(2005-01-31) -- Sen. John Kerry. D-MA, said today that history will judge Sunday's landmark election in Iraq as an "utter failure for George W. Bush if the U.S. cannot find a way to give al Qaeda and other disenfranchised so-called 'terror' groups a voice in Iraq's new government."

"We use that word 'terrorist' to marginalize and demonize people whose way of expressing ideas is culturally different from ours," said Mr. Kerry. "But when a man takes up the scimitar to behead an innocent civilian, or straps on the exploding vest for a walk through the marketplace, he's just passionately stating his philosophy. Who are we to judge his methods?"

Mr. Kerry, who told NBC's Tim Russert that he's "keeping his options open" for another failed run for the White House in 2008, denied Republican accusations that he's on the "wrong side of history" in his opposition to Bush administration efforts to bring freedom to the Middle East.

"How can they say I'm on the wrong side of history?" he asked rhetorically. "I'm speaking out against Bush blunders in Iraq, and I plan to vote for another $80 billion to fund the blundering. You tell me which side of history I'm on."