"I don't know how John Kerry and John Edwards can say they supported the war but then opposed the funding for the troops who went to fight the war that the resolution that they supported authorized," Mr. Lieberman said at the debate here, sponsored by Fox News Channel and the Congressional Black Caucus Institute.
"One moment he supported authorizing the use of force, the next he criticized those who did," the senator told an audience of about 200.
In addition, Obama supports authorizing the suing of telecommunications companies for wiretapping, which could evolve into a time-consuming and very costly legal battle.
He, by contrast, supports "authorizing the use of force".
"It will be subject to strict audits and controls, and only used to support valid, authorized inquiries," he said.
The Children's Health Insurance Program reauthorization, a Democratic initiative that passed with modest Republican support, also authorized grants to states and community groups to help identify eligible children.
Other members of the NSC were in favor of North's plan; with large support, Poindexter authorized it without notifying President Reagan, and it went into effect.
They've signed health care directives (also known as living wills), stating their views on life support and authorizing the other spouse to make health care decisions in the event one of them is incapacitated.
The nuances and conditions of both his original support for authorizing force and his later critique of how that authority was used suggest that he recognizes that Iraq is an American responsibility, not just a Republican one.
Last year, Congress passed the Afghan Freedom Support Act authorizing increased reconstruction financing and peace troop expansion.
