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.
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.
Daschle sounded a tad desperate today, saying lets see how the international community reacts to President Bush's speech.
How much of a stretch is it for Ritter to be on the DNC payroll or just a Demorat Activist?