Scott Ritter Lying Through His Teeth On FOX Live

fox news | 9-12-02 | my favorite headache

[My Favorite Headache]

Scott Ritter live interview coming on Fox News in seconds....starting a live thread for those watching and not watching

[DrLiberty]

"The change that has occured to Scott Ritter since he was an inspector in Iraq is appalling. It is the quintessential Jeckel and Hyde syndrome. Is he psycho or what??"

Perhaps. What we really know, as opposed to all these bozos who get on this forum and get emotional about the subject is this:

1. Ritter was a marine and served honorably.

2. He was distinguished enough to get a high-profile role on the US Inspection Team.

3. He was a vocal critic during the inspection time when he felt that the inspections were not fully effective and that they were prevented from getting everything and full access.

4. He later added that his conclusion was that the inspection team, led by Butler and with Butler's apparent approval, was in fact spying on Iraq, probably with the idea of a regime change, which was not something authorized by the Agreements, and certainly something that Hussein would not agree to.

5. If Saddam found out that this Inspection Team was spying (which he probably suspected would happen all the time) it would not be difficult to blame him for not cooperating with the Inspectors afterward.

Which leads us back to Butler. Who is this guy? Polished to be sure. But how do we know what HIS orders were? Was the whole inspection process a ruse to spy on and help get Hussein out of power? Was it designed to fail so we'd have an excuse to go after Hussein whenever and contain and eventually occupy Iraq?

Diplomacy has always had as a major component the art of deception. Why would this not be the case in this situation with so much at stake? We all know that Hussien was coaxed into invading Kuwait. John Sununu admitted in print a year before that we were trying to get him to make a provocative act. Remember the Supergun Saddam was building that was SO dangerous!!!

April Glaspie was instructed to tell Saddam's boys that we were hands off Kuwait, giving him a GREEN LIGHT! Does anyone remember that?!!

No, our government never lies. Its so much easier to just malign a fromer marine who may just be doing what he thinks is right and DAMN you all for not even giving him any consideration. He may be wrong and his motives may be suspect, but there's a lot of crap going on with disinformation on all sides.

[Howlin]

If David Asman had interviewed Bill Clinton like that, Al Gore would have been president.

[hellinahandcart]

O...M...G!...Look at who all publishes reports from the "Institute for Public Accuracy"

So, the "transnational progressives" are the ones behind Scott Ritter....

[Thisiswhoweare]

Exactly correct! I am also wondering what Dachle's angle is on the "we need more proof" thing. I believe he's trying to win favor with the un etc. laying a favorable groundwork for what he is sure will be his presidency in '04. Just like people buy votes to win.

Whatever the motivation of either, they are making mistakes that the rest of us will pay (maybe with our lives) for. I find this unsat and will not stand by and accept it.

[Wingsofgold]

worthy. Note ta self: stay off Ritter threads 'fore you bust sumpin. Hehehehe.

[Howlin]

Oh geez.....the black helicopter guy is back.

[carton253]

I saw it... I think the most telling sentence was (not verbatim) that Ritter thought he was the only guy who could bring peace to the situtation.

He was absolutely sincere... most people with messiah complexes are sincere. He believes that only he can get Iraq to listen and America to listen. If somehow, he could do that, why... they would name schools after him, he would win the nobel peace prize, Barbra Streisand would invite him for dinner.

The world stands on the brink... peace is possible... if only everyone would listen to me!

He is passionate, he is sincere... still haven't heard (came in mid-way through the interview) how he explains away his 180 degree turn around in 1998 when he was screaming that Iraq was dangerous and only the inspectors could save the world. (oh, messiah complex yet again. At least he is consistent) Enlighten me someone!

But...he didn't dispute Asman's question about, "in 1998, you said that Iraq could reconstitute their biological weapons. That's been 4 years ago." "Could they?"

He sung and danced around saying first of all there would be intelligence proof. But he couldn't go into it. Then he said that he set up a way for all these nations to watch Iraq's illegal buying...AND IRAQ WASN'T DOING IT." Again... he couldn't prove it, but he was sure. Ritter seemed quite incredulous that Asman wasn't taking his word for it.

Then he bounced to his next proof that he worked with the Israelis for four years... the Israelis would know. No, he hadn't talked to the Israelis. But, he knew...

Then the mantra, "Make your case, Mr. Bush."

So, we have a man who believed in 1998 that Iraq was a threat. That inspectors needed to be brought back in. Every defector out of Iraq who said Mr. Ritter and the inspectors were fooled and it was business as usual in Iraq is a liar. That even though Mr. Ritter hasn't talked to any one in intelligence for 4 years... he JUST KNEW that Iraq was clean. But, he doesn't know for sure.

[Howlin]

They better set up that "duel" today; from the looks of Ritter, he may not be coherent long.

