Bush: 'We Found' Banned Weapons

Washington Post ^ | 5/31/03

[Technogeeb]

Reagan's stated reason for the deal was not because Iran was threatened by Iraq. It was arms for hostages -- remember?

"Arms for Hostages" was the not the "stated reason" by anybody but the leftist press. It was called that by the leftists because the outcome of Reagan's support of the Iranian moderates did result in getting pressure put on some Iranian-backed groups (Hezballah) to release hostages. But the shipments themselves were not connected to those releases in any way.

[realpatriot71]

Gotta love the spin - "here's two trailers . . . I told you there were WMD here!"

[Let's Roll]

"I remember many of the anti-war protestors both here and in the UK making references to all three and saying they didn't believe in any of them. So there is nothing bogus about Wolfowitz's assertion at all."

My dipstick neighbor (closet muslim so she can continue supporting abortion and infidelity) was complaining because Dubya had cited so many reasons to be going to war in Iraq.

The point is the left doesn't believe in any of this - it's just the only thing they have that "might" get some traction. And just when it starts to get some traction, Dubya will beat them as he has with the Afghanistan criticism and the Iraq war criticism. Remember how they were hammering him on not being aggressive enough about Afghanistan two days before the bombing started and then Iraq was a quagmire two days before statues started falling? They have no shame - when Dubya shows the proof on WMDs they will just skip on to something else.

If Dubya was lying, he would have certainly made sure that "proof" was found immediately. They aren't so dumb they don't understand that - after all that's how they would have arranged things - they just don't care how illogical their claims are as long as they stick.

[hope]

Now who you gonna believe, Bush or me?

[redhead]

I agree. And, don't forget: We gave them almost two months after the information was made public to hide and destroy those weapons, which they did. I'm sure a large percentage of them will be found in Iran. And I'm still trying to find out what happened to those three Iraqi ships that lurked in the Gulf for a week before the troops were mobilized. Not "finding" any WMDs is not the same thing as Saddam's not HAVING any at the time the revelations were made. Thanks to the UN and all the silly little diplomatic hoops the US had to jump through for no discernible reasons, we ended up delaying long enough to allow the Iraqis to ditch their weapons.

[alnick]

I didn't say that you opposed the war. I read your post and understood what you said. You also asked why we don't go after other countries that have WMD. The answer is, as I stated, each country will and should be judged on its own merits.

[JohnBovenmyer]

With some nitwits the only evidence that they will believe is the WMD that takes them out.

Survivor Baghdad

Once we find the nerve gas we need to collect bunches of rats (the native furry type) and Rats (the random media type.) Place former in large finely meshed wire cage; place latter upwind with long lens TV cameras. Have the good guys, in their good gear, aim TV cameras at both groups. Open a virgin container. Add one drop to rats. Watch them drop. Watch the Rats' jaws drop. Offer to let any Rats who'll sign the appropriate release suit up and look closer. Some, like Geraldo, would. Decontaminate the area, the good guys, and all the Rats. The latter will show we care and will show up in all their reports, showing that they believe.

The reports will do to exposed members of the Rat leadership what the drop did to the rats. The reports will decontaminate the Rat rank and file from the Rat leadership's position. A few PETA types will complain, but they are already dead, politically, as far as we are concerned. A few Hindus may complain until we point out Saddam's toys could as easily been used in India as in America. Vote to see who stays in 2004.

[wrbones]

Thank you. You saved me the trouble! WMD just happened to make good copy and was easier to spell for the news media. A lot of people worldwide have bought into the WMD as having been the only issue proposed by Bush as the reason for the war.

There were a number of proscribed conventional weapons (besides the afore mentioned missiles) found in Iraq as well.

The deal is, Iraq had violated every bit of every UN resolution since 1991, and additionally the Gulf War in 1991 never ended, which is more than a mere technicality.

The list goes on and on and on.....

[Rockitz]

Ditto!

[Susannah]

from the PRESIDENT's STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS>>

Before September 11, 2001, many in the world believed that Saddam Hussein could be contained. But chemical agents and lethal viruses and shadowy terrorist networks are not easily contained. Imagine those 19 hijackers with other weapons, and other plans - this time armed by Saddam Hussein. It would take just one vial, one canister, one crate slipped into this country to bring a day of horror like none we have ever known. We will do everything in our power to make sure that day never comes.

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.

This 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. 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. And the day he and his regime are removed from power will be the day of your liberation.

[Jorge]

If we were going after WMDs, my question is when do we go after Syria, Libya, India, Pakistan, China, North Korea, Russia and the other nations with WMDs. Also, why should we enforce UN resolutions?

You forgot to include the USA. Perhaps you think we should attack our own country because we have WMDs as well.

The idea that if we are going after ANYONE for WMDs therefore we have to go after EVERYONE with WMDs...at the same time... is silly.

As for Saddam murdering his own people, again, when we do attack the other human rights abusers of the world.

Oh...I get it. If we cannot rescue every single person on earth from human rights abuses....we shouldn't try to do anything for anybody...anywhere.

Very weak argument.

Bush or Wolfowitz have nothing to explain to me. I believe this war was necessary for America's national security. Liberating the Iraqi people and stopping Iraq's WMD program and impending destruction of OPEC are just a little fringe benefit.

Then we agree.

[thoughtomator]

IMO we are doing this for our own security, our actions are a justifiable response to the reality of the Islamist threat made unmistakable by 9/11, and we should be unapologetic about it. Anyone who wants to stop us should line up on the other side of the battlefield if they are serious, and shut the hell up if they aren't.

[hope]

"Sean looks like he's permanently stoned. His face makes my skin crawl. ewww"

putrification is setting in...

[Light Speed]

A quick visit to Google search...type in Lawrence Eagleburger and Crossfire;

Leading up to the Iraq war ..encompassing WMD...Nato political draw and back home U.S. populace confidence,finds Lawrence Eagleburger making some very sound statements.

Several times Eagleburger chastised Vice President Cheney from Chest Beating the Nuclear weapons possesion line by Iraq.

Other comments like.."We have a problem If we cannot sell our Nato allies"....and.."If we do not produce the WMD..we will have Egg on our faces".

After several Crossfire episodes..mused to myself if Eagleburger and Cheney had personal issues ...as Lawrence never backed down on his claim that Cheney overplayed the rhetoric.

Lawrence plainly admitted there was no other course than to go into Iraq..as no offering by the U.S. would pacify the rebellious and self interest Euro's.

Eagleburger claimed the talking point should have been the failure to contain Saddam via the U.N. Sanctions..coupled with the intrasagence of France and other nations who basically ignored sanctions and U.S. request to cease support of Iraq in so many avenues.

Eagleburger stood by the President...now it remains to be seen in time if his view in totality is correct.

[Destro]

I wonder what our reaction would have been if Clinton or Gore were in power and the before and after were compared?

Sudan did harbor terrorists-Clinton claimed they were producing nerve agents based on a ground samples taken and we bombed said factory. Later reports claimed it was a medical factory producing medicines and the owner is suing the USA in court--I think it may have even been settled in an out of court judgement (I don't remember).

Could it be that what evidence existed was flawed to begin with or seen through the filter of the neo-con agenda? Maybe what Saddam had was not WMD but rather the building blocks for WMD? Maybe a lab without the cultures or dual use chemicals not mixed into nerve agents yet, etc. That was what Iraq was hiding, their future potential not actual ready to go stockpiles. But the neo-cons saw what they wanted to see and ideologues that they are charged ahead, being true believers and all.