Posted on 06/11/2008 5:08:15 PM PDT by Starman417
The Senate Intelligence Committee finally released it's long-awaited/overdue report on their investigation into pre-war intelligence on Saddam's Iraq. This final report was supposed to look at statements made by government officials in the run up to war from 1991-2003. It was supposed to examine the pre-war marketing or threat assessment and descriptions to the public about the intelligence regarding the threat posed by Saddam's regime. Instead, the report looked at just 5 Bush Administration speeches. It completely left out any and all comments from Pres Bush Sr, Pres Clinton, anyone in his administration, and every member of the House and Senate over a twelve year period. The Committee determined that nothing any of those people ever said was as important and moving to the American people as 5 speechifications from President Bush and his administration.
In the minority's "Additional Views" section of the report, we're given a sampling of what comments the Democrat committee chose to remove from the report as insignificant.
• In the four years since the inspectors left, intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons stock, his missile delivery capability, and his nuclear program. He has also given aid, comfort and sanctuary to terrorists, including al-Qa'idamembers. - Senator Hillary Clinton, Congressional Record, October 10, 2002.(Excerpt) Read more at Flopping Aces ...• There is unmistakable evidence that Saddam Hussein is working aggressively to develop nuclear weapons and will likely have nuclear weapons within the next 5 years. He could have it earlier ifhe is able to obtain fissile materials on the outside market, which is possible--difficult but possible. We also should remember we have always underestimated the progress that Saddam Hussein has been able to make in the development of weapons of mass destruction. Senator John D. Rockefeller IV, Congressional Record, October 10,2002.
• Saddam Hussein is an evil man, a dictator who oppresses his people and flouts the mandate of the international community. While this behavior is reprehensible, it is Hussein's vigorous pursuit of biological, chemicaland nuclear weapons, and his present and potential future support for terrorist acts and organizations, that make him a terrible danger to the people to the United States. Senator Charles Schumer, Congressional Record, October 10,2002
• There is no question that Iraq possesses biological and chemical weapons and that he seeks to acquire additional weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons. That is not in debate. Senator Christopher Dodd, Congressional Record, October 9, 2002.
• We know that he has chemical and biological weapons. He has already used them against his neighbors and his own people, and is trying to build more. We know that he is doing everything he can to build nuclear weapons, and we know that each day he gets closer to achieving that goal. Senator John Edwards, Congressional Record, October 10, 2002.
• Almost no one disagrees with these basic facts: that Saddam Hussein is a tyrant and a menace; that he has weapons of mass destruction and that he is doing everything in his power to get nuclear weapons; that he has supported terrorists; that he is a grave threat to the region, to vital allies like Israel, and to the United States; and that he is thwarting the will of the international community and undermining the United Nations' credibility. Senator John Edwards, Congressional Record, October 10, 2002
The following statement from Senator John Kerry went a step further, claiming that "all U.S. intelligence experts agree that Iraq is seeking nuclear weapons." In fact, not "all" intelligence agencies assessed that Iraq was seeking nuclear weapons; as noted in the majority report, one agency considered the evidence inadequate to reach such a judgment. • According to the CIA's report, all U.S. intelligence experts agree that Iraq is seeking nuclear weapons. There is little question that Saddam Hussein wants to develop nuclear weapons. The more difficult question to answer is when Iraq could actually achieve this goal. That depends on is its ability to acquire weapons grade fissile material. If Iraq could acquire this material from abroad, the CIA estimates that it could have a nuclear weapon within 1 year. Senator John Kerry, October 9,2002.
This comment from Senator Durbin, made nearly a year earlier, actually indicated that Saddam Hussein had "perhaps even nuclear weapons" at his disposal. At no time did the intelligence community assess that Iraq perhaps had nuclear weapons. • When you look at what Saddam Hussein has at his disposal, in terms of chemical, biological, and perhaps even nuclear weapons, we cannot ignore the threat that he poses to the region and the fact that he has fomented terrorism throughout his reign. Senator Dick Durbin, December 21, 2001, Larry King Live.
Why were none of these statements considered worthy of analysis by the majority's review staff, particularly those made by Senators Durbin, Edwards, and Rockefeller, who were all members of the Senate Intelligence Committee at that time, and by Senator Clinton, who has publicly acknowledged being briefed on the NIE? ... Saddam's existing biological and chemical weapons capabilities pose real threats to America today, tomorrow. Saddam has used chemical weapons before, both against Iraq's enemies and against his own people. He is working to develop delivery systems like missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles that could bring these deadly weapons against U.S. forces and U.S. facilities in the Middle East. He could make these weapons available to many terrorist groups, third parties, which have contact with his government. Those groups, in turn, could bring those weapons into the United States and unleash a devastating attack against our citizens. I fear that greatly. Senator John D. Rockefeller IV, Congressional Record, October 10, 2002.
• In addition, Iraq is developing unmanned aerial vehicles UAVs, capable of delivering chemical and biologicalwarfare agents, which could threaten Iraq's neighbors as well as American forces in the Persian Gulf. Senator John Kerry, Congressional Record, October 9,2002.
“He who controls the present, controls the past. He who controls the past, controls the future.” — George Orwell
save
This is Orwellian, and Soviet style censorship of the historical record. It’s important to see that many prominent Democrats supported the president in the fall of 2002 when this was all being debated in Congress.
We should not be retroactively changing or white washing what was said.
Bump......
ping
Flag for later
All the idiots who didn’t do their job before voting to send American Troops into war. Lazy, worthless Senators, now excusing themselves.
I don’t think any of these unsurprising examples of RAT hypocrisy is nearly as important as the moral boost the terrorists get from their current positions.
We need to be charging them with treason NOW.
Somehow I think the Clintons and their “we just have to win” morals have led up to this sort of thing. There’s no honor, only winning.
...and every damned one of them would claim it is irrelevant, and doesn't count, "because I, Senator ____, based my statement upon the flawed, irresponsible untruths and deceptive statements of the President. Had I, Senator _____, known, I would have never said...".
“Revise and etxend” becomes “Redact and edit”
It wouldn’t surprise me if in 20 years serious students of history will need to go underground in a ’speak-easy’ environment to study their discipline lest they be arrested and sent to re-education camps for reprogramming. Brave New World, indeed…
Marker for my neighbor.
Create a battalion and stand ready.
This is why we are here.
Glenn Reynolds’ “Army of Davids” is looking over their shoulders. I’ll bet that sticks in their craw.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.