Posted on 01/22/2008 7:16:38 PM PST by Santa Fe_Conservative
WASHINGTON - A study by two nonprofit journalism organizations found that President Bush and top administration officials issued hundreds of false statements about the national security threat from Iraq in the two years following the 2001 terrorist attacks.
The study concluded that the statements "were part of an orchestrated campaign that effectively galvanized public opinion and, in the process, led the nation to war under decidedly false pretenses."
The study was posted Tuesday on the Web site of the Center for Public Integrity, which worked with the Fund for Independence in Journalism. White House spokesman Scott Stanzel said he could not comment on the study because he had not seen it.
The study counted 935 false statements in the two-year period. It found that in speeches, briefings, interviews and other venues, Bush and administration officials stated unequivocally on at least 532 occasions that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction or was trying to produce or obtain them or had links to al-Qaida or both.
"It is now beyond dispute that Iraq did not possess any weapons of mass destruction or have meaningful ties to al-Qaida," according to Charles Lewis and Mark Reading-Smith of the Fund for Independence in Journalism staff members, writing an overview of the study. "In short, the Bush administration led the nation to war on the basis of erroneous information that it methodically propagated and that culminated in military action against Iraq on March 19, 2003."
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Are we stuck in the movie “Ground Hog Day” or what???
I keep waking up to the same bogus story day after day after day.
Why didn’t they start their study in 1998 when Clinton virtually went to war with Iraq? Bush did nothing more than implement the policy of the Clinton Administration, which called for the removal of Sadaam.
Right. No one believes ANY "journalism organization." Oh, wait; maybe it's the Slimes - they're pretty much "nonprofit" these days.
heh
I don’t think the WMD went to Syria, just through Syria.
Russia supplied Saddam with his WMD, and so they took them back.
Russia didn’t want their Russian origin to be exposed any more than it already had been.
And likewise, Saddam didn’t want another state in the region to get them either.
None of those countries trust one another.
Hit your search engines and enter the name of each organization along with the word “Soros”. Ole George S. is at it again, something the reporter could have determined in about ten seconds if (s)he’d bothered to.
And a director of the other one wrote the introduction for one of Soros' books.
"Together we must also confront the new hazards of chemical and biological weapons, and the outlaw states, terrorists and organized criminals seeking to acquire them. Saddam Hussein has spent the better part of this decade, and much of his nation's wealth, not on providing for the Iraqi people, but on developing nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and the missiles to deliver them."
President Clinton, Jan. 27, 1998
"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
"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
"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, Clinton Secretary of State, Feb 18, 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
"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
"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
"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. "[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 has 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
"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
"As a member of the House Intelligence Committee, I am keenly aware that the proliferation of chemical and biological weapons is an issue of grave importance to all nations. 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
"[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
"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 mandate 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
"The last UN weapons inspectors left Iraq in October 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
"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 Rockefeller (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
If George Bush were dishonest, the Weapons of Mass Destruction would have been “found” a long time ago.
Exactly.
The point here is not to argue whether there were WMD and al Queda connections.
The writer is using “false statements” in a Clintonian fashion. Is a statement false if you believed it at the time?
For instance, I constantly reassure my sister in law that my brother loves her and her insecure suspicions are unfounded. Then he leaves her for another woman.
Did I “lie” to her? Under the careful word-craft in this study, indeed I did!
Republicans would do better to fight that canard than to accommodate Dems in another debate over WMD’s.
I was putting Halloween decorations back in the attic and found a newspaper I saved from long ago that I forgot all about.
Tacoma News Tribune
December 20, 1998
Headline: CLINTON IMPEACHED
If that wasnt amusing enough to read again after all these years, now with his wife running, I notice a story at the bottom of the very same front page that must be read:
U.S. and Britain halt airstrikes against Iraq
Sub-headline, Citing significant damage, Clinton says Saddam must be ousted to avoid future threats.
BAGHDAD, Iraq President Clinton ended the air campaign against Iraq on Saturday saying: Im confident we have achieved our mission. Yet despite suffering more than 400 punishing bomb and missile strikes over four nights, Saddam Husseins government remained defiant and said it would bar any return of U.N. arms inspectors to the country.
SNIP
In blunt language, CLINTON CALLED FOR THE OUSTER OF THE IRAQ LEADER. So long as Saddam remains in power, he will remain a threat to his people, his region and the World.”
SNIP
So lets look at just how much of a continued threat Saddam really was AFTER Clinton made the above statement. This is just a partial list of the times Iraq fired at American and British aircraft patrolling the Northern No Fly Zone during Operation Northern Watch. Some of the data was not available, like the entire year of 2000. The list also does not include other violations, such as locking air defense radar onto Coalition aircraft. If all the violations were included, the list would be much much longer.
Sooooooo with all of these documented attacks on our aircraft patrolling the Northern No-Fly Zone after Clinton said Saddam must be ousted, why is Bush and Cheney being persecuted for doing just that? I feel Bushs only mistake was placing too much emphasis on the WMD and not building a better case based on the countless other violations of the cease fire.
