Powell Defends War, Says He Expected WMD [Powell Bashes Democrats!!!!]

Yahoo News ^ | February 11, 2004 | BARRY SCHWEID

[Howlin]

WASHINGTON - Under attack by House Democrats, Secretary of State Colin Powell (news - web sites) said Wednesday he was surprised U.N. and American inspectors did not find storehouses of hidden weapons in Iraq (news - web sites).

AP Photo

Latest headlines:

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·	Powell denies truth "murdered" in run-up to Iraq war AFP - 50 minutes ago

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But Powell told the International Relations Committee that "we presented what we believed the truth to be at the time."

Powell testified that President Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s apparent intent to develop and use weapons, his record of gassing his own people and his defiance of the United Nations (news - web sites) all were — and remain — valid reasons for going to war to overthrow him.

He said President Bush (news - web sites) and he had relied on intelligence provided by CIA (news - web sites) Director George Tenet, and the only serious question raised about the analysis since the war was whether Iraq had storehouses of weapons of mass destruction.

"I don't think anyone in America should think that President Bush cooked the books," Powell said.

"The reason we told you there were stockpiles there was because we believed it to be true," Powell said. "We were surprised when they did not turn up."

But Reps. Gary Ackerman, D-N.Y., Robert Melendez, D-N.J., Rep. Robert I Wexler, D-Fla., and Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, challenged Powell about the administration's case, suggesting it may have been misleading from the outset.

"Truth is the first casualty of war," Ackerman said. "I would contend truth was murdered before a shot was fired."

"We went into this war under false premises," Melendez said.

Wexler told Powell he considered him to be "the credible voice in the administration."

"When you reached the conclusion that Iraq represented a clear and present danger to the United States, that meant a lot to me," Wexler said. "But the facts suggest there was a part of the story that was not true."

Powell fielded the assertions calmly, defending the president's judgment and his own.

But when Brown contrasted Powell's military experience to Bush's record with the National Guard, saying the president "may have been AWOL" from duty, Powell exploded.

"First of all, Mr. Brown, I won't dignify your comments about the president because you don't know what you are talking about," Powell snapped.

"I'm sorry I don't know what you mean, Mr. Secretary," Brown replied.

"You made reference to the president," Powell shot back.

Brown then repeated his understanding that Bush may have been AWOL from guard duty.

"Mr. Brown, let's not go there," Powell retorted. "Let's not go there in this hearing. If you want to have a political fight on this matter, that is very controversial, and I think it is being dealt with by the White House, fine, but let's not go there."

Powell then went on to defend the Bush administration's assertions on Iraq's prewar weaponry. "We didn't make it up," Powell said. "It was information that reflected the views of analysts in all the various agencies."

But the dispute with Brown did not end.

"Are you shaking your head for something, young man?," Powell asked when he noticed an aide to Brown apparently disagreeing.

"I seldom come to a meeting when I'm talking to a congressman and I have people aligned behind you giving editorial comment by headshakes," Powell said.

Brown, defending his assistant, said "I think people have opinions."

Eager to move on, the committee chairman, Rep. Henry Hyde, R-Ill., observed that "we're on a very emotional subject," but "we've been doing swimmingly until now."

[Tuxedo]

Hey don't blame me! I voted for the other guy. I went from Kucinich's district to Brown's. Not sure which is worse.

[mathluv]

When Brit showed the clip, he commented that the guy had not served.

[gipper81]

According to some articles, Brown was afraid of losing his seat due to redistricting. T, do you have any background or the current status of this in Ohio?

[prairiebreeze]

Actually I don't think that Powell "exploded". He looked angry but his response I thought, was controlled. Which got the meassage across even more IMO.

He did slap the twit down, but he didn't yell or anything. Sherrod Brown hasn't been able to peel his tail from between his legs since then.

Prairie

[driftless]

Powell was just expressing was is self-evident: the current crop of Dems with a few exceptions, are the biggest bunch of unprincipled scoundrels in our nations history.

[cyncooper]

I agree. As I said he was very angry.

Chris Matthews just played it.

[Peach]

Definitely controlled anger.

Just heard that Dick Morris thinks President Bush will be regarded historically as the most successful one term president ever.

Said that Democrat polling shows that the Rats put national security at #3 on their list of "concerns".

Morris feels that President Bush has done such a good job at keeping and making us feel safe that people aren't scared anymore.

[arasina]

Robert Wexler looks like a failed attempt at an Al Gore clone.

I wish the words of these people would come out as buzzing flies like the evil did from Michael Clark Duncan in "The Green Mile" --- so people could recognize them for what they are.

[cyncooper]

In other words, by saying LIVID I wasn't saying Powell lost control. Oh, no. But he was indeed ticked off big time.

[patj]

Who is that ass?

This is the guy that was on Hannity and Colmes, just once. He was nasty and called Colmes "the token liberal" at Fox. This guy also led protestors against Bush when he came to town on Labor Day. This fool, who is a democrat, but I repeat myself, serves in a Republican house with a Republican Senate and Republican President and he demonstrates against him. Now what in the sam hill is he going to get done for his district?

[BigSkyFreeper]

Shucks! I missed it on Brit's show! Ah well, I'll watch it on CSPAN's website later this evening when I have time, or catch the replay of Brit's show later on FNC. Thanks for the heads up though!!

[BigSkyFreeper]

Hopefully the voters in his district will vote that idjit out.

[lysie]

Wow!!! Good for him.

[arasina]

The most successful ONE TERM president ever? Gee, thanks, Dick.

[BigSkyFreeper]

I saw the call letters on the microphone in the Crybaby Wexler photo, and I thought I remembered that from somewhere. That's the radio home of that brainless liberal bimbo Randi Rhodes who boasts she has more listeners in WPB than Rush.

[arasina]

Wexler and Powell are both scumbags.

You DID mean to type Wexler and BROWN, right? :o)

[cat lover too]

I sure hope you are right that it won't work. I am very puzzled by this whole thing. I just can't see how this is a winning issue for them. But Mora and Mort on Brit's show both said this fight gives Kerry an edge. I can't see why they would think that.

Have there been polls that show that people's minds about the President are being changed because of this issue?

[maica]

Thanks for posting this! Imagine disrespecting the Secretary of State and while the cameras are rolling! Rumsfeld gave testimony on the Hill yesterday. President Bush gave a major speech today to the National War University. Condoleeza Rice was on morning talk shows about this new proposal for nucular [sic] non-proliferation. Yet all the dims can talk about is "missed guard meetings." They are so dim they do not deserve to get paid as representatives.

[afropick]

These idiots at msnbc have completely disregarded the letter written by the retired af col in the wash times. I am trying to maintain my temper but at this rate I am going to be looking for a new tv tommorrow.

[cyncooper]

BTW, here's more "logic" courtesy of David Gregory on Hardball. He says it's fair to demand every piece of paper on Bush because they went and looked (can you just picture these clymers plotting to get GWB and scouring every angle to see where they can cite precedent?) and saw that Bush/Quayle back in '92 demanded it of Clinton.

I'm sitting here thinking So kerry WHAT?

Gregory and milky Dana Millbank both hinted that the pay periods should be investigated to see what Bush was actually doing and why wasn't he flying (No, I am not kidding) and did he get preferential treatment.