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Bill Clinton: Hillary was right on Rwanda

Posted by Scott Helman, Political Reporter December 10, 2007 06:47 PM

NEWTON, Iowa -- The question to Bill Clinton was a good one: What decisions that you made as president did Hillary Clinton disagree with?

At first, the former president, stumping for his wife before several hundred people at a YMCA here today, talked about things he had done wrong on health care and briefly discussed welfare reform. And then, using a more somber tone, he explained that she had wanted the United States to intervene in Rwanda in 1994, when hundreds of thousands of people died in a genocide that lasted just a few months.

Clinton has often said that not acting in Rwanda was one of his biggest regrets. It's a decision, he said, for which he continues to try to make amends. Had he listened to his wife, Clinton said, things might have been different.

"I believe if I had moved we might have saved at least a third of those lives," he said. "I think she clearly would have done that."

He went on to explain how America, which did intervene in the former Yugoslavia, could only take on so much at once. But not acting in Rwanda, he suggested, was a mistake his wife wouldn't make.

9 comments so far...
  1. Let Mr Clinton know that those who commited genocide in Rwanda are now in Congo, killing, raping women and the whole world is doing nothing. Like Rwanda, MONUC has been infiltrated by the french, instead of fighting these killers, they are busy fighting Nkunda. What a shame!

    Posted by Caringkid Steel December 11, 07 06:09 AM
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  1. I truly believe this is nothing but a political ploy. There is NO evidence that Hillary ever supported intervening in Rwanda, and if there was, I believe this would have been public knowledge by now. In all those years since Clinton left office, he and his wife have probably been asked 1 million times regarding policy differences he and his wife may have had. Why is this the first time we've heard of this apparent split? You can't trust a Clinton. They will say literally anything. They've proven this to use time and time again.

    Posted by nathan December 11, 07 04:40 PM
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  1. The Clintons will say anything to get back in power, even such history revisions as Bill was against the Iraq war from the start and Hillary wanted to intervene in the Rwanda Genocide.

    For 100 days in 1994, Hillary was silent while 800,000 blacks were slaughtered to death. That was the time to speak up – not 14 years later.

    We're not talking about marital infidelity or a fund-raising scandal -- the Clintons failed their UN obligation to stop genocide. Nothing can make up for that.

    Game over.

    Posted by Matt Cudé December 21, 07 10:09 AM
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  1. Yes number 3 got it bang on, I beleave there was a canadian general over there giving all kinds of feed back to the white house. It got so bad he went to the medeia because trhe whole world turned there backs on him. that bitch can say what she wants she was for the iraq war shes no better then Bill.

    P.S didn;t he cheat on her....

    Posted by cory January 6, 08 01:41 PM
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  1. Yes number 3 got it bang on, I beleave there was a canadian general over there giving all kinds of feed back to the white house. It got so bad he went to the medeia because trhe whole world turned there backs on him. that bitch can say what she wants she was for the iraq war shes no better then Bill.

    P.S didn;t he cheat on her....

    Posted by cory January 6, 08 01:42 PM
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  1. The press will, of course, give the Clintons a pass on this. Nevermind that it's an unspeakably vile lie of the worst kind. Her husband lets a million people be brutally murdered on his watch then they lie about her fake, unconstitutional part in that presidency (and spin it!) for political gain after the fact - that's the Clintons. She truly is a monster and so is he.

