W's war rationale is looking a bit iffy

NY Daily News ^ | July 22, 2003 | Richard Cohen

[presidio9]

Is President Bush the Iraq war's "useful idiot"? The phrase was coined by Vladimir Lenin to refer to Communist sympathizers who believed what they were told - and what they were told was mostly lies. It could be somewhat the same with Bush. He may well be the last person to believe the Iraq war was waged virtually in self-defense. He believes that dictator Saddam Hussein was on the verge of obtaining nuclear weapons, and other weapons of mass destruction, and was linked to Osama Bin Laden.

[MJY1288]

One more of the bogus reports by the left you have latched onto. GWB has never claimed Iraq to be an immenet threat, His exact words were "Grave and Gathering danger"

Now when you do some fact checking on the NYT's and DNC talking points, get back to me

[jwalsh07]

I think saying Iraq was a direct and immediate threat to us is now a laughable lie.

Put nuclear in there somewhere and you could be Chris MAthews. Why don't you post the direct quote from the POTUS so the rest of us can become as enlightened as you seem to be.

[MJY1288]

Here is what the President actually said to the U.N on Dec. 12th 2002, not the spin you repeat here tonight

We know that Saddam Hussein pursued weapons of mass murder even when inspectors were in his country. Are we to assume that he stopped when they left? The history, the logic, and the facts lead to one conclusion: Saddam Hussein's regime is a grave and gathering danger. To suggest otherwise is to hope against the evidence. To assume this regime's good faith is to bet the lives of millions and the peace of the world in a reckless gamble. And this is a risk we must not take.

[Burkeman1]

Oh- sorry- Grave and gathering. What is the meaning of "is"?

[OpusatFR]

Actually, the Intelligentsia (hard ~g~) were the Useful Idiots.

The NY Daily News qualifies as Intelligentsia although it employs writers and editors of a much inferior quality than those in Russia during the 1905 - 1918 period.

[MJY1288]

Here is a few paragraphs from the SOTU, try reading it, it can help you from looking like a fool

Some have said we must not act until the threat is imminent. Since when have terrorists and tyrants announced their intentions, politely putting us on notice before they strike? If this threat is permitted to fully and suddenly emerge, all actions, all words, and all recriminations would come too late. Trusting in the sanity and restraint of Saddam Hussein is not a strategy, and it is not an option. (Applause.)

The dictator who is assembling the world's most dangerous weapons has already used them on whole villages -- leaving thousands of his own citizens dead, blind, or disfigured. Iraqi refugees tell us how forced confessions are obtained -- by torturing children while their parents are made to watch. International human rights groups have catalogued other methods used in the torture chambers of Iraq: electric shock, burning with hot irons, dripping acid on the skin, mutilation with electric drills, cutting out tongues, and rape. If this is not evil, then evil has no meaning. (Applause.)

And tonight I have a message for the brave and oppressed people of Iraq: Your enemy is not surrounding your country -- your enemy is ruling your country. (Applause.) And the day he and his regime are removed from power will be the day of your liberation. (Applause.)

The world has waited 12 years for Iraq to disarm. America will not accept a serious and mounting threat to our country, and our friends and our allies. The United States will ask the U.N. Security Council to convene on February the 5th to consider the facts of Iraq's ongoing defiance of the world. Secretary of State Powell will present information and intelligence about Iraqi's legal -- Iraq's illegal weapons programs, its attempt to hide those weapons from inspectors, and its links to terrorist groups.

We will consult. But let there be no misunderstanding: If Saddam Hussein does not fully disarm, for the safety of our people and for the peace of the world, we will lead a coalition to disarm him

[Burkeman1]

Yes- we know - the Brits stand behind their intel. And yet another CIA guy takes the blame today as well as Tenent. Funny- that Bush feels the need to have CIA guys come forward to take the blame for bad intel when Tony Blair (once denounced as a liar on this site every time he opened his mouth) "stands behind his intel."

[jwalsh07]

LOL, you're getting good at rolling 180's.

[Gee Wally]

Try here:

http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/9848/hsiao_vest.php

[MJY1288]

"Oh- sorry- Grave and gathering. What is the meaning of "is"?

If you can't distinguish between GWB's quote of "Grave and gathering" from Bill Clintons lame attempt to avoid the truth when he said "It depends on what the meaning of the word "is" is", God help you!

[Burkeman1]

Well I sat through 8 years of Clinton lies and word parsing through more scandals than I can count. I swallowed more hypocrisy during that era than I ever care too again. But I always assumed the right would never stoop to same type of idiotic lies and word parsing in defense of the indefensible. I was wrong. Many "conservatives" are willing to act just as dishonestly as Clintonians.

[txzman]

Never mind the more than 60 mass graves found so far. I am so tired of these idiots.

[marajade]

It wasn't bad intelligence; it just couldn't be confirmed by the CIA. Blair did state that their source wanted to remain anonymous and that Blair assured them it would.

What lies?

[Luke Skyfreeper]

Well, now we know the source -- the Washington Post.

YOU can find the entire article, as you can search on their site the archives dating back to 1977. But you have to pay to do it.

[MJY1288]

I posted the president words, no parsing, just his words.......

You are the one parsing them..... You claim president Bush said Iraq was an immenant threat and I post his remarks, can you show me where he said Iraq was an immenet threat?

[stop_fascism]

Those words are as true today as when they were spoken. God bless president Bush.

[MJY1288]

Please tell me how "conservatives" are being dishonest and deseved to be compared to the Clintonians for defending the ACTUAL words of the POTUS, compared to the echoed leftist jibberish you are spouting?,

I say you are the one acting like a Clintonian, especially considering you claim "Boston is far more conservative than the Bible belters"

[Cicero]

Well, the answer to his rhetorical question is No.

The useful idiot in this case is Richard Cohen.

[MJY1288]

Yes they are and the leftist plants on this forum like Burkaboy don't fool me

[rdb3]

I think saying Iraq was a direct and immediate threat to us is now a laughable lie. But to be honest - even if he had a gazillion tons of WMDS, a fleet of drones that could deliver them over our cities, and ICBMS I would still say he was not an immediate threat.

This statement proves that you are a certifiable idiot. No more talking to you. Irrationality can't be overcome.

Take care.