Bush & Cheney Have (FIB) Trouble With Early Iraq Statements
Time for another AA meeting. Subject: lost memory.
I know it's hard to believe Mr. President,
but they have these things know that actually record what you say and
are able to play back what they record. Even after a long period of
time. Keith Olbermann and Countdown supply the evidence.
Bush: "First-just if I might correct a
misperception, I don't think we ever said, at least I know I didn't say
that there was a direct connection between September 11th and Saddam
Hussein."
In days gone by-SOTU-three years ago:
Bush: "Saddam Hussein aids and protects terrorists, including members of al-Qaeda."
Now-anyone listening and watching his speech back
then would make that connection easily enough since al-Qaeda was
responsible for 9/11-don't you think? Keith analyzes it very nicely.
Olbermann: "Saddam Hussein and al-Qaeda in the
same sentence separated by seven words. Sept. 11th and Saddam
Hussein -two sentences later, separated by six words. In a moment Craig
Crawford joins me to discuss the fundamental remaining question. Who does the President think he's F'n kidding?
Now let see how many other times he connected Saddam Hussein and Al-Qaeda..
"The regime has longstanding and continuing ties to terrorist groups, and there are Al Qaida terrorists inside Iraq."- George W. Bush Delivers Weekly Radio Address, White House (9/28/2002) - BushOnIraq.com
"We
know that Iraq and al Qaeda have had high-level contacts that go back a
decade. Some al Qaeda leaders who fled Afghanistan went to Iraq. These
include one very senior al Qaeda leader who received medical treatment
in Baghdad this year, and who has been associated with planning for
chemical and biological attacks. We've learned that Iraq has trained al
Qaeda members in bomb-making and poisons and deadly gases." - President Bush Outlines Iraqi Threat; Remarks by the President on Iraq, White House (10/7/2002) - Whitehouse.gov
"I
think they're both equally important, and they're both dangerous. And
as I said in my speech in Cincinnati, we will fight if need be the war
on terror on two fronts. We've got plenty of capacity to do so. And I
also mentioned the fact that there is a connection between al Qaeda and
Saddam Hussein. The war on terror, Iraq is a part on the war on terror.
And he must disarm."- President Condems Attack in Bali, White House (10/14/2002) - Whitehouse.gov
"This
is a man who has got connections with Al Qaida. Imagine a terrorist
network with Iraq as an arsenal and as a training ground, so that a
Saddam Hussein could use this shadowy group of people to attack his
enemy and leave no fingerprint behind. He's a threat."- Remarks by the President in Texas Welcome, White House (11/4/2002) - Whitehouse.gov
"He's
a threat because he is dealing with Al Qaida. In my Cincinnati speech I
reminded the American people, a true threat facing our country is that
an Al Qaida-type network trained and armed by Saddam could attack
America and leave not one fingerprint." - President Outlines Priorities, White House (11/7/2002) - BushOnIraq.gov
"He's
had contacts with Al Qaida. Imagine the scenario where an Al Qaida-type
organization uses Iraq as an arsenal, a place to get weapons, a place
to be trained to use the weapons. Saddam Hussein could use surrogates
to come and attack people he hates." - Remarks by the President at Arkansas Welcome, White House (11/4/2002) - BushOnIraq.com
FACT:According to documents, "Saddam Hussein warned his Iraqi supporters to
be wary of joining forces with foreign Arab fighters entering Iraq to
battle U.S. troops. The document provides another piece of evidence
challenging the Bush administration contention of close cooperation
between Saddam's regime and al Qaeda terrorists." [NY Times, 1/15/04]
FACT:
"CIA interrogators have already elicited from the top Qaeda officials
in custody that, before the American-led invasion, Osama bin Laden had
rejected entreaties from some of his lieutenants to work jointly with
Saddam." [NY Times, 1/15/04]
FACT: "Three former Bush Administration officials who worked on intelligence
and national security issues said the prewar evidence tying Al Qaeda
was tenuous, exaggerated and often at odds with the conclusions of key
intelligence agencies." [National Journal, 8/9/03]
On Face the Nation Sunday, Dick Cheney had
a few very interesting things to say. Using a phrase borrowed from a
formerly disgraced WH press reporter-they might even be characterized
as being "divorced from reality."
SCHIEFFER: Mr. Vice President, all
along the government has been very optimistic. You remain optimistic.
But I remember when you were saying we'd be greeted as liberators, you
played down the insurgency ten months ago. You said it was in its last
throes. Do you believe that these optimistic statements may be one of
the reasons that people seem to be more skeptical in this country about
whether we ought to be in Iraq?
CHENEY: No, I think it has less to do with the statements we've made, which I think were basically accurate and reflect reality,
than it does the fact that there is a constant sort of perception if
you will that's created because what is newsworthy is the carbomb in
Baghdad, it’s not all the work that went on that day in 15 other
provinces in terms of making progress in rebuilding Iraq.(transcript via TP)
OK, which part of his early ruminations on MTP in the run up to the war have ever proven correct? Have a field day.
NOTHING he has stated about this war has turned out to be true. NOTHING!
"Vice
President Cheney has been consistently wrong about the war in Iraq.
He's called the shots on a dangerously incompetent strategy," said
Kennedy. "He was wrong about the link between Al Qaeda and Saddam
Hussein. He was wrong about Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass
destruction. He was wrong about America being greeted as liberators. He
was wrong about the insurgency being in its last throes. Now he rejects
the idea of civil war."...read on"
The picture has visual proof: even a lightbulb is brighter than Bush and with Cheney
you have the deranged ravings of a guy who shot a MAN because he thought the guy was a BIRD? One of things everyone needs to consider is that when they say progress is being made
rebuilding Iraq, it is simply progress to get it back to what it was
before we bombed it.
On Face the Nation Sunday, Dick Cheney had
a few very interesting things to say. Using a phrase borrowed from a
formerly disgraced WH press reporter-they might even be characterized
as being
