Dean says Bush has not prepared U.S. for Iraq attack

(September 4, 2002, By MIKE GLOVER The Associated Press)

The Associated Press reports (in the Rutland Herald) that Dean has restated some of his opinions regarding Iraq. It's a good overview of his position on the issue (though it does rehash some of the tidbits from earlier articles).

Dean warned the president is badly mistaken if he thinks voters will blindly support an attack.

“He needs to first make the case and he has not done that,” Dean said. “He has never come out and said Saddam (Hussein) has the atomic bomb and we need to deal with him.”

Dean said he wasn’t sure why Bush wasn’t making his case more forcefully.

“It is in the minds of a lot of people and they are worried,” said Dean. “They want to support him, but he hasn’t given them a reason.”

Once Bush has verified that Hussein has weapons of mass destruction, Dean said Bush needs to make his evidence public and then be clear about the consequences of an attack.

“He needs to be forthright with the American people about what this means,” said Dean. “If we go into Iraq, we’re going to have to stay for probably five or 10 years.”

He warned that simply deposing Hussein is not enough. The United States would have to plant the seeds of democracy in a country with little such tradition, he said.

“Americans are going to have to die and a lot of money is going to be spent,” said Dean.

There's a lot more in this link about Dean's activities in Iowa, as well.

(link courtesy Lawrence)