Posted on 03/05/2004 3:42:57 PM PST by Indy Pendance
WASHINGTON, March 5 — Senator Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts today delivered a blistering indictment of President Bush's decision to go to war in Iraq, accusing Mr. Bush of deliberately exaggerating the threat posed by Saddam Hussein's regime.
The speech by Mr. Kennedy to the Council on Foreign Relations was the most detailed Democratic assault to date on the issue. He has played a high-profile role in Senator John Kerry's presidential campaign, and the tone and timing of his remarks suggested that Democrats see merit in opening a new election-year challenge on the issue of Mr. Bush's credibility.
Mr. Kennedy accused the president of resorting to "pure, unadulterated fear-mongering, based on a devious strategy to convince the American people that Saddam's ability to provide nuclear weapons to Al Qaeda justified immediate war."
He also accused the Bush administration of going well beyond the assessments provided by intelligence agencies in its prewar depictions of Iraq, its alleged illicit arsenal and its ties to terrorism. The senator singled out George J. Tenet, the director of central intelligence, who said last month that his agency had never portrayed Iraq has having presented an imminent threat to the United States, as having failed in his obligation to correct statements by Mr. Bush that described the Iraqi threat as "unique and urgent" and "grave."
President Bush has said that he acted on the best intelligence available, and that previous administrations had also considered Saddam Hussein a threat. Mr. Bush and his top advisers have said, too, that deadly unconventional weapons may yet be found in Iraq, and that the military campaign and peacekeeping operation are part of the worldwide battle against terrorism.
But Senator Kennedy has repeatedly questioned the justification for war, and he did so today in perhaps his sharpest words yet.
"Why wasn't C.I.A. Director Tenet correcting the president and the vice president and the Secretary of Defense a year ago, when it could have made a difference, when it could have prevented a needless war, when it could have saved so many lives?" Mr. Kennedy asked.
The Central Intelligence Agency had no immediate comment on Mr. Kennedy's speech. But in anticipation of it, two Republican senators, John Kyl of Arizona and Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, circulated a letter noting that Democratic lawmakers as well as Republicans had made prewar statements that portrayed Iraq and its alleged weapons stockpiles as presenting an urgent threat to American security.
In his criticism of President Bush, Mr. Kennedy said: "The most important decision any president makes is the decision on war or peace. No president who misleads the country on the need for war deserves to be re-elected. A president who does so must be held accountable. The last thing our nation needs is a sign on the desk in the Oval Office in the White House that says, 'The buck doesn't stop here anymore.' "
In a separate speech today, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee planned to accuse the Bush administration of remaining "in a deep state of denial" in addressing flaws in the country's intelligence system, according to an prepared text provided by her office.
The fact that no chemical or biological weapons have been found in Iraq, despite prewar assertions by American intelligence agencies that Iraq possessed such devices, is only the most recent sign of those flaws, said the Democrat, Representative Jane Harman of California.
"Recent actions inside the C.I.A. are encouraging," Ms. Harman said in her remarks for a planned address to the American Enterprise Institute, "but there are no discernible signs from the vice president or president acknowledging the obvious flaws in our intelligence systems."
Mr. Bush announced last month the appointment of an independent commission to review intelligence problems, particularly as related to the proliferation of illicit weapons, including nuclear devices. But he has set a deadline of March 2005 for the commission to report back to the White House, a decision that Ms. Harman likened to having "kicked the can down the road." She recommended that the administration take immediate steps now, including a full-scale review of existing intelligence estimates worldwide involving illicit weapons, often called weapons of mass destruction.
"If estimates of Iraq's W.M.D. programs were so off the mark, we must be concerned that systemic deficiencies in intelligence analysis on other W.M.D. programs and activities exist, such as those in Iran, Libya, North Korea, Syria and Pakistan."
A decision to postpone the deadline for any review until next year "will not make us safer," Ms. Harman said, adding: "That is like the auto mechanic who says, 'I'm sorry I can't fix your brakes this week, but don't worry because I made your horn louder."
A Brief Compilation of DemocRAT Hypocrisy
"One way or the other, we are determined to deny Iraq the capacity to develop weapons of mass destruction and the missiles to deliver them. That is our bottom line." President Clinton, Feb. 4, 1998.
"If Saddam rejects peace and we have to use force, our purpose is clear. We want to seriously diminish the threat posed by Iraq's weapons of mass destruction program." President Clinton, Feb. 17, 1998.
"Iraq is a long way from [here], but what happens there matters a great deal here. For the risks that the leaders of a rogue state will use nuclear, chemical or biological weapons against us or our allies is the greatest security threat we face." Madeline Albright, Feb 18, 1998.
