Posted on 09/18/2005 2:48:44 PM PDT by wallcrawlr
Former US president Bill Clinton sharply criticised George W. Bush for the Iraq War and the handling of Hurricane Katrina, and voiced alarm at the swelling US budget deficit.
Breaking with tradition under which US presidents mute criticisms of their successors, Clinton said the Bush administration had decided to invade Iraq "virtually alone and before UN inspections were completed, with no real urgency, no evidence that there were weapons of mass destruction."
The Iraq war diverted US attention from the war on terrorism "and undermined the support that we might have had," Bush said in an interview with an ABC's "This Week" programme.
Clinton said there had been a "heroic but so far unsuccessful" effort to put together an constitution that would be universally supported in Iraq.
The US strategy of trying to develop the Iraqi military and police so that they can cope without US support "I think is the best strategy. The problem is we may not have, in the short run, enough troops to do that," said Clinton.
On Hurricane Katrina, Clinton faulted the authorities' failure to evacuate New Orleans ahead of the storm's strike on August 29.
People with cars were able to heed the evacuation order, but many of those who were poor, disabled or elderly were left behind.
"If we really wanted to do it right, we would have had lots of buses lined up to take them out," Clinton.
He agreed that some responsibility for this lay with the local and state authorities, but pointed the finger, without naming him, at the former director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
FEMA boss Michael Brown quit in response to criticism of his handling of the Katrina disaster. He was viewed as a political appointee with no experience of disaster management or dealing with government officials.
"When James Lee Witt ran FEMA, because he had been both a local official and a federal official, he was always there early, and we always thought about that," Clinton said, referring to FEMA's head during his 1993-2001 presidency.
"But both of us came out of environments with a disproportionate number of poor people."
On the US budget, Clinton warned that the federal deficit may be coming untenable, driven by foreign wars, the post-hurricane recovery programme and tax cuts that benefitted just the richest one percent of the US population, himself included.
"What Americans need to understand is that ... every single day of the year, our government goes into the market and borrows money from other countries to finance Iraq, Afghanistan, Katrina, and our tax cuts," he said.
"We have never done this before. Never in the history of our republic have we ever financed a conflict, military conflict, by borrowing money from somewhere else."
Clinton added: "We depend on Japan, China, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, and Korea primarily to basically loan us money every day of the year to cover my tax cut and these conflicts and Katrina. I don't think it makes any sense."
FLASHBACK: Clinton Signs Iraq Liberation Act, on Oct. 31, 1998, calling for regime change in Iraq
AND:
Text Of Clinton Statement On Iraq. February 17, 1998
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1486890/posts?page=69#69
I guess making George HW Bush and Bubba best buds didn't work out.
The President is nice. And the Rat is a Rat. Rove was probably just waiting for this headline.
This sounds more like Willard launched a "withering attack" against American taxpayers for not demanding that Bush raise our taxes.
"I am a Bush supporter..."
Nope.
I am.
You, sir, are an imposter.
Bush is defintely NOT a fool. Clinton will get the limelight anyways from the MSM..so you can't stop that. Bush now needs to make katrina a big success story and if you have a Rep and a Dem (both former presidents) you can at least get the donations that will be needed. To exclude Clinton Bush would be cutting off his nose to spite his face on Katrina.
Furthermore, the leftist Dems Love Clinton no matter what Bush says. The republicans hate Clinton and Love Bush no matter what goofs he makes. So for the REST of the country it is much better for Bush if he is not in a direct conflict with Clinton. It makes Bush look much better and diminishes Clinton every time Clinton opens his mouth.
A sure sign the Dems are afraid Pres. Bush is going to end up with another fantastic page to his legacy was evident today by BJClinton running to all the leftist Sunday shows and blowing his mouth off "against" a President who is doing his best to help the "American People" and their fight on so many different fronts.
This should be considered an "act of war" by the dems and the Republicans should all come out with statements supporting this President and condemning BJclinton for his offensive actions of this day.
We cannot let this go without screaming our heads off to our Congresscritters to get off their duffs and support the President!
"I guess we all should consider ourselves lucky that when Hillary gets in office she will be able to save America."
You're darn tootin. If Hillary got into office the entire world will turn into a shiny happy place. The lame will walk, the deaf will hear. Peace and love will abound. Hurricanes would cease to be. Islamofascists will see the error of their ways and dole out cookies instead placing roadside bombs and decapitating people.
I suspect Clinton is in error about foreigners helping to finance the current conflict--the U.S. government financed the Civil War with bonds, and I think a lot of those were purchased by foreigners. From the time that Alexander Hamilton was Secretary of the Treasury, foreigners have found U.S. government bonds to be a safe investment.
Since Clinton has become a former defiler of the oval office, him and Jimma' are limelighted.
What's up with that?
Depends on what you mean by "didn't work out". What did you think W was aiming for? I am certain W was not aiming for Clinton to be nice to him.
anyone see his photo on drudge? Pointing that ugly finger? This man is not well.
Guess you all did'nt hear. Bubba is planning on being the New Secretary General of the United Nations.
It's true. Check it out:
WorldNetDaily: Clinton-Soros initiative at ...
and the room off the oval office will be open for business once again for willie. Two more disgusting people I have never met!
I also know him for allowing missile guidance technology to be transferred to the Chicoms. Come to think of it, those 11th hour pardons of criminals were also egregious.
If this is not his bid to succeed Kofi Anan, I don't know what is.
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