Bush's Shifting Rationale for Iraq War

[DoYouEverWonder]

October 14, 2006

October 14, 2006, 12:46 PM EDT

President Bush's shifting rationale for why the U.S. is in Iraq. The U.S.-led coalition invaded Iraq on March 20, 2003:

"States like these (Iraq, Iran and North Korea), and their terrorist allies, constitute an axis of evil, arming to threaten the peace of the world. By seeking weapons of mass destruction, these regimes pose a grave and growing danger. They could provide these arms to terrorists, giving them the means to match their hatred. They could attack our allies or attempt to blackmail the United States. In any of these cases, the price of indifference would be catastrophic." -- State of the Union address, Jan. 29, 2002.

"My nation will work with the U.N. Security Council to meet our common challenge. If Iraq's regime defies us again, the world must move deliberately and decisively to hold Iraq to account." -- speech Sept. 12, 2002, to the U.N. General Assembly.

"If we know Saddam Hussein has dangerous weapons today -- and we do -- does it make any sense for the world to wait to confront him as he grows even stronger and develops even more dangerous weapons?" -- speech in Cincinnati, Oct. 7, 2002.

"We will consult, but let there be no misunderstanding: If Saddam Hussein does not fully disarm for the safety of our people and for the peace of the world, we will lead a coalition to disarm him. ... Secretly, without fingerprints, he could provide one of his hidden weapons to terrorists or help them develop their own." -- State of the Union address, Jan. 23, 2003.

http://www.newsday.com/news/politics/wire/sns-ap-bush-on-iraq,0,2514885.story?coll=sns-ap-politics-headlines


How can an irrational person possibly have a rational for anything?

[EST]

1. .

[razors edge]

2. But,

he tried to kill my daddy.

And he tiled the entrance to a building with my daddy's face where people had to walk on it.

Ain't that reason nuff? All the family's who have given their kid's lives think so don't they?

:sarcasm:

[indepat]

3. Recall that years ago a graduate student's thesis was on 25+ rationales

the cabal had already given for the Iraqi bombardment, invasion, and occupation.

[Solly Mack]

4. Yeah well, when you lie you have to keep lying

but there is something worse than Bush's lies....that he is getting away with lying is worse. Far worse...for it speaks of a government so corrupt, that a war criminal won't be held accountable. If anyone thinks Bush makes America look bad - just wait until Bush walks free. Bush walking free will damage America far greater than the crimes of Bush ever could. Bush walking free will show America to be a lie. Everything about her - a lie. Everything she claims to stand for - a lie. Everything she calls herself - a lie. If image matters....and for so many it does....think on that.

For which is worse? A criminal such as Bush or those that allow criminals like Bush to walk free?

There is no justice in what history will one day write about him...that's not justice at all.

Maybe others can comfort themselves that way....but I can't.

[Karenina]

6. What you said, Solly.

[Solly Mack]

7. People do not have to wrap themselves in a flag to be blinded

even those who scorn the flag wavers can be blinded by their own illusions of what America is and isn't...

How does anyone hope to create a better America without first seeing America as she really is?

I'm done.

[ninkasi]

8. You are so right, Solly Mack

Our credibility as a nation has been ruined. We have tolerated a government which has stripped away our own civil rights, and treated the rest of the world with contempt. Unless Bush and other members of his administration are brought to trial for war crimes, then what America has always stood for will be revealed as one big lie.

[Solly Mack]

9. I am so sickened by the thought of America

relying on time for this to scab over instead of seeking justice now.

Waiting on enough time to pass and then telling ourselves, "Well, that's the past and we're different now - besides, we can't right the wrongs of the past"

We tell ourselves that already about so many things.

But how can we be different as a nation unless we do seek justice - now - when it can make a difference?

We can't bring the dead back to life and we can't give the tortured back their dignity and peace of mind - and we can't tell those we've wronged to forgive us....but we can hold the guilty accountable.

That is something we can do. That is something we must do.

Because if we don't, it will be another scab that will never heal...and America has enough scabs ...wounds that have never healed because America waited for time to sort things out instead of seeking justice when it could have made a difference.

[Democrats_win]

5. Shifting rationale for the war indicates lack of character-reason for loss

in Iraq. Obviously attacking Iraq in the first place demonstrated a lack of character. Truly, no one should be surprised that characterless Bush couldn't accomplish the mission.

[yurbud]

10. how many times are they going to write the same damn story before...

they have the balls to start writing about the real reason?

This shit just drives me fucking insane.

Everything Bush has done of substance has been to service cronies. He trumps up reasons to invade the country with the second largest oil reserves, forces them to denationalize their oil, and give their concessions to American companies on terms those companies essentially dictate.

He wants to build big bases to keep a grip on that oil, and be in a position to grab more for his friends, or at least influence surrounding countries to follow our lead in production and pricing, the former being low and the latter being high.

I said that in about four sentences. Greg Palast, Naomi Klein, Antonia Juhasz and others have done the research and documented all that but everyone else looks the other way then says they can't imagine why Bush invaded. What is their fucking problem?


http://professorsmartass.blogspot.com/2006/10/why-did-bush-invade-iraq-6-20-trillion.html

[Vidar]

11. Axis of evil--sounds like US, Britain & Israel. Fortunately the

British people are waking up at least.