Q: Mr. President, would you express in twenty-five words or less, why the American voters should cast a ballot for four more years of your administration?

Mr. Pres: Because it’s clear that I have a calling to preserve the security of Americans by continuing the war on terror and preempt future attacks.

Q: Sen. Kerry, why, in twenty five words or less, Americans should cast their ballot for you as president?

Mr. K: To make America safer — and the world — by making the assault on terrorism an international effort, together with unilateral enhancement of homeland security.

Q: You first, Senator, what is your solution to the current situation in Iraq?

Mr. K: Foremost, judiciously withdraw our troops to enclaves out of harm’s way and be on call if the Iraqis are unable to put down any insurgent attack. However, I must qualify that if indeed the new government requests this, American command must be in total charge, assuming there is no NATO or UN present, and combat the enemy forcibly.

Q: Now you, Mr. President, on this solution for Iraq?

Mr. Pres: First, it is unrealistic to place our troops out of harm’s way. We are there to insure the peace and the development of a new democratic nation. Our presence must be felt or else the insurgents will think they can do whatever they want.

Q: Are you saying, Mr. President, that the occupation must be visible and that the new government be but puppets?

Mr. Pres: Of course not. The whole point of our handing over sovereignty disputes that. But sovereignty in a weakened condition is not wise. They must be under our continuing protection until a forceful Iraqi police effort is complete.

Q: Do you wish to address the president’s answer, Mr. Senator?

Mr. K: This is precisely why I would move to muster international support in a big way so that our troops’ visibility is held to a minimum. Look, it’s clear to me that if we continue the administration’s policies we’ll be there for an eternity. I, as commander in chief, would not be willing to live with that. We cannot continue to spread thin our armed forces indefinitely.

Mr. Pres: Nor do I, Mr. Kerry. But your plan to bring in NATO and the UN to cure all is wishful thinking. I’ve been there, done that and with little results.

Mr. K: Perhaps, that you’ve been-there-done that, is precisely the reason you have made little headway.

Q: Just how would you, Senator, move the international community to support you?

Mr. K: No intended disrespect to the president, but I would admit to the administration’s mistake in rushing to war and persuade the allies and new friends that foreign policy has changed to better accommodate the views of others without yielding our determination to reduce terrorism.

Mr. Pres: Reduce? Why not annihilate these thugs?

Q: Oh?,...and just how would you do that, Mr. President?

Mr. Pres: By continuing the “either for or against” approach. There is no room in foreign policy for wimpish permission slips.

Mr. K: I would like nothing better than to wipe out thugs of all sorts, including domestic violence, but there is no panacea to accomplish that right now. In the meantime, it is up to nations to build a commitment to get tough with its own sources of terrorism, along with our willingness to supply whatever means at our disposal and hopefully with the blessings of the UN.

Mr. Pres: You won’t ever get blessings from them!

Mr. K: You could’ve obtained the blessings had you not defied the UN.

Q: Let’s turn to the middle east in general. How, Mr. President, will the democratization of Iraq change the rise of terrorism in the Mid East?

Mr. Pres: By Iraq as a role model of what is possible in face of a hopeless situation. It will prove that Islamic fundamentalism is self-destructive and has no chance of succeeding in thwarting the liberties of a people.

Mr. K: What kind of role model can Iraq possibly be by showing that only by regime change can democracy have a chance? That is nothing but inciting revolution which is precisely what Al Qaeda terrorism is attempting.

Mr. Pres: Ronald Reagan did okay in demanding that the Soviets tear down the wall.

Mr. K: He was addressing a reasonable guy in Gorbachev; he wouldn’t have said that had a hard liner like Brezhnev been alive, or at least would have fell on deaf ears.

Q: Senator, what would you do differently with respect to Israel and Palestine?

Mr. K: Primarily, I would meet with Arafat and Sharon on neutral soil — perhaps in Istanbul or Zurich — and persuade them that the conflict has accomplished nothing but blood-shed and that a series of concurrent compromise must be put into play. For starters, I would suggest that Jerusalem be declared an inter-faith city with international access for all nations. I would further hammer away at developing a contiguous Palestinian state in lieu of the patch work now in existence that only further lends to violence. I would start with expanding the West Bank north of Jerusalem and by-passing Haifa and bending for access to the tip of the Mediterranean up to the Lebanon border and then iron out a system of reparation for both sides. If an agreement is reached and a peace declaration signed, U.S. aid to both countries would be pledged. I would further suggest, having consulted with the UN, that each agree to a UN peace-keeping force.

Mr. Pres: There you go again with wishful thinking. I would simply urge Sharon to go ahead with his plan to pullout of Gaza. As for Arafat, I refuse to recognize him as the legitimate leader of Palestine.

Q: Is there a way to minimize the reliance on middle east oil?

Mr. Pres: Yes, by drilling in ANWR.

Mr. K: That would take decades to be effective and at a huge environmental cost. I think we have to look to alternative fuels and to lower the boom on auto manufactures to pick up where they left off in 80s and continue to emphasize more fuel-efficient vehicles.

Mr. Pres: I don't think you can dictate to the American people what they should be driving, including your wife.

Mr. K: Oh, I'm sure she can afford to take a loss in selling off her three SUVs. 

I thank you both and am looking forward to the next debate.

Copyright © 2004 Richard R. Kennedy All rights reserved. Revised: June 22, 2004.