Defiant Bush says US needs no permission for war, defends Iraq invasion

Agence France-Presse | 1/21/04

[kattracks]

A defiant US President George W. Bush unapologetically defended his decision to invade Iraq last year, insisting it had made the United States safer and vowing never to seek permission to wage war in self-defense.

Taking on critics at home and abroad who argue that Bush acted alone and in the face of an unproven threat, the president said he would not shy from conflict even if, after wooing friends and allies to the cause, he lacked broad support.

"From the beginning, America has sought international support for operations in Afghanistan and Iraq and we have gained much support," Bush said in his final "State of the Union" address before he seeks re-election November 2.

"There is a difference, however, between leading a coalition of many nations, and submitting to the objections of a few," he said. "America will never seek a permission slip to defend the security of our country."

Bush maintained there was no doubt the overthrow of Saddam Hussein had boosted the security of the United States, the Middle East and the world in general.

"For all who love freedom and peace, the world without Saddam Hussein's regime is a better and safer place," he said.

He ignored criticism that Iraqi weapons of mass destruction -- the threat from which formed the basis for the decision to go to war against Iraq -- have not materialized despite intensive searches by arms inspectors.

Instead, he pointed to discoveries of facilities and equipment in Iraq that may constitute attempts to develop chemical and biological weapons, mass graves and said the Iraqi people are better off today than they were under Saddam.

In addition, he said the US-led invasion had salvaged the credibility of the United Nations after Iraq's repeated defiance of more than a decade's worth of UN Security Council resolutions demanding that he disarm and prove it.

"Had we failed to act, the dictator's weapons of mass destruction programs would continue to this day," Bush said.

"Had we failed to act, Security Council resolutions on Iraq would have been revealed as empty threats, weakening the United Nations and encouraging defiance by dictators around the world," he said.

"Iraq's torture chambers would still be filled with victims -- terrified and innocent," Bush said. "The killing fields of Iraq -- where hundreds of thousands of men, women, and children vanished into the sands -- would still be known only to the killers."

On top of that, he said Saddam's ouster had sent a message to other countries, notably Libya, whose leader, Moamer Kadhafi, renounced weapons of mass destruction in December after nearly a year of secret talks with the United States and Britain.

"Nine months of intense negotiations involving the United States and Great Britain succeeded with Libya, while 12 years of diplomacy with Iraq did not," Bush said.

"And one reason is clear: For diplomacy to be effective, words must be credible -- and no one can now doubt the word of America," the president said in remarks prepared for delivery.

[onyx]

"America will never seek a permission slip to defend the security of our country."

Re-elect GWB.

[kattracks]

"America will never seek a permission slip to defend the security of our country."

Yes we will, with a Democrat in the oval office.

[dyed_in_the_wool]

"And one reason is clear: For diplomacy to be effective, words must be credible -- and no one can now doubt the word of America,"

[PFKEY]

This is my kind of cowboy.

Howie can yippie-io all over Vermont just keep him away from 1600.

[xzins]

Donate here: I did. It will boil down to President Bush or some Democrat. After Clinton, do you really want to go there again?



http://www.georgewbush.com

[onyx]

Exactly right, Kat. To a man, the democrat hopefuls have all called for UN involvement. Read: UN permission.

The eneny is within and they're democrats and their Bush-bashing enablers posturing as "true conservatives."

They're attempting to play the oldest game around -- divide and conquer.

[onyx]

Thanks for posting the link. I have donated and I shall again before too long.

[G.Mason]

" Defiant Bush says US needs no permission for war, defends Iraq invasion"

Ah, the French malady.

As France goes round after round with 5 million muslims, they have time to lean over the ropes and stick their tongue out at the United States.



Don't look now froggy, but they're tying a head scarf around your neck

[Right_in_Virginia]

"There is a difference, however, between leading a coalition of many nations, and submitting to the objections of a few,"

The French must be disappointed the President didn't single them out. LOL.

[mitch5501]

"And one reason is clear: For diplomacy to be effective, words must be credible -- and no one can now doubt the word of America,"

Sitting here at the 'puter...I've got a standing ovation going on inside my head

and a big grin on my dial

[LS]

This was a phenomenal line. Actually, I was surprised with the speech, expecting a huge laundry list of goodies. I though---prison ex-con money aside---that he was pretty restrained in his "giveaways," and the speech focused much more on foreign affairs than I thought . . . or that almost everone had predicted.

[LS]

And as he said that, fat Teddy was sitting there shaking his bloated head. I despise that man.

[EQAndyBuzz]

I am deeply saddened by the Presidents comments /sarcasm

[barker]

Sounds like a good tag line.

[txradioguy]

What IMHO I think W ment to say was this:

"As long as a REPUBLICAN is President, America will never seek a permission slip to defend the security of our country."

[Lucky2]

And no one can now doubt the word of America

These words are true only when a true American, conservative occupies the office of POTUS. As soon as a rat or a clinton takes over, the bets are all off. Pray we re-elect President Bush.

[Sender]

I browsed the DUmmies this morning after. Synopsis:

I hate him! I hate him! He makes me sick!!!
My wife screamed and threw things at the TV!
He was just like Hitler!
We've got to get him out of here, elect anybody else!!!
I can't watch this anymore! I can't!
(imagine shrieks of feral hatred and impotent rage)

And of course:

The only bright spot was Ted Kennedy frowning!

[onyx]

I agree with you, LS. Short on 'give-aways' and long on defense and democrat digs. I loved it as much or more than fat, bloated Kennedy hated it, and that's going some. Wasn't Kennedy's behavior digusting? Worst I've even seen.

Ya mon, barker, it's a fabulous tagline! :)

[LS]

Kennedy sitting there shaking his head was the most obnoxious thing I've ever seen in Congress.