The President Makes His Case Against Iraq

CNN.com ^ | August 22, 2003 | The President of the United States

[Imal]

This is a time of tremendous promise for America. The superpower confrontation has ended; on every continent democracy is securing for more and more people the basic freedoms we Americans have come to take for granted. Bit by bit the information age is chipping away at the barriers economic, political and social that once kept people locked in and freedom and prosperity locked out.

But for all our promise, all our opportunity, people in this room know very well that this is not a time free from peril, especially as a result of reckless acts of outlaw nations and an unholy axis of terrorists, drug traffickers and organized international criminals.

We have to defend our future from these predators of the 21st century. They feed on the free flow of information and technology. They actually take advantage of the freer movement of people, information and ideas.

And they will be all the more lethal if we allow them to build arsenals of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and the missiles to deliver them. We simply cannot allow that to happen.

There is no more clear example of this threat than Saddam Hussein's Iraq. His regime threatens the safety of his people, the stability of his region and the security of all the rest of us. [...]

Saddam Hussein's Iraq reminds us of what we learned in the 20th century and warns us of what we must know about the 21st. In this century, we learned through harsh experience that the only answer to aggression and illegal behavior is firmness, determination, and when necessary action.

In the next century, the community of nations may see more and more the very kind of threat Iraq poses now a rogue state with weapons of mass destruction ready to use them or provide them to terrorists, drug traffickers or organized criminals who travel the world among us unnoticed.

If we fail to respond today, Saddam and all those who would follow in his footsteps will be emboldened tomorrow by the knowledge that they can act with impunity, even in the face of a clear message from the United Nations Security Council and clear evidence of a weapons of mass destruction program.

But if we act as one, we can safeguard our interests and send a clear message to every would-be tyrant and terrorist that the international community does have the wisdom and the will and the way to protect peace and security in a new era. That is the future I ask you all to imagine. That is the future I ask our allies to imagine.

If we look at the past and imagine that future, we will act as one together. And we still have, God willing, a chance to find a diplomatic resolution to this, and if not, God willing, the chance to do the right thing for our children and grandchildren.

Thank you very much.

President William Jefferson Clinton
Address to Joint Chiefs of Staff and Pentagon staff (excerpted)
Tuesday February 17, 1998

[Imal]

Lest we forget, the President made an excellent case for invading Iraq long before it became politically incorrect to do so.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

an unholy axis of terrorists

So, the phrase axis of evil does have a familiar ring to it, doesn't it?

[Imal]

And they will be all the more lethal if we allow them to build arsenals of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and the missiles to deliver them. We simply cannot allow that to happen.

I came upon the text of this speech while doing some research. The similarities between Clinton's speeches on Iraq over five years ago and Bush's speeches just five months ago is remarkable enough to bear repeating.

The difference, of course, is that one president talked the talk, while the other walked the walk.

[MJY1288]

The difference is........ This President was not selling "Wolf Tickets". GWB gave his warnings to Saddam and then went through the proper motions at the U.N. and next it was Saddam's turn to make a move....

Saddam Hussein called GWB's bluff and got his clocked cleaned.

After 8 years of empty threats and useless random responses by Bill Clinton to the threat posed by Saddam Hussein. Saddam figured we would do nothing about the 3000 lost on 9/11 because Al-Qaeda was not directly tied to him. But Saddam implicated himself by offering $2,500.00 to the families of suicide bombers.

Much like the hate filled liberals who can't seem to get over the 2000 Elections, They are going to learn a harsh lesson on how a POTUS should lead in a global war against terrorism. Americans understand that after the attacks on 9/11, we must confront these terrorist on their turf and not ours.

Thank God we have such brave and talented men and women in uniform answering the call from our POTUS in this war on terror.

God Bless America & Our Troops

[RandallFlagg]

What's funny is that Sean Hannity has been telling his liberal rat opponents, "The President said, 'There is no more clear example of this threat than Saddam Hussein's Iraq. His regime threatens the safety of his people, the stability of his region and the security of all the rest of us.' now do you agree with that statement?"

When the opponent says, "No, I don't believe it has been made clear," or something similar, Sean then says, "Well, that's funny. Because what I just read to you was from a speech Bill Clinton made in 1998."

[Imal]

I think I need to listen to Sean Hannity more.

[RandallFlagg]

Weeeelll, He does tend to repeat himself too often, and that tactic I mentioned can only be used a few times before his opposition gets wind of it (He's done it twice on the radio and once on H&C). Sean's still a great host, but he really needs to learn how to make liberals bury themselves with their own tongues more often. As he did.

I've been crushing their arguments on other boards like this for months; it's difficult at times, but there is a learned pattern to achieve it successfully.

SO much fun!

[Free_at_last_-2001]

an unholy axis of terrorists, drug traffickers and organized international criminals. - Democrats!

[nathanbedford]

Nice touch

[Sacajaweau]

I go back to the Dems 'screaming" for protection for the people of the USA (and in particular, mention Hitlery.)

Money is the Dem solution. Put up barriers. Hire more this and that. Go to the UN for help.

You can put up all the barriers that you want. But if you leave the "monsters" alone, they will walk through the barriers like they are "air" just like the 19 hijackers. The USA is not a 10 ft by 10 ft box.

The Dems agree on the war against terrorism, refute any possibility of a Saddam, Usama, Arafat connection. But ahhh, that is exactly what we are seeing. How CAN you refute it?? These three and their followers are all terrorists.

Tell the Dems that they have already lost sight of 9-11. If Clinton had taken the gift of "Saddam on a Platter", 9-11 would likely not have happened. Oh, yeh, he was too busy.

Prayers for our President and for the Troops who are fighting these terrorists.

[Sacajaweau]

Interesting, huh. Just shows how anti-Bush the media is at every word he utters...covering the entire spectrum..from God to evil doers.

I remember years ago someone telling me that Kennedy got away with his sideline affairs via his friendship with the press. And so to, did Clinton.

Think about anti-Nixon and anti-Bush and WHO is the most anti?? Ah, Hitlery and friends.

[mewzilla]

Here's another quote from Bubba on the subject mentioned in this NewsMax column. An excerpt from Toon's speech that's quoted in the column:

"Now, let’s imagine the future. What if he [Saddam] fails to comply and we fail to act or we take some ambiguous third route which gives him yet more opportunities to develop this program of weapons of mass destruction? Well, he will conclude that the international community has lost its will. He will then conclude that he can go right on and do more to rebuild an arsenal of devastating destruction. And someday, some way, I guarantee you, he will use the arsenal."

[windchime]

Bump!