Menendez, Kean spar over Iraq
2006-10-18
Source: Courier Post Online
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rss feedU.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, D-Hoboken, and state Sen. Thomas H. Kean Jr., R-Westfield, sparred on the Iraq war during a radio debate Tuesday night, spending much of their time focused on one of the most contentious national issues of the fall election.
Kean refused to directly answer a hypothetical question on whether he would have voted for sending troops to Iraq if he knew then what has been learned since the war began. Moderator Eric Scott, news director for debate sponsor New Jersey 101.5 FM radio, posed the question several times, but Kean would only say that he would have voted for the war given the information on security risks available in 2003.
Scott said Kean was not answering the question.
"I understand that's not your . . .," Kean started, before turning back to his stance criticizing the administration's handling of the war but not setting a specific timetable for withdrawal. "The question is what are we going to do going forward to get our troops our of harm's way as quickly as humanly possible."
Kean has called for Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's resignation and said the military did not send in enough troops.
Menendez, who voted against sending troops to Iraq, dodged a question on whether Democrats who supported the war should lose their re-election bids. Menendez reiterated a call for a quick troop withdrawal while labeling Kean's criticism of Rumsfeld disingenuous.
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