Kristol: Bush Made Misstatements on Iraq WMDs

Newsmax ^ | 06/08/03 | Newsmax

[CoolGuyVic]

Sunday June 8, 2003; 12:56 p.m. EDT

Kristol: Bush Made Misstatements on Iraq WMDs

In comments sure to be seized upon by Bush administration critics at home and abroad, one of the leading proponents of the war in Iraq said Sunday that President Bush may have misstated the case that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction before the U.S. attacked.

"We shouldn't deny, those of us who were hawks, that there could have been misstatements made, I think in good faith," Weekly Standard editor Bill Kristol told "Fox News Sunday."

Asked, by whom, the leading Iraq war backer explained, "By the president and the secretary of state, [statements] that will turn out to be erroneous."

Kristol stressed that he didn't believe charges from Bush administration critics that the president had deliberately distorted WMD intelligence.

But the leading neoconservative writer and former chief of staff to Vice President Dan Quayle added, "I hope [the WMDs] are found but I'm very skeptical.

"We have interrogated a lot of people and we haven't found a single person who said he participated in disposing, destroying the stock of weapons of mass destruction. Or in hiding them."

Kristol said that Saddam probably "did bluff a little bit" when it came to acknowledging he possessed WMDs in 1998, saying that "[U.S.] intelligence estimates were wrong, too."

"I don't think we need to be apologetic about the war," Kristol insisted. But he said the U.S.'s inability to uncover significant quantities of Iraqi WMDs means that the war may not have been as necessary and urgent as previously believed.

"People like me, who were hawks, said the war was both just, prudent and urgent," he said. "I think just and prudent - fine. But it is fair to say that if we don't find serious weapons of mass destruction capabilities, the case for urgency, which Bush and Blair certainly articulated, is going to be undercut to some degree."

Kristol, who made his comments just minutes after Secretary of State Colin Powell said on the same broadcast that there was no doubt Saddam had WMDs when the U.S. attacked, did acknowledge, however, "There has been evidence that they had an ongoing weapons of mass destruction program, I think, even if they did not have as large a stock of the weapons as we thought."

[Pukin Dog]

Just like a little RAT jumping from the ship at the first sign of danger. What a weasel. Never trusted the little bastard.

[Dog Gone]

His comments were not well-advised. While the gist of them might turn out to be correct, the actual words came out all wrong.

He will regret this, I'm sure.

[MizSterious]

You took the words right out of my mouth! (Except you probably said it better than I could.) Check some of the links on this thread -Weapons of Mass Destruction ( or Distorsion or Deception? You decide...)--, or better yet, I wish Kristol would.

[Arkinsaw]

If we don't find WMD then it means we have a systemic intelligence problem, either our intelligence was completely wrong or our intelligence is incapable of tracking where the WMD went during/after the war.

I have no problem with an admission of that sort.

What I have a problem with is the media saying that bad intelligence = lying. They know that's bull crap.

[Torie]

If Kristol is suggesting that he thought Bush way lying or exaggerating the threat of Iraqi WMD is real time he is lying. If it turns out that Saddam was a nutter, and there were no WMD, and he could have stopped the sanctions years ago by just demonstrating it, but he didn't, because he was a nutter, than whose problem is that? Kristol should just say if that was the case, Saddam being a nutter was his one and only gift to the planet, because he needlessly caused his final exit, and thanks for the memories, and isn't it all grand? What am I missing here?

[FairOpinion]

I really hate it when conservatives attack the President, doing the RATs' work for them.

[billbears]

Just like a little RAT jumping from the ship at the first sign of danger. What a weasel. Never trusted the little bastard.

BWHAHAHAHA!!!! Now he's a little RAT? But this is the man that runs the Weekly Standard and heads up the PNAC, where half of this administration's gig was in the 1990s.

[mass55th]

There's a big different between "that there COULD HAVE BEEN misstatements made," and "misstatements WERE made."

[KCmark]

If we don't find WMD then it means we have a systemic intelligence problem, either our intelligence was completely wrong or our intelligence is incapable of tracking where the WMD went during/after the war.

I have no problem with an admission of that sort.

What I have a problem with is the media saying that bad intelligence = lying. They know that's bull crap.

---

I could not agree with you more.

[SubMareener]

I really hate it when Republicans assert things about which they have no knowledge, as in: "We have interrogated a lot of people and we haven't found a single person who said he participated in disposing, destroying the stock of weapons of mass destruction. Or in hiding them."

[Pukin Dog]

I remember Kristol attacking Bush last year, suggesting he needed to be tougher on the Middle East. He did everything he could to encourage the our involvement over there.

