>>>> ... I listened to every single speech he made running up to invading Iraq (and read the transcripts afterwards) and I never took away from those speeches that WMDs were most important.
I find that hard to believe. I posted cuts from three speeches Bush gave leading up to the invasion of Iraq, March,16,17,19 of 2003. And a snippet from his UN speech of September.12, 2002. They all revolve around Saddam's WMD. Every speech Bush, Cheney and other administration personnel gave leading up to the war, all revolved around Saddam's WMD.
>>>>The Pres. clearly imparted to me that the main issue was Saddam's unpredictability, arrogance and antipathy towards the US and Isreal combined with Iraq's close ties with terrorism.
Saddam was always unpredictable and arrogant. And it was no secret he hated Israel and the US. Those aren't good enough reasons to go to war. Saddam was a terrorist who sponsered terror acts against Israel. Still not a good enough reason to go to war. The President's main claim, the driving force for going to war against Iraq and sending our troops into harms way, was Saddam's WMD.
Bottom line. If the issue of Saddam having WMD didn't exist, Congress would never have given authority for Bush to use military force against Iraq. The WMD issue tipped the scale. As I pointed out, WMD were found in Iraq, just not the large amounts everyone thought would be found. I'm convinced, Iraq had WMD and just before the invasion, those WMD were either shipped out of country, destroyed or buried in the sands of Iraq. We may never know what happened to them.
I firmly believe the Congress made the right move in authorizing military force against Iraq. WMD in the hands of a madman like Saddam would eventually led to mass death and destruction.
No. I think I've been pretty consistent.
I posted cuts from three speeches Bush gave ...
Excerpting is a great method for manipulating the meaning of a speech. Taking things out of their context to make them seem different. Spinning.
Saddam was always unpredictable and arrogant.
Yes he was. He built up a history.
And it was no secret he hated Israel and the US.
What was the give away? Scuds into Israel? Shooting at our planes during a cease fire?
Those aren't good enough reasons to go to war.
They are in my book.
Saddam was a terrorist who sponsered terror acts against Israel. Still not a good enough reason to go to war.
When you add it to the former and invading Kuwait and gassing the Kurds and throwing the UN inspecters out twice and frequent threats to attack the US and an attempt to assassinate a former President it is.
The President's main claim, the driving force for going to war against Iraq and sending our troops into harms way, was Saddam's WMD.
That's your opinion. Also the MSMs opinion. Also the Dem/libs opinion. I don't share it.
Bottom line. If the issue of Saddam having WMD didn't exist, Congress would never have given authority for Bush to use military force against Iraq.
Easy to say. I guess you are a mind reader or else you have all of those Senators and Congressmen in your personal confidence. Either way it must be nice.