From: niepornt@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (David Marc Nieporent)
Subject: Re: Bill, Moscow and the KGB
Originator: news@nimaster
Organization: Princeton University
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 08:28:39 GMT

In article <1992Oct13.184649.21229@midway.uchicago.edu> shou1@cicero.spc.uchicago.edu (Roger Shouse) writes:
>In article <1992Oct10.200451.25877@samba.oit.unc.edu> Kelly.Burns@bbs.oit.unc.edu (Kelly Burns) writes:

>>I have an honest question for conservatives that plan to vote for George
>>Bush.  Do you believe that while in  Moscow during 1969 that Bill Clinton
>>met with and was influenced by the KGB or other anti-American forces?  Do
>>you believe that this trip casts any doubt on his ability to be a good
>>President?  If you say yes to either or both could you please explain
>>the bases for the belief.

>By itself, a trip to Moscow is no problem.  Set against the context of
>Clinton's various mis-statements and bouts of selective memory, I'd 
>say that his failure to "remember" what he did there is somewhat telling.

You know, this sounds good -- until you think about it.
Can *you* remember exactly what you saw and did on a vacation 23 years
ago?  I was looking at just *2* year-old photos from my trip to Europe,
and I can't identify half the things I did.

>In general, I'd like to know what specific principles guided Clinton in
>his opposition to the Vietnam war during that period, and how he feels 
>about those principles today.  A lot of the anti-war movement centered
>on the idea that Communism was a legitimate expression of popular will
>among the people of southeast Asia.  Did Clinton believe this?  How does 
>he feel today?  I guess I'd say that the Moscow trip (and his failure
>to come clean about what he did there) symbolizes the doubts of many
>people about being able to trust Clinton, and about his capacity to act
>effectively as commander in chief.

He didn't fail to come clean about anything.

>Notice how he waffled on the Iraq war.  Does he have what it takes to stand
>up to world tyrants?  What would his reaction be to, say for example, Chinese
>military pressure against Taiwan?  

What would the Bush reaction be to, say for example, Chinese military
crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators?  Or Chinese military pressure
on Tibet?  Or a coup in Haiti?  Or a coup in Peru?  Or a Syrian takeover
of Lebanon?  Or the Soviet Union attacking Lithuania?  Or a Serbian
invasion of Slovenia, Croatia, and Bosnia?

>I guess in a nutshell, I don't think I know what principles guide this man
>when it comes to making tough foreign policy decisions.  He sometimes _talks_
>a good game, but many of his actions, statements, and mis-statements lead me
>to doubt the value of his word.

Good.  Now that just leaves one question.  What principles guide GHWB in
tough foreign policy decisions?  Or tough domestic policy decisions?  Or
*easy* decisions of either type?  
(Besides "doing-whatever-it-takes-to-get-reelected", I mean)

-- 
David M. Nieporent   | Orioles 1993 World Series Champions
niepornt@phoenix.    | Mike Mussina 1992 AL Cy Young Winner
   princeton.edu     | Roland Hemond: SIGN BARRY BONDS!!!!!!!!
Vote Clinton/Gore '92.   Four more weeks!!!   		"Bloody urine"
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