He must treasure this award that acknowledges his staunch, never flickering support for the sanctity of life, evidenced by his policies. God bless him.
He must treasure this award that acknowledges his staunch, never flickering support for the sanctity of life, evidenced by his policies. God bless him.
By Jason Warick, The StarPhoenix
Former U.S. president George W. Bush said Wednesday he was disappointed no weapons of mass destruction were found in Iraq, but maintained the 2003 American-led invasion may have averted a nuclear arms race.
In a wide-ranging speech to a packed house at TCU Place, Bush said the intelligence community was telling him Saddam Hussein’s regime in Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction. Bush said he tried to apply political diplomatic pressure on Saddam to reveal his weapons capabilities, but without success.
Bush said after the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, the goal was to “analyze threats and deal with them before they fully materialize.” Bush said Saddam demonstrated he was a threat and refused to co-operate with the international community.
“An American president should never want to use wars, certainly not my first choice. I understand the consequences,” Bush said.
“(But) when you say something, you mean it. In order to be effective, you’ve got to back up your words. My point was that this time, we were serious. Cough up your weapons.”
Following the invasion in the spring of 2003, which Canada declined to join, and subsequent toppling of Saddam’s regime, Bush said he was both disappointed and surprised no such weapons were found. But that doesn’t mean the decision to go to war was not correct, he said.
“I will tell you, I believe the world is a better place without Saddam Hussein. I believe the Iraqis are better off,” he said to loud applause.
Bush also offered what he called a “bold prediction.” He said allowing Saddam to remain in power would have resulted in a nuclear arms race between Shia Iran and Sunni Iraq “which would have created enormous problems for all of us.
“Even though (Saddam) had no weapons, he had knowledge . . . knowledge doesn’t go away. You can’t change knowledge. So, weapons of mass destruction, we thought he had them but we were surprised he didn’t.”
The 90-minute event began at 12:30 p.m. and ended exactly 90 minutes later. Bush spoke for the first half and had a “conversation” with Calgary entrepreneur and University of Saskatchewan graduate W. Brett Wilson for the remainder.
More than an hour before the start, the lineup of ticket-holders snaked back through the TCU Place foyer and out onto the sidewalk in front. The reasons for attending varied.
“I agree with some of the things he did and disagree with others. I wanted to hear what he had to say,” said Dustin Bisson of Craik.
“I feel he kept the world safe for eight years. There’s something to learn here,” said Dale Kushner of Calgary.
Bush was introduced by radio host John Gormley, who welcomed the former president to the province of Joni Mitchell, Gordie Howe and baseball player Terry Puhl. Gormley noted Bush was the fourth U.S. president to visit Saskatchewan, including a 2006 Saskatoon speech by Bill Clinton.
Bush, who served from 2001 to 2009, drew the first of several rounds of laughter and applause when he thanked organizers and the crowd “for giving a retired guy a chance to get out of the house.”
He called his wife, Laura, “the most patient woman in America” for tolerating his 14 years in politics. Bush said it was an honour to serve as president, and said he tried to stick to his principles rather than chase popularity.
“The most important thing is when you look in the mirror, you are proud of what you see,” Bush said.
He was effusive about Canada-U.S. relations, taking note of the $1.5 billion in daily trade and the millions of tourists who cross the border.
“The American people are lucky to have Canada as a northern neighbour,” he said.
He said Canada “responded amazingly well” following the Sept. 11 attacks. He noted the thousands of passengers who found refuge in Canada when all planes were grounded that day.
He said the “great Canadian military” has taken on a disproportionate share of the burden in the war in Afghanistan. Bush didn’t mention Canada’s decision not to join Bush’s “coalition of the willing” and refusal to send combat troops to Iraq, Canada’s refusal to join in a U.S.-led missile defence system in 2005 or what many Canadians considered a direct snub when Bush left out Canada in an earlier speech thanking countries that helped in the war on terror.
Bush said Afghanistan was a place where terrorists were being harboured and where women and girls had no rights or educational opportunities, “until the forces of freedom arrived. I believe everybody wants to be free.”
He said later that women will lead the move to democracy in the Middle East, and added it will come sooner than many expect. Sixty years ago, few could have predicted Japan’s move to democracy, but it’s become a beacon of democracy and friendship to the U.S., Bush said.
The ex-president said he’s writing a book, joking some people asked him “how can you write one when you can’t read one?” he said.
“I even read chapter books these days.”
Bush said everyone will get dealt hands they don’t like in life, but “the question is how you play it.”
Most of the crowd seemed impressed, giving Bush several standing ovations.
“He was a good speaker. He’s got good, Christian morals,” said Tom Miller of Debden.
His mother, Bertha Miller agreed.
“I’ve always been impressed with his moral viewpoint. He stands up for what he believes in,” she said.
Tahir Khan of Saskatoon said he’s “never been a fan of George W. Bush,” but said he found the speech enlightening.
Former U.S. president George W. Bush with Calgary entrepreneur and University of Saskatchewan graduate W. Brett Wilson, on stage at TCU Place in Saskatoon on Wednesday (October 22, 2009)
More photos at link
WOW! Saskatoon! just about 200 miles from were my mom was born! Yippie!
THANK YOU for posting this photo . . . And THANK YOU President Bush for staunchly and fearlessly defending LIFE during the entirety of your presidency!
