Kasich Wouldn’t Have Seen Invading Iraq ‘As Vital To National Interests’

Gov. John Kasich, R-Ohio, speaks at the Republican Leadership Summit Saturday, April 18, 2015, in Nashua, N.H. (AP Photo/Jim Cole)
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

Add Ohio Gov. Kasich (R) to the list of Republicans who say they wouldn’t have authorized an invasion of Iraq like then-President George W. Bush.

“There’s a lot of people who lost limbs and lives over there, OK?” Kasich told The Columbus Dispatch on Tuesday. “But if the question is, if there were not weapons of mass destruction should we have gone, the answer would’ve been no.”

Kasich went on to say he “wouldn’t have seen it as vital to national interests.”

Kasich is one of the latest declared and possible 2016 presidential contenders to contrast with former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R), who could also run for president in 2016, on the question.

On Monday, Bush told Fox’s Megyn Kelly that he would have authorized an invasion of Iraq. Bush later backtracked and said he misheard the question. On Wednesday he refused to answer if he would have authorized an invasion given the knowledge available today.

Other declared and likely 2016 contenders have weighed in —both New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) have both very directly said they would have not have ordered an invasion.

Latest Livewire

Notable Replies

  1. Now they’re falling all over themselves to prove that they wouldn’t have done what G.W. Bush did…and yet, we all know they’re lying. they already want to get us involved in another war in Iran!

  2. But but but “something something Magog and jibba jabba the apocalypse!”

  3. It’s so damn easy to say this based on these past twelve years and what we now know. Seriously, who besides theDick Cheney would repeat that little mistake.

    What I want to know is what they’d have done in the aftermath of the “MY Pet Goat” debacle. Would they have been desperate to display their manliness by invading Iraq?

  4. Invading Iran would make Iraq seem like Grenada in comparison.

    It would make those in the world who don’t already hate us fucking despise us.

  5. Avatar for jw1 jw1 says:

    Nope. Sorry.
    You will not be POTUS either.

    Carol Merrill has your parting gifts.
    Thanks for playing!

    jw1

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

15 more replies

Participants

Avatar for system1 Avatar for lestatdelc Avatar for jw1 Avatar for srfromgr Avatar for sooner Avatar for mattinpa Avatar for artemisia Avatar for navamske Avatar for arrrrrj Avatar for teenlaqueefa Avatar for topcat Avatar for sniffit Avatar for daveyjones64 Avatar for dangoodbar Avatar for khaaannn Avatar for chicago11

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: