"IMMINENT" --- here are the exact words used by President Bush

whitehouse.gov | Jan 28, 2003 | Bush and speechwriters

[doug from upland]

At at time where the survival of our nation is dependent upon stopping the Islamist threat to our way of life, I am sicked at the spectacle that is the DemocRATic Party. Ted "Lifeguard" Kennedy said on the Sean Hannity Show that "we were told we would find nuclear weapons." That is bunk. The president never said that.

Other RATS have claimed that President Bush said the threat of attack with WMDs was imminent. No, he didn't say that either.

It is sometimes helpful to use a person's exact words. We have those words. Remember these words. Send them to you local newspaper and get them on talk radio.

"Some have said we must not act until the threat is imminent. Since when have terrorists and tyrants announced their intentions, politely putting us on notice before they strike? If this threat is permitted to fully and suddenly emerge, all actions, all words, and all recriminations would come too late. Trusting in the sanity and restraint of Saddam Hussein is not a strategy, and it is not an option."

[FreeReign]

"Some have said we must not act until the threat is imminent...."

Great post.

[Cacophonous]

And I would argue - and have argued - that a nation that harbors terrorists, promotes terrorism, has active chem/bio/nuke program, has shown the willingness to use WMD, has invaded its neighors in the past, and is in violation of US and international law constitutes an imminent threat.

[doug from upland]

I agree with you. But the critics are putting words in his mouth that he didn't say and then lying about him.

[SwinneySwitch]

Time and place GW said this, Doug?

[doug from upland]

When it becomes evident they are prepared to attack in a few hours, what can we do about it then? We are out of time. It took quite a while too get our forces prepared. We have a president who gets it. Thank God for George W. Bush.

[jmstein7]

BUMP!

[doug from upland]

Sorry that I didn't make it clear. The date was shown above -- Jan. 28 -- the State of the Union.

[metalboy]

Why doesn`t Bush say the real truth for once, "Democrats would rather give more credibility to a bunch of psychotic killers than me because the only thing that matters to Democrats is power, even at the expense of their own country, which is why they are capital T Traitors, and why they should be voted out of freggin` existence forever into oblivion."

[doug from upland]

He can't say it, but we can. And we must - over and over and over and over (as the bloated killer lifeguard said).

[Cacophonous]

And he is handling it poorly. We all agree that Iraq posed an imminent threat. What he should say is, "Hell yes they were an imminent threat. Saddam butchers and gases his own people, is pursuing WMD, aids and abets terrorists and terrorism...yes, he was a threat, an urgent one, an immediate one, yes, an imminent one. We took him out."

That in no way invalidates or violates the Powell Doctrine of pre-emption that Bush was describing and defending in the words you posted. Simply, since Iraq posed an imminent threat, the Powell Doctrine does not apply.

Instead, the President and GOP jumped through hoops playing Clintonian word games, saying that Iraq did not pose an imminent threat, so the Powell Doctrine applies. Actually, we did not need the Powell (pre-emption) Doctrine to go justify ann invasion (and have, in my opinion, a stronger justification without invoking the Powell Doctrine). But now I'm repeating myself.

I get so frustrated with the GOP's ability to constantly shoot itself in the foot.

[Cacophonous]

You're making my point.

[RipSawyer]

"I agree with you. But the critics are putting words in his mouth that he didn't say and then lying about him."

A common strategy and one that has been used against me and probably anyone who has ever dealt with more than two other people in his entire life. Those who are best at doing this are able to seem oblivious to the fact of what they are doing and when confronted will deny to the end that they are, in fact, the liars. Such practitioners can be amusing to watch if you are not directly involved in what is going on, on the other hand, observing them can also cause extreme hypertension.

[Delta 21]

I can not believe how Bush has handled his Presidency! He has never once stooped to the media or swung at any pitches in the dirt.

He tells the truth and lets the chips fall where they may.

From my perspective....he has a pretty big pile of chips right now!!

[Cacophonous]

And the President and GOP have not handled it well. Please see my post #12.

[Howlin]

Instead, the President and GOP jumped through hoops playing Clintonian word games, saying that Iraq did not pose an imminent threat

What is so hard to understand about the President's very own words?

"If this threat is permitted to fully and suddenly emerge, all actions, all words, and all recriminations would come too late.

That doesn't seem Clintonian at all to me.

[doug from upland]

Our side has been on the defensive far too long. For months and months the RATS have had the upper hand in the press. It has hurt our president, our nation, our troops, and the war on terror.

[Howlin]

Thanks for the thread, Doug.

[Allegra]

I am grateful every time I read something like this that George W. Bush is our president. Being proactive instead of reactive is the only way we'll stay ahead in these trying times.

Bush never really had much experience in foreign policy or defense when he took office, but he has excellent instincts and that's more valuable than all the schooling in the world.