NewsNet5.com

October 6, 2004

Excerpt on the Iraqi debt, taken from the transcript of the vice presidential debate between Vice President Dick Cheney, the Republican nominee, and Senator John Edwards, the Democratic nominee.

EDWARDS: Well, let me say, first, [Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry] said in the same segment – I don’t remember precisely where it was connected with what you just read – but he said, point blank, “We will never give anyone a veto over the security of the United States of America.”

What he’s saying is we’re going to go back to the proud tradition of the United States of America and presidents of the United States of America for the last 50 to 75 years.

First, we’re going to actually tell the American people the truth. We’re going to tell them the truth about what’s happening.

We’re not going to suggest to them that things are going well in Iraq or anyplace else when, in fact, they’re not.

We’re going to make sure that the American people know the truth about why we are using force and what the explanation for it is.

And it’s not just the American people. We’re also going to make sure that we tell the world the truth.

Because the reality is, for America to lead, for America to do what it’s done for 50 years before this president and vice president came into office, it is critical that we be credible.

It is critical that they believe that when America takes action, they can trust what we’re doing, what we say, what we say at the United Nations, what we say in direct conversations with leaders of the world – of other countries.

They need to know that the credibility of the United States is always good, because they will not follow us without that.

And unfortunately, we’re seeing the consequences of that right now.

It’s one of the reasons that we’re having so much difficulty getting others involved in the effort in Iraq.

You know, we’ve taken 90 percent of the coalition causalities. American taxpayers have borne 90 percent of the costs of the effort in Iraq.

And we see the result of there not being a coalition: The first Gulf war cost America $5 billion. We’re at $200 billion and counting.

John Kerry will never give up control over the security of the United States of America to any other country. We will not outsource our responsibility to keep this country safe.

MODERATOR: Mr. Vice President, you have 90 seconds to respond.

CHENEY: Well [. . .] the 90 percent figure is just dead wrong. When you include the Iraqi security forces that have suffered casualties, as well as the allies, they’ve taken almost 50 percent of the casualties in operations in Iraq, which leaves the U.S. with 50 percent, not 90 percent.

With respect to the cost, it wasn’t $200 billion. You probably weren’t there to vote for that. But $120 billion is, in fact, what has been allocated to Iraq. The rest of it’s for Afghanistan and the global war on terror.

The allies have stepped forward and agreed to reduce and forgive Iraqi debt to the tune of nearly $80 billion by one estimate. That, plus $14 billion they promised in terms of direct aid, puts the overall allied contribution financially at about $95 billion, not to the $120 billion we’ve got, but, you know, better than 40 percent. So your facts are just wrong, Senator.

You also have a situation where you talk about credibility.

It’s awfully hard to convey a sense of credibility to allies when you voted for the war and then you declared: Wrong war, wrong place, wrong time. You voted for the war, and then you voted against supporting the troops when they needed the equipment, the fuel, the spare parts and the ammunition and the body armor.

You’re not credible on Iraq because of the enormous inconsistencies that John Kerry and you have cited time after time after time during the course of the campaign. Whatever the political pressures of the moment requires, that’s where you’re at. But you’ve not been consistent, and there’s no indication at all that John Kerry has the conviction to successfully carry through on the war on terror.