Cut Hillary Some Slack on Iraq

For over 13 years Hillary has been pilloried for her authorization vote.   Viewed in context that long ago vote, has no bearing on her qualifications as Commander in Chief.

With such stalwarts as Collin Powell selling the certainty of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction, everyone, including Bernie, was drinking the kool-aid.  Sanders voted no anyway, because he believed such weapons posed no imminent threat to America.

Bush/Cheney either misread intelligence reports, or knowingly mislead this nation.  Nothing establishes that Hillary would make the same error.

Another reason Hillary joined John Kerry, and such noted liberals as Tom Harkin, in supporting the resolution is the benefit of the doubt generally afforded the Commander in Chief.   The speech she delivered before casting her vote reflects that deference and the belief that Bush would honor his promise to use the authorization to leverage a diplomatic resolution through the United Nations.

If we were to attack Iraq now, alone or with few allies, it would set a precedent that could come back to haunt us.
...this course is fraught with danger.
...a unilateral attack...on the present facts is not a good option.
Because bipartisan support for this resolution makes success in the United Nations more likely, and therefore, war less likely, and because a good faith effort by the United States, even if it fails, will bring more allies and legitimacy to our cause, I have concluded, after careful and serious consideration, that a vote for the resolution best serves the security of our nation.
My vote is not, however, a vote for any new doctrine of preemption, or for unilateralism, or for the arrogance of American power or purpose -- all of which carry grave dangers for our nation, for the rule of international law and for the peace and security of people throughout the world. ...
So it is with conviction that I support this resolution as being in the best interests of our nation. A vote for it is not a vote to rush to war; it is a vote that puts awesome responsibility in the hands of our President and we say to him - use these powers wisely and as a last resort.

Excerpts courtesy of Daily Kos.

Bush went on to use the authorization to launch an ill fated war, and to so bungle the post war as to destabilize the region.  The blood is on the hands of Bush/Chaney, not the Democratic Senators who supported the president.