White House takes exception to story saying Bush plans Iran attack

[maddezmom]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON - The White House on Tuesday denied a published report in Israel that said President Bush intends to attack Iran before the end of his term in January.

A story in the Jerusalem Post quoted a "senior official" there as saying that Bush plans to attack Iran in the coming months. The story says the unidentified official claimed that a "senior member" of Bush's traveling entourage made the statement about attacking Iran in a closed meeting. Bush was in Israel last week.

The article also says the unnamed Bush official said that Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney "were of the opinion that military action were called for."

"An article in today's Jerusalem Post about the president's position on Iran that quotes unnamed sources — quoting unnamed sources — is not worth the paper it's written on," White House press secretary Dana Perino said in a statement.



Read more: http://www.startribune.com/politics/19097534.html?location_refer=Nation

---

The fact they have to make this statement is telling in itself. In another time people would blow off unnamed officials and sources but not in the new bushworld.

[ToughLuck]

1. OK, maybe I am crazy after 8 years of listening to this madman but

why do I have the impression that at the very least Bush wants this bullshit leaked to provoke Iran into making more inflamatory statements. Always threatening Iran in one manner or another, it appears the constant strategy.

[Andy823]

22. Could be

And I also believe these kind of "leaks" help raise the price of oil. Just look at what has happened today, oil is at $129 and may hit $130! Every time something like this comes out it makes the investors who are making a killing on the price of oil, buy up more and raise the price. The dollar goes down, stocks slump, but big oil is grinning from ear to ear!

Eight years of record profits, eight years of the public getting screwed while oil companies, drug companies, big agriculture companies, etc. keep making huge profits has taken it's toll on the country, and the people. Bush will keep helping out the big money that controls his administration till we get rid of him!

[ohio2007]

30. misinformation was promised eight years ago

this is the way it's delivered.

People have been falling for this invasion BS story line for how long now ?

[calimary]

2. Oh, wonderful. Dana ParisHilton-o says it isn't going to happen.

The Dim Bulb speaks. Man oh man, I sure am comforted.

:sarcasm:

I'm sure she believes it, though.

[RadiationTherapy]

3. I knew it wasn't true!! Everything's going to be ok *sob*...

sigh.

[onehandle]

4. So they're sticking with the appeasement plan?

Next they'll be selling Iran missiles. Like Reagan did.

The chimp is just another wimp. Like father, like son.

[bigworld]

5. Of course Bush isn't planning any such thing.

Cheney's in charge.

[saigon68]

12. Yes Gangster Cheney is "indeed" in Charge

[gratuitous]

6. The White House takes exception to the story

But they didn't go quite so far as to deny the story. Well, I'm sure we don't need to parse every jot and tittle of White House pronouncements; they're the grown-ups, straight shooters, plain speakers, and besides, when have they ever lied to the public, or misled us, or fudged the truth even a teensy bit?

[primavera]

7. Yep, another nondenial denial

"The paper isn't worth the paper it's written on," by no actual mention that the paper is wrong.

[sabra]

8. White House denies story about attacking Iran

Source: AP

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House on Tuesday denied a published report in Israel that said President Bush intends to attack Iran before the end of his term in January.

A story in the Jerusalem Post quoted a "senior official" there as saying that Bush plans to attack Iran in the coming months. The story says the unidentified official claimed that a "senior member" of Bush's traveling entourage made the statement about attacking Iran in a closed meeting. Bush was in Israel last week.

The article also says the unnamed Bush official said that Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney "were of the opinion that military action were called for."

"An article in today's Jerusalem Post about the president's position on Iran that quotes unnamed sources — quoting unnamed sources — is not worth the paper it's written on," White House press secretary Dana Perino said in a statement.

"Let me respond by reaffirming the policy of the administration: We, along with our international allies who want peace in the Middle East, remain opposed to Iran's ambitions to obtain a nuclear weapon," Perino said. "To that end, we are working to bring tough diplomatic and economic pressure on the Iranians to get them to change their behavior and to halt their uranium enrichment program."

Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2008-05-20-bush-iran_N.htm

---

"quoting unnamed sources — is not worth the paper it's written on" :rofl:

[ladjf]

9. That is not a denial. That is an obfuscation.

[The Political Jerk]

11. He won't say he won't, so he will.

We know how this goes.

