Kerry's Ambiguous Position on Iraq Alienates Progressive Voters

Interview with Matthew Rothschild, editor of the Progressive Magazine, conducted by Scott Harris <!--break--> Kerry's Ambiguous Position on Iraq Alienates Progressive Voters Interview with Matthew Rothschild, editor of the Progressive Magazine, conducted by Scott Harris As the war in Iraq continues, rebel attacks have spread to almost all corners of the nation. Battles between U.S troops, Iraqi forces and militiamen loyal to Shiite cleric Moktada al-Sadr have broken out again in the holy city of Najaf, Badhdad's Sadr City and in other towns across southern Iraq. The U.S. campaign to drive Moktada al-Sadr out of Najaf comes as other insurgent groups continue to carry out attacks against American troops and members of the Iraqi military and police force. A three-day conference in Baghdad organized to elect a commission that will plan Iraqi elections next year was disrupted on Aug. 15 by mortar attacks and protests by delegates who demanded that the U.S. end its siege of Najaf. Amid this violence and chaos, Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry surprised many when he answered a reporter's questions about whether he would still have voted to give President Bush the authority to go to war, even knowing what we know now about the non-existence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Kerry's answered by saying: "Yes, I would have voted for the authority. I believe it was the right authority for a president to have." Between The Lines' Scott Harris spoke with Matthew Rothschild editor of the Progressive Magazine, who assesses Sen. Kerry's often ambiguous position on Iraq and how this may effect the support of progressive voters in the coming presidential election. Read Matthew Rothschild's commentary titled, "Kerry on Iraq: Yes to the Imperial President," online at www.progressive.org or call the magazine at (608) 257-4626. Related links: "Kerry on Iraq: Yes to the Imperial President," Matthew Rothschild, The Progressive, Aug. 11, 2004 LISTEN to this week's half-hour program of Between The Lines by clicking on one of the links below: http://www.btlonline.org * "Between The Lines" is a half-hour syndicated radio news magazine that each week features a summary of under-reported news stories and interviews with activists and journalists who offer progressive perspectives on international, national and regional political, economic and social issues. Because "Between The Lines" is independent of all publications, media networks or political parties, we are able to bring a diversity of voices to the airwaves generally ignored or marginalized by the major media. For more information on this week's topics and to check out our text archive listing topics and guests presented in previous programs visit: httC://www.btlonline.org * "Between the Lines," WPKN 89.5 FM's weekly radio news magazine can be heard Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. ET; Wednesdays at 8 a.m. ET and Saturdays at 2 p.m. ET (Wednesday's show airs at 7:30 a.m. ET during fundraising months of April and October). * For an email subscription of "Between The Lines Weekly Summary" which features a RealAudio link to the week's program for Between The Lines, send an email to btlsummary-subscribe@lists.riseup.net * For an email subscription of "Between The Lines Q&A" which features a RealAudio link and weekly transcript to one of the interviews featured on Between The Lines, send an email to btlqa-subscribe@lists.riseup.net * betweenthelines@snet.net * http://www.squeakywheel.net/ * Distributed by Squeaky Wheel Productions, Inc. (c)2004 Squeaky Wheel Productions, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

<p>Interview with Matthew Rothschild, editor of the Progressive Magazine, conducted by Scott Harris</p> <!--break--><p>Kerry's Ambiguous Position on Iraq Alienates Progressive Voters</p> <p>Interview with Matthew Rothschild, editor of the Progressive Magazine, conducted by Scott Harris</p> <p>As the war in Iraq continues, rebel attacks have spread to almost all corners of the nation. Battles between U.S troops, Iraqi forces and militiamen loyal to Shiite cleric Moktada al-Sadr have broken out again in the holy city of Najaf, Badhdad's Sadr City and in other towns across southern Iraq. The U.S. campaign to drive Moktada al-Sadr out of Najaf comes as other insurgent groups continue to carry out attacks against American troops and members of the Iraqi military and police force.</p> <p>A three-day conference in Baghdad organized to elect a commission that will plan Iraqi elections next year was disrupted on Aug. 15 by mortar attacks and protests by delegates who demanded that the U.S. end its siege of Najaf.</p> <p>Amid this violence and chaos, Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry surprised many when he answered a reporter's questions about whether he would still have voted to give President Bush the authority to go to war, even knowing what we know now about the non-existence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Kerry's answered by saying: "Yes, I would have voted for the authority. I believe it was the right authority for a president to have." Between The Lines' Scott Harris spoke with Matthew Rothschild editor of the Progressive Magazine, who assesses Sen. Kerry's often ambiguous position on Iraq and how this may effect the support of progressive voters in the coming presidential election.</p> <p>Read Matthew Rothschild's commentary titled, "Kerry on Iraq: Yes to the Imperial President," online at <a href="http://www.progressive.org">www.progressive.org</a> or call the magazine at (608) 257-4626.</p> <p>Related links:</p> <p>"Kerry on Iraq: Yes to the Imperial President," Matthew Rothschild, The Progressive, Aug. 11, 2004</p> <p>LISTEN to this week's half-hour program of Between The Lines by clicking on one of the links below:</p> <p><a href="http://www.btlonline.org">http://www.btlonline.org</a><br /> *<br /> "Between The Lines" is a half-hour syndicated radio news magazine that each week features a summary of under-reported news stories and interviews with activists and journalists who offer progressive perspectives on international, national and regional political, economic and social issues. Because "Between The Lines" is independent of all publications, media networks or political parties, we are able to bring a diversity of voices to the airwaves generally ignored or marginalized by the major media. For more information on this week's topics and to check out our text archive listing topics and guests presented in previous programs visit: httC://<a href="http://www.btlonline.org">www.btlonline.org</a><br /> *<br /> "Between the Lines," WPKN 89.5 FM's weekly radio news magazine can be heard Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. ET; Wednesdays at 8 a.m. ET and Saturdays at 2 p.m. ET (Wednesday's show airs at 7:30 a.m. ET during fundraising months of April and October).<br /> *<br /> For an email subscription of "Between The Lines Weekly Summary" which features a RealAudio link to the week's program for Between The Lines, send an email to <a href="mailto:btlsummary-subscribe@lists.riseup.net">btlsummary-subscribe@lists.riseup.net</a><br /> *<br /> For an email subscription of "Between The Lines Q&amp;A" which features a RealAudio link and weekly transcript to one of the interviews featured on Between The Lines, send an email to <a href="mailto:btlqa-subscribe@lists.riseup.net">btlqa-subscribe@lists.riseup.net</a><br /> *<br /> <a href="mailto:betweenthelines@snet.net">betweenthelines@snet.net</a><br /> *<br /> <a href="http://www.squeakywheel.net/">http://www.squeakywheel.net/</a><br /> *<br /> Distributed by Squeaky Wheel Productions, Inc.<br /> (c)2004 Squeaky Wheel Productions, Inc. All Rights Reserved.</p>