Does Kerry Want the US to Succeed?

Does Kerry Want the US to Succeed?

Thomas Friedman notes that the possibility of a John Kerry victory in November is giving hope to the Baathists and terrorists. He writes a suggested speech for Kerry that would lay down the law to the terrorists - that things will not be getting better for them if he wins.

Senator Kerry: "Tim, before I answer that question, I first want to direct a message to the die-hard Baathists and Islamo-fascists who've been slaughtering Iraqis struggling to build their first democratic government. And my message to these terrorists is this: `READ MY LIPS — if I am president, I will not cut and run. I will not pull our troops out in the face of your intimidation the way Ronald Reagan fled from Lebanon.' Because that panicky retreat from Beirut in 1984 started us down this whole path, where terrorists believed if they hit us hard enough, we would run and they would get away with it. I hate how George Bush has prosecuted this war. I know I could do better. But I want every suicide bomber — from Bali to Baghdad — to understand one thing about a Kerry administration: `You can blow yourselves up from now until next Ramadan, but we'll still be in Iraq. You'll be dead, but we'll still be there. Which part of that sentence don't you understand?'

Would Kerry make such a speech? If Thomas Friedman thinks so, then he has not been paying much attention to domestic politics lately.