-The Political Jerk

[Mountainman]

10. I read nothing in Perino's statement that denies the news story.

She says:

quoting unnamed sources — is not worth the paper it's written on


Let me respond by reaffirming the policy of the administration: .....we are working to bring tough diplomatic and economic pressure on the Iranians .....



"president of the United States should never take options off the table, but our preference and our actions for dealing with this matter remain through peaceful diplomatic means


Where is there a denial of "President Bush intends to attack Iran before the end of his term in January"?

[LiberalFighter]

20. Dana doesn't use toilet paper either. Sniff Sniff

[MannyGoldstein]

13. Let Me Guess...

"there are no plans on desk"

Motherfuckers.

How excellent is it that impeachment is off the table?

[buckrogers1965]

14. Of course they aren't planning an attack.

It's defense! We are planning to defend ourselves from their attack.

Of course Iran hasn't attacked another country that didn't invade it's soil first in the past 300 years at least. But don't let facts or history get in the way.

We'd need something like a Pearl Harbor before we would start a war. "God forbid" that something like a dirty bomb going off in the mid west would allow Bush to live out his wet dream of attacking Iran.

But what would be worse than the attack is the disastrous consequences of an attack by the US on Iran. Trust me, we would finally get our asses handed to us, and that is without China and Russia jumping in on Iran's side.

And it would not be our military's fault. They are great. But we are stretched too thin and having one more entire country to fight would be the straw that broke the camels back.

Remember what a strain it was to just get 30,000 more troops for the surge?

[pleah]

15. Well, we know Dana Dumbshit tells the truth,

now don't we. NOT! :eyes:

[flakey_foont]

16. and is there any reason to believe a word they say?

huh? anyone?

no credibility..........if the White House says the sky is blue, I would have to look out the window to see if it was..
no can trust

[leftchick]

17. Horribly Misleading Headline!

No Where in that article has the WH denied an imminent attack on Iran. Fucking AP editors!

:argh:

[Ian David]

18. Okay, NOW I know it's true. n/t

[katty]

19. dana,dana, dana...another news cycle, another bullshit denial

[mdmc]

21. Chimp "We never plan anything. We just do it."

:shrug:

[Broadslidin]

23. "Shorting" nearly everything outside of Asia....!

As we slowly and steadily stash away jerry cans of diesel fuel
in a secure location.... :nuke: :patriot: :nuke:

[KSinTX]

24. ? posted yesterday: What could Bush possibly do in 8 months

Well, here it is.

[vivalarevolucion77]

25. Iran will be invaded anyway, unless..

we elect a Democrat in November.

[ohio2007]

28. the people speak out about it

Iranians Would Welcome Airstrikes, Sources Say
As Barack Obama and John McCain thrash it out over how they would deal with Iran, voices from inside Iran are weighing in with an unusual message: If the United States strikes hard and fast, we will support you.


Emissaries from inside Iran have been meeting with Iranian exiles in Europe, the United States, and elsewhere in recent weeks to deliver this provocative message, which they claim comes from pro-U.S. dissidents at the upper-most levels of the regime.


“U.S. airstrikes must be powerful and sustained enough to break the myth of the regime’s absolute power and reveal the weakness of the leadership,” a former official who traveled outside of Iran recently said.

snip

http://www.newsmax.com/timmerman/iran_airstrikes/2008/05/20/97564.html

Sounds like another Ahmad Chalabi recommendation for state sponsored assassination. That plan failed to get Saddam just before the Iraqi war started but
it was close.


http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2004/06/07/040607fa_fact1

[Fozzledick]

26. Deja Vue Again

Remember the front page article in the Times of India in July of 2001 quoting "unnamed sources" in the Indian government who claimed that U.S. diplomats had warned them that B*sh was planning to invade Afghanistan in October?

[ohio2007]

29. no, got the link to that 2001 claim ?

people love to cry wolf

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=3316593&mesg_id=3316593

[old mark]

27. "Darn,

I wanted it to be a surprise", GWB.


mark

[Marie26]

31. They "take exception", but they don't deny it. nt

[Jack Rabbit]

32. Bushworld

The fact they have to make this statement is telling in itself. In another time people would blow off unnamed officials and sources but not in the new bushworld.

In another time people would have felt reassured by the denial, but not in Bushworld.