[DrLiberty]

Let's see another post to me by Howlin'.

I see you responded in 1 minute after I posted so I'm sure you thoroughly read and studies my post.

I see that you responded in a personal attack. Its so nice to see such consistency in your posting. No analysis, just attack. So predictable. And definitely worth the 2 seconds it took you to accomplish. You must be so proud of your efforts.

[Tallguy]

Saw the interview with Ritter. "Hairsplitting" is what he was doing, very Clintonesque. Arguing the definition of "Capability" versus "Possession" of Weapons of Mass Destruction. Asman really pressed him though. Thought Ritter was gonna lose it at one point.

[Darlin']

FOFLOL. How's that theory workin' for ya ? Anybody buyin' it ?

[austingirl]

I had to take the time to send David Asman a congratulatory email.

[The Great Satan]

Feinstein on Fox now. What an idiot.

[oline]

Did anyone catch Ritter say that "...Bush was dictating to the UN today..."


I absolutely loath this "man".

[zip]

Just wondering, what was your prebanned screenname?

[SunnyUsa]

"I think the most telling sentence was (not verbatim) that Ritter thought he was the only guy who could bring peace to the situtation."

Exactly! I haven't seen any Scott RItter interviews etc, so this is the first I've seen of him in a few years. My impression was that he's on a real EGO trip, and that the Iraqui's have stroked his ego (he admits that Iraqi-Americans funded him and have helped him get an "audience" with Husaain.

He tries to throw out his marine corp record etc as some defense, but he could not answer any questions directly and he did what all the slime "spokespeople" for the arabs usually do....they say .. Let me rephrase that question and ask this.

He defends the Iraqi's and questions our government...When put on the spot, and being asked about what the Iraqi VP directing Iraqi's to kill Americans everywhere, on their own soil, its their duty to kill us - he called that a quagmire !!!

He seems like he's lost it, really. His EGO, he's sold out - it doesn't add up. I think he is deluded enough to THINK he's an important player in all this, and he looked a bit stunned when the reporter basically said to him people are saying he's a traitor.

[SunnyUsa]

David Asman - Thanks for the name, he was outstanding - He deserves alot of kudos for that interview!

I'm emailing him too! The reporter who followed him even commented on what a great interview that was! He really took RITTER right down to the curb!

[Patriotic Bostonian]

Rush mentioned Ritter the other day and said to follow the money. He said Ritter is being financed by someone in Iraq to produce a documentary on Iraq.

[Howlin]

I've seen your posts before. I don't NEED to read them. They're full of misinformation from dubious websites.

[seamus]

You want a serious response? I'll fill in for my friend Howlin, who is obviously too busy to teach kindergarten today.

1. Ritter was a marine and served honorably.

Glad to hear it. That has zero relevance to the question at hand. Marines are not gods, nor are they omniscient, nor does the fact that one served in The Corps give everything they say the sheen of truth and honesty.

2. He was distinguished enough to get a high-profile role on the US Inspection Team.

Nice. Good for him. But what, exactly, does that have to do with the question at hand: Which Ritter to believe, Version 1998, or Version 2002?

3. He was a vocal critic during the inspection time when he felt that the inspections were not fully effective and that they were prevented from getting everything and full access.

Yes. This is what makes his current behavior so bizzare.

4. He later added that his conclusion was that the inspection team, led by Butler and with Butler's apparent approval, was in fact spying on Iraq, probably with the idea of a regime change, which was not something authorized by the Agreements, and certainly something that Hussein would not agree to.

Of course the U.N. inspectors were "spies" -- though overt ones. They were trying to determine whether or not Iraq was violating the terms of the cease fire. And let's note that the idea that Butler was a "spy" for the U.S. is backed up by nothing other than Ritter's opinion -- which happens to be Iraqi propaganda. Meanwhile, the existance of Iraq's ongoing WMD program is verified by several other U.N. inspectors and plenty of defected Iraqis. Based on that reality, I think we should look more suspiciously upon Ritter than on Butler.

5. If Saddam found out that this Inspection Team was spying (which he probably suspected would happen all the time) it would not be difficult to blame him for not cooperating with the Inspectors afterward.

Saddam didn't cooperate with inspectors from DAY ONE. And he used the "spy" excuse as propaganda -- just like the supposed "Baby Milk Factory" nonsense.

Aren't you just a little disturbed by the sight of a former Marine leading the press on Saddam-approved tours of innocent factories, as if that "proves" anything other than we are seeing what Saddam wants us to see? Aren't you a little disturbed by the realization that a former Marine takes the word of known murderers and liars over that of his own president? "Make the case, Mr. Bush"? The case has been made. But Ritter is either too brainwashed, paid-off, or delusional to see it.

And so, apparently, are you.