13 Jan 1999 SAM systems track and fire on Coalition aircraft
25 Jan 1999 Coalition aircraft respond to surface to air missile launch
28 Jan 1999 Coalition aircraft respond to Iraqi AAA fire
11 Feb 1999 Coalition aircraft respond to Iraqi AAA fire
12 Feb 1999 Coalition aircraft respond to Iraqi AAA fire
15 Feb 1999 Coalition aircraft respond to Iraqi AAA fire
1 Mar 1999 Iraq fires anti-aircraft artillery at coalition aircraft
14 Mar 1999 Coalition aircraft respond to Iraqi AAA fire
1 Mar 1999 Iraq fires anti-aircraft artillery at coalition aircraft
6 Mar 1999 Coalition aircraft respond to Iraqi AAA fire
25 May 1999 Coalition aircraft respond to Iraqi AAA fire
04 Sep 2001 Iraqi AAA fired at, radar targets ONW aircraft
27 Aug 2001 ONW aircraft fired upon, coalition responds
17 Aug 2001 ONW Aircraft fired upon and targeted by radar
07 Aug 2001 Iraqi missiles and AAA fired at ONW aircraft
18 Jul 2001 USAF F-16 aircraft crashes in Turkey
14 Jun 2001 ONW aircraft respond to targeting radar, AAA
23 May 2001 ONW aircraft fired upon and targeted by radar
30 Apr 2001 AAA fired at ONW aircraft
06 Apr 2001 Iraq fires AAA at ONW aircraft
22 Feb 2001 ONW Aircraft fired upon and targeted by radar
12 Feb 2001 ONW Aircraft fired upon and targeted by radar
24 Jan 2001 Iraqi missiles and AAA fired at ONW aircraft
04 Dec 2002 Iraq attacks ONW aircraft monitoring No-Fly zone
02 Dec 2002 Iraq attacks ONW aircraft monitoring No-Fly zone
28 Nov 2002 Iraq attacks ONW aircraft monitoring No-Fly zone
18 Nov 2002 Iraq attacks ONW aircraft monitoring No-Fly zone
17 Nov 2002 Iraq attacks ONW aircraft monitoring No-Fly zone
30 Oct 2002 ONW aircraft defend against Iraqi anti-aircraft threat
22 Oct 2002 Iraq fires AAA at ONW aircraft
26 Jun 2002 Iraq fires AAA at ONW aircraft, Coalition responds
19 Jun 2002 Iraq fires AAA at ONW aircraft, Coalition responds
28 May 2002 ONW aircraft fired upon, Coalition responds
01 May 2002 Iraq fires AAA at Northern Watch Aircraft
28 Feb 2002 ONW Aircraft fired upon and targeted by radar
04 Feb 2002 Iraq fires AAA at ONW aircraft
31 Jan 2003 Iraq Attacks Operation Northern Watch Aircraft Monitoring No-Fly Zone
04 Feb 2002 Iraq fires AAA at ONW aircraft
28 Feb 2002 ONW Aircraft fired upon and targeted by radar
19 Apr 2002 Iraq targets Coalition aircraft
01 May 2002 Iraq fires AAA at Northern Watch Aircraft
28 May 2002 ONW aircraft fired upon, Coalition responds
19 Jun 2002 Iraq fires AAA at ONW aircraft, Coalition responds
26 Jun 2002 Iraq fires AAA at ONW aircraft, Coalition responds
04 Jul 2002 ONW aircraft threatened, Coalition responds
23 Aug 2002 Iraqi targets coalition aircraft
27 Aug 2002 Iraqi targets coalition aircraft
09 Oct 2002 Iraq threatens coalition aircraft
22 Oct 2002 Iraq fires AAA at ONW aircraft
18 Nov 2002 Iraq attacks ONW aircraft monitoring No-Fly zone
28 Nov 2002 Iraq attacks ONW aircraft monitoring No-Fly zone
02 Dec 2002 Iraq attacks ONW aircraft monitoring No-Fly zone
BS exposed
http://biglizards.net/blog/archives/2008/01/how_to_lie_abou.html
http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/2008/01/bushs_iraq_war_lies_were_untrue/
http://www.floppingaces.net/2008/01/22/biased-report-on-administration-statements-on-pre-war-iraq/
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1958158/posts
“CLINTON: Good evening.
Earlier today, I ordered America’s armed forces to strike military and security targets in Iraq. They are joined by British forces. Their mission is to attack Iraq’s nuclear, chemical and biological weapons programs and its military capacity to threaten its neighbors.
The hard fact is that so long as Saddam remains in power, he threatens the well-being of his people, the peace of his region, the security of the world.
The best way to end that threat once and for all is with a new Iraqi government — a government ready to live in peace with its neighbors, a government that respects the rights of its people.”
President Clinton
Oval Office Address to the American People
December 16, 1998
http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/stories/1998/12/16/transcripts/clinton.html
Well, presumably they meant following the first Gulf War, so Halabja (1988) wouldn't apply. But your second point is apt. Ansar al-Islam was a terrorist org, in Iraqi Kurdistan, JOINTLY RUN by al-Qaeda and Saddam's secret police, right up to the war. I never understood how the Senate Intel Committee, among others, ignored this in claiming there was NO "operational coordination" between al-Qaeda and Iraq. At least in Kurdistan there was.
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