Misconstrued position
Reader comment on item: 9/10 vs. 9/12 on 11/2

Submitted by Eric Weitzman (United States), Oct 26, 2004 at 12:48

I believe that you have misconstrued Kerry's position, when you say that Kerry views terrorism as "primarily an intelligence and law enforcement operation."

"He has reiterated this point about the conflict
not really being a war several times since, and
most memorably in an interview earlier this month."

As proof, you offer this quote from the interview

"We have to get back to the place we were, where
terrorists are not the focus of our lives ... But
we're going to reduce it ... to a level where it
isn't on the rise. It isn't threatening people's
lives every day, and fundamentally, it's something
that you continue to fight, but it's not
threatening the fabric of your life."

This call to return to a past where terrorism was a law enforcment operation actually implies that the present state is *not* as such. You can argue against this goal as you routinely do, but you cannot misconstrue his goal as his preception of the present.

- Eric

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