"He will use those weapons of mass destruction again, as he has ten times since 1983." Sandy Berger, Clinton National Security Adviser, Feb, 18, 1998.
"[W]e urge you, after consulting with Congress, and consistent with the U.S. Constitution and laws, to take necessary actions (including, if appropriate, air and missile strikes on suspect Iraqi sites) to respond effectively to the threat posed by Iraq's refusal to end its weapons of mass destruction programs." Letter to President Clinton, signed by Sens. Carl Levin, Tom Daschle, John Kerry, and others Oct. 9, 1998.
"Saddam Hussein has been engaged in the development of weapons of mass destruction technology which is a threat to countries in the region and he has made a mockery of the weapons inspection process." Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D, CA), Dec. 16, 1998.
"Hussein has ... chosen to spend his money on building weapons of mass destruction and palaces for his cronies." Madeline Albright, Clinton Secretary of State, Nov. 10, 1999.
"There is no doubt that ... Saddam Hussein has reinvigorated his weapons programs. Reports indicate that biological, chemical and nuclear programs continue apace and may be back to pre-Gulf War status. In addition, Saddam continues to redefine delivery systems and is doubtless using the cover of a licit missile program to develop longer-range missiles that will threaten the United States and our allies." Letter to President Bush, Signed by Sen. Bob Graham (D, FL,) and others, Dec, 5, 2001.
"We begin with the common belief that Saddam Hussein is a tyrant and a threat to the peace and stability of the region. He has ignored the mandated of the United Nations and is building weapons of mass destruction and the means of delivering them." Sen. Carl Levin (d, MI), Sept. 19, 2002.
"We know that he has stored secret supplies of biological and chemical weapons throughout his country." Al Gore, Sept. 23, 2002.
"Iraq's search for weapons of mass destruction has proven impossible to deter and we should assume that it will continue for as long as Saddam is in power." Al Gore, Sept. 23, 2002.
"We have known for many years that Saddam Hussein is seeking and developing weapons of mass destruction." Sen. Ted Kennedy (D, MA), Sept. 27, 2002.
"The last UN weapons inspectors left Iraq in October of 1998. We are confident that Saddam Hussein retains some stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons, and that he has since embarked on a crash course to build up his chemical and biological warfare capabilities. Intelligence reports indicate that he is seeking nuclear weapons..." Sen. Robert Byrd (D, WV), Oct. 3, 2002.
"I will be voting to give the President of the United States the authority to use force-- if necessary -- to disarm Saddam Hussein because I believe that a deadly arsenal of weapons of mass destruction in his hands is a real and grave threat to our security." Sen. John F. Kerry (D, MA), Oct. 9, 2002.
"There is unmistakable evidence that Saddam Hussein is working aggressively to develop nuclear weapons and will likely have nuclear weapons within the next five years ... We also should remember we have always underestimated the progress Saddam has made in development of weapons of mass destruction." Sen. Jay Rockerfeller (D, WV), Oct 10, 2002.
"He has systematically violated, over the course of the past 11 years, every significant UN resolution that has demanded that he disarm and destroy his chemical and biological weapons, and any nuclear capacity. This he has refused to do." Rep. Henry Waxman (D, CA), Oct. 10, 2002.
"In the four years since the inspectors left, intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons stock, his missile delivery capability, and his nuclear program. He has also given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to terrorists, including al Qaeda members. It is clear, however, that if left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage biological and chemical warfare, and will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons." Sen. Hillary Clinton (D, NY), Oct 10, 2002.
"We are in possession of what I think to be compelling evidence that Saddam Hussein has, and has had for a number of years, a developing capacity for the production and storage of weapons of mass destruction." Sen. Bob Graham (D, FL), Dec. 8, 2002.
"[W]ithout question, we need to disarm Saddam Hussein. He is a brutal, murderous dictator, leading an oppressive regime ... He presents a particularly grievous threat because he is so consistently prone to miscalculation ... And now he is miscalculating America's response to his continued deceit and his consistent grasp for weapons of mass destruction ... So the threat of Saddam Hussein with weapons of mass destruction is real ..." Sen. John F. Kerry (D, MA), Jan. 23. 2003.
It's clear that they will scrape the bottom of the barrel in their attacks, given the shameful talking-points presentations given by 9/11 widows (like the Breitwiser chick) that were certainly orchestrated by the DNC.
Subjective, emotive language bolded as a public service.
How about a blustering indictment?
Suddenly the abortion facilitator is concerned about "lives lost".
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.