    Posted by DF March 9, 08 05:45 PM
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  1. Good for public speaking and sending a positive note hmmm, 14 years after the fact. I thought you might have seen the media coverage? Too busy, didn't have a voice back then? Will you still need the okay from others to know what is right? How about Haiti...varius other places, Darfur, Senegal ...TIBET. It is amazing to hear the same speaches over and over again and no action taken what so ever. News coverage, George Orwell covered it in his book, "1984" Scary as he finished that book in 1949 I believe? Are we now not entering 2008? I look at what is going on in the world and yes, you can classify a few as genocides. I listen and watch the people who speek again and again as they say to the public that they cannot classify instances as "genocide" I don't need to have a political science degree to
    figure that one out. Maybe some of these politicians should go to these places without their security and secured planes? Maybe they should really begin to experience what they so call stand behind and empathize with. Yet another genocide happening now amongst others yet this one has bee put in the public eye, though sensored, Tibet. I think enough people were told and shown what was happening in Rwanda, was anything done? What might you have to say. Try to use your own words....Is there anyone in State, Parliament who actually knows and understands what is going on in the world? Yes, I have a hard time myself but you have the means to do something. For goodness sakes on the smallest scale of it all stop the free trade with China and let voices be heard. Maybe I am way out of bounds but as I said earlier, I am so tired of hearing the same speaces, empty promises and no action to prevent nor end the violence.

    Posted by jenny March 21, 08 10:18 PM
    Reply | Report this post
  1. Good for public speaking and sending a positive note hmmm, 14 years after the fact. I thought you might have seen the media coverage? Too busy, didn't have a voice back then? Will you still need the okay from others to know what is right? How about Haiti...varius other places, Darfur, Senegal ...TIBET. It is amazing to hear the same speaches over and over again and no action taken what so ever. News coverage, George Orwell covered it in his book, "1984" Scary as he finished that book in 1949 I believe? Are we now not entering 2008? I look at what is going on in the world and yes, you can classify a few as genocides. I listen and watch the people who speek again and again as they say to the public that they cannot classify instances as "genocide" I don't need to have a political science degree to
    figure that one out. Maybe some of these politicians should go to these places without their security and secured planes? Maybe they should really begin to experience what they so call stand behind and empathize with. Yet another genocide happening now amongst others yet this one has bee put in the public eye, though sensored, Tibet. I think enough people were told and shown what was happening in Rwanda, was anything done? What might you have to say. Try to use your own words....Is there anyone in State, Parliament who actually knows and understands what is going on in the world? Yes, I have a hard time myself but you have the means to do something. For goodness sakes on the smallest scale of it all stop the free trade with China and let voices be heard. Maybe I am way out of bounds but as I said earlier, I am so tired of hearing the same speaces, empty promises and no action to prevent nor end the violence.

    Posted by jenny March 21, 08 10:25 PM
    Reply | Report this post
  1. Good for public speaking and sending a positive note hmmm, 14 years after the fact. I thought you might have seen the media coverage? Too busy, didn't have a voice back then? Will you still need the okay from others to know what is right? How about Haiti...various other places, Darfur, Senegal ...TIBET. It is amazing to hear the same speaches over and over again and no action taken what so ever. News coverage, George Orwell covered it in his book, "1984" Scary as he finished that book in 1949 I believe? Are we now not entering 2008? I look at what is going on in the world and yes, you can classify a few as genocides. I listen and watch the people who speek again and again as they say to the public that they cannot classify instances as "genocide" I don't need to have a political science degree to
    figure that one out. Maybe some of these politicians should go to these places without their security and secured planes? Maybe they should really begin to experience what they so call stand behind and empathize with. Yet another genocide happening now amongst others yet this one has bee put in the public eye, though sensored, Tibet. I think enough people were told and shown what was happening in Rwanda, was anything done? What might you have to say. Try to use your own words....Is there anyone in State, Parliament who actually knows and understands what is going on in the world? Yes, I have a hard time myself but you have the means to do something. For goodness sakes on the smallest scale of it all stop the free trade with China and let voices be heard. Maybe I am way out of bounds but as I said earlier, I am so tired of hearing the same speaces, empty promises and no action to prevent nor end the violence.

    Posted by jenny March 21, 08 10:27 PM
    Reply | Report this post
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About political intelligence Field reports from Boston Globe reporters and editors covering the 2008 presidential campaign and the national maneuvering of Bay State politicians.

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