Now he does not want to appear linked to Bush's policy. Kristol has always been a little rat to me. He is smarmy and effeminate. Not someone you could count on to stand by you in a fight. He proved me right today.

[jwalsh07]

Was Halabja a flu epidemic Billy?

[OldFriend]

McCain's puppet.

[Dog Gone]

You're missing nothing. That is the correct analysis.

I was appalled when I heard Kristol's remarks this morning, but I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt that he didn't quite mean to say it the way he did.

That's quite a concession on my part since I don't have much tolerance for McCain supporters.

[stevem]

Sigh!

There were three reasons to fight this battle:

1. Regime change. I thought this a valid reason strictly from a humanitarian viewpoint. To look on Saddam was to look through a naperture into hell. If Kristol or any of the liberals can counter this, I'd like to hear it. In this, a good thing was done.

2. Destroy a link in the terror network. Now this required leadership. Praise the Lord we have a leader. Saddam, himself, worked tirelessley to let the world know he WAS an important link in that network. Again, thank God Bush is in charge and not the like of Kristol.

3. WMD. I think, first, we need to give this some time. I bet I could hide something in Iraq so Hans Blix couldn't find it. If nothing is found, that will be a good thing. Yet, recent captured people and defectors have made it clear that Saddam wanted such things. When you are staring through an aperture into hell, and the leader there is trying to find the means to kill you, how long do you wait?

This is all such nonsense, and Kristol knows it. The world is a better place with Hussein out of the picture. I guess what we really need in this world is more punditry.

[jwalsh07]

You're not missing anything except for the inherent need of certain persons to have a spotlight on their idiocy.

[deport]

He will regret this, I'm sure.

---

I hope you are correct but I don't know that billie has it in him.

[The Duke]

Who cares whether there were WMD or not, as long as we get the oil?

[SamAdams76]

I recently read Bill Kristol's book "War In Iraq" which he co-authored with somebody I don't remember. Kristol makes a pretty damn good case for war with Iraq, WMD's notwithstanding. Fact is, Saddam had them at one time and he used them. Why wouldn't we assume he still had them? And even if he doesn't have them anymore, it doesn't change a damn thing. Kristol has evidently fallen in love with the TV camera and will say anything to stay in the "talking-head" rotation.

[jwalsh07]

"We have interrogated a lot of people and we haven't found a single person who said he participated in disposing, destroying the stock of weapons of mass destruction. Or in hiding them."

Ergo, Halabja was a flu epidemic and Chemical Ali just a figment of President Bush's and SOS Powell's collective imaginations.

[TLBSHOW]

What am I missing here?

......
You are missing nothing. Saddam was a threat and NOW he is no longer a threat.

[The Wizard]

I watched this asshole today...

[jwalsh07]

UN resolution 1441 put the onus squarely on Iraq's shoulders to demonstrate they had destroyed their weapons and thier weapons PROGRAM.

Like Torie said, the "nutter" chose not to do that. Any sane indivdual would conclude the reason he chose to have his regime destroyed was because he did indeeed have a CB weapons program.

If Krystol wants some stock on hand, rather than binary type dual use "stuff", I suggest he travel to the Bekaa Valley.

[Sacajaweau]

I heard Kristol this am and interpreted it a little more lightly. I think we're interpreting it a little different. The truth of the matter is, we simply don't know enough at this point. Blix was there for months finding tidbits and knocking the US all the way. Let's be real. Saddam was a bad dude and we are the good guys. WMD are real. Where are they hidden? Who knows. The UN gave Saddam enough time to sell them off.

[Bommer]

I really hate it when conservatives attack the President, doing the RATs' work for them.

Kristol is no conservative. He never was! He was a huge McCain supporter and you can't get more liberal than that!

[rintense]

This is incredible. Kristol was one of Bush's biggest supporters for Iraq, citing the exact same intel that Bush and Clinton used for the case against Iraq! Unreal.

[Recovering_Democrat]

Hey, basically Kristol is saying the same thing Americans are telling pollsters: the President wasn't lying, but the info might have been wrong. In either case, WHO CARES?? NOT AMERICA.

[Moonmad27]

The previous poster has it exactly right. These guys will say anything to get on TV, and agreeing with GWB is not the best way these days. A conservative criticizing him will have the camera turned on him instantly.

[alnick]

Where are they hidden? Who knows. The UN gave Saddam enough time to sell them off.

Surprisingly, Mara made that very point in response to Bill Kristol this morning. Apparently she thought that she was making the point that Bush lied, or exagerated, until Brit explained to her that if she is correct and he did sell them off, then the urgency was real and in fact, we should have gone in sooner. She appeared to be blindsided by Brit's statement.

