OK I agree with this statement completely.
I guess is down to the meaning of "lie". I believe this conversation started with you stating that the WMD argument was a "lie". I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree. I don't think I have enough contrary facts to draw the same conclusions you have drawn.
Since we haven't found Saddam yet does that mean to you that he doesn't exist either, BUSH and BLAIR made him up too?
If you wish to discuss the degree of enthusiam leaders have to exhibit in order to "make their case" to their publics, well maybe we could agree about some things but, outright intentional falsifications, I'm not ready to believe that, the risks are way too great.
Intelligence is murky but I'm picturing Saddam deep underground in some Iraqi bunker minikingdom, perhaps WITH his WMD at his side, laughing at us cause we haven't found him or them, YET anyway. This maniac had years to prepare for everything that he was afraid could happen to him, very paranoid.
If I was misled by my intelligence people, and that caused me to make a statement, that I KNEW there were WMD's based on that information that proved to be false, I would be all over someone for misleading me.
I have not heard a peep from either one of them so I have to assume that they knew there were none. Therefore, I assume that they knew that they were lieing themselves, and nobody else to blame.
I regret that we lost almost 190 servicemen and women under false pretences. We tore up a country and caused the death of 2000 civilians and 10,000 Iraqi soldiers. This is not an insignificant amount of lives lost and property damaged.
We really don't need to hold our breath and hope they find WMD's. It is apparent that the Iraqi army was a threat to no one, and definitely not a threat to our territory, as was represented. I despise a liar, I want the truth when it comes to our security. I chastised Clinton for his lieing. He and his supporters are incapable of telling the truth.
I will say that his lies caused a large number of deaths in the Balkans. I was hopeful that Bush could put this tendency behind us and get the country back on a higher plane.
It seems that this is more of the same from what justification we have uncovered so far in Iraq. When you call the military for duty, you better have a damned good cause. I served under Eisenhower and I never had to question the cause we were fighting for.
I don't know what losing a buddy in a war being fought for false or unspecified reasons would be like. You can bet that it is not a good feeling. When we need the troops for a just cause, they should be available and ready to go.
They should not have to wonder if this is another grab-ass to keep the Presidential ratings up or the defense industry humming.