo.
Ending the Bosnian arms embargo.
Status: Bill Passed Y)69; N)29; NV)2
Reference: Bosnia Herzegovina Self-Defense Act of '95;
Bill S. 21
; vote number 1995-331
on Jul 26, 1995
Move the US Embassy to Jerusalem.
Graham sponsored the Jerusalem Embassy Act
Declares it to be U.S. policy that: - Jerusalem remain an undivided city in which the rights of every ethnic religious group are protected;
- Jerusalem be recognized as the capital of the State of Israel;
- the U.S. Embassy in Israel be established in Jerusalem no later than May 31, 1999.
- Makes specified amounts of such funds available until expended in FY 1996 and 1997 only for construction and other costs associated with relocating the U.S. Embassy Jerusalem.
Corresponding House bill is H.R.1595. Became Public Law No: 104-45.
Source: Bill sponsored by 77 Senators and 78 Reps 95-S1322 on Oct 13, 1995