[Dog Gone]

The UN gave Saddam enough time to sell them off

Maybe people don't remember, but the UN gave Saddam plenty of time to do anything he wanted before the latest batch of inspectors actually landed. MONTHS.

I think, but am not sure, that Saddam decided to play the victim card, and either destroyed or moved his weapons (but not the ability to make them).

The victim card works just about everywhere, doncha know....

Who the heck cares besides partisan Rats anyway? I want to know whether any surviving Iraqi WMDs exist, but not for the reason they do.

[Miss Marple]

Kristol is not one of my favorites, to put it mildly.

I think he is a malicious little (insert euphemism here) who enjoys sticking a pin in W when he thinks he can get away with it. He supported Bush in the Iraq war because he had already staked out that position, no doubt thinking we would not go to war.

Possum person is what he is. A troublemaker who is only out for his own aggrandizement.

[ContentiousObjector]

looks like it is CYA time,

[Arkinsaw]

I could not agree with you more.

For a decade we have been more interested in political correctness than intelligence. Like trying to prosecute those two CIA agents for (gasp) allegedly trying to kill Saddam.

We now need to determine if this was a failure (if it was) based on the policies of the last decade that we have not recovered from yet, or some new problem.

[mrsmith]

Kristol says "Hey Dems, let me encourage you to deepen that hole you're in!" ?

[yooper]

There is not a single doubt in my mind that Iraq had weapons which were illegal under the rules put in place after the first gulf war. And do you know why that is? Because they used them prior to the first gulf war.

Just because we haven't found them doesn't mean they don't exist. It just means that we haven't found them. In fact, we may and probably won't ever find them. But the fact remains; they were there.

[Wild Irish Rogue]

" Kristol has always been a little rat to me. He is smarmy and effeminate. Not someone you could count on to stand by you in a fight. He proved me right today."

Absolutely. Watch how many talking heads tomorrow say," why even strong supporters of the President, now believe he misled the country." I can't see Bill in a flight suit, a tutu, maybe.

[Endeavor]

Kagan

[Endeavor]

Mara spends her life being blind-sided. She has to be an affirmative action hire.

[Endeavor]

You may be right about Kristol. I haven't made up my mind yet. I will say that The Weekly Standard is an excellent read - I find it much more readable than National Review, and I take both of them.

[CyberAnt]

I agree it's just a CYA. You know ... just in case we don't find anything.

I have been trying for months to convince myself Kristol had finally given up the McCain ties - but now, I'm not so sure.

[connectthedots]

Bill Kristol is not nearly as bright a he would like people to believe. He's nothing more than a pompass patronizing airhead.

[habs4ever]

That's why Mara is on NPR...

[q_an_a]

I second that emotion. In the ictionary his face is next to the word fool and again at traitor. His motto is anything for a buck.

[dixiechick2000]

"I want to know whether any surviving Iraqi WMDs exist, but not for the reason they do."

It would certainly be helpful if Mrs. Anthrax could pass one lie detector test...

just one.

[FreeReign]

After the 1991 Gulf War, Iraq said it would account for the 2,245 gallons of anthrax and 1,000 tons of VX nerve gas that it pocessed. 12 years have now gone by and still Iraq has not accounted for these WMD.

On February 2nd 2003, Hans Blix said the following. "If they exist, they should be presented for destruction. If they do not exist, credible evidence to that effect should be presented.

Sadaam did neither. Sadaam by his own actions and inactions still remained a resonable threat and our president took action.

Crystal's judgement is poor -- Sadaam got what he deserved.

[HumanaeVitae]

Looks like Mr. Kristol has some problems with the Bush 'roadmap'.

[stimpyone]

""We have interrogated a lot of people and we haven't found a single person who said he participated in disposing, destroying the stock of weapons of mass destruction. Or in hiding them."

Actually Newsweek reported several months ago that that Saddam's sons-in-law upon defecting told the CIA that stockpiles were destroyed in the mid-1990's. These are the two guys who ended up returning to Iraq and were killed upon arrival. While in exile they revealed hiding places of much of Saddam's stockpiles.

[stimpyone]

What I have a problem with is the media saying that bad intelligence = lying. They know that's bull crap.

If Bush's team deliberately overlooked questions about Iraq's WMD in their public statements about the Iraqi threat, then they are no better than the previous administration. It's times like this that the expiration of the special prosecutor law comes back to bite us. An independent investigation is needed right now.

[Porterville]

Wow, I don't care. I think what we did was right and...and I believe (call me naive) 70% of the United States population feel the same.