Bush-Aznar Transcript: The War Crime of the Century

[L. Coyote]

This is a duplicate. Another thread on this article focused on conspiracy theory. I doubt that Saddam wanted his WMD documents to "blackmail" Bush, but rather to defend himself against false accusations.

It is puzzling that one of Saddam's demands to agre to go into exile would be WMD documents. I won't add to the conspiratorial conjecture. It is enough that Bush could have averted war, and choose instead the path leading to war. Therein lies the real import, plain and simple. Getting into conspiracy ideas missed the mark, that is Bush took the world to war when it could have been avoided. Compounding that, the exile idea included an assassination plan. Again, Bush wanted to bomb and invade Iran. Killing Saddam was not sufficient for his bellicose appetite. Bottom line, it was about taking the oil all along. Therein lies the crime of the century, and the war criminal of the century.

=================
Friday, September 28, 2007
Bush-Aznar Transcript: The War Crime of the Century
http://www.juancole.com/2007/09/bush-aznar-transcript-war-crime-of.html

I made two claims .... first is that the transcript shows that Bush intended to disregard a negative outcome in his quest for a UN Security Council resolution authorizing a war against Iraq ... Bush made it very clear that he was willing to trash the charter of the United Nations and to take the world back to the 1930s,to an era of mass politics when powerful states launched wars of choice at will ....

The second claim that I made was that Bush was aware of, and rejected, an offer by Saddam Hussein to flee Iraq, probably for Saudi Arabia, presuming he could take out with him a billion dollars and some documents on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction programs ... the documents presumably showed that the Reagan and Bush senior administrations had secretly authorized his chemical and biological weapons programs.....

(Bush) had a real offer in the hand, of Saddam's flight. He rejected it. By rejecting it, he will have killed at least a million persons and became one of the more monstrous figures in recent world history.......

[L. Coyote]

1. This is my translation of President Bush's, et.al, comments, in part.

Translation is from Spanish and< I assume, the conversation was in English. Bush cannot speak Spanish like this.

==========================================
Sadam Husein no cambiará y seguirá jugando.
Sadam Hussein will not change and will continue playing.

Ha llegado el momento de deshacerse de él. Es así.
The moment to get rid of him has arrived. It is so.

Yo, por mi parte, procuraré a partir de ahora utilizar una retórica lo más sutil posible, mientras buscamos la aprobación de la resolución.
I, for my part, beginning now will endeavor to use the most suble rhetoric possible, while seeking passage of the resolution.

Si alguien veta, nosotros iremos.
If someone vetoes, we will go.

Sadam Hussein no se está desarmando.
Sadam Hussein is not disarming.

Le tenemos que coger ahora mismo.
We have to catch (f**k) him right now.

Hemos mostrado un grado increíble de paciencia hasta ahora.
We have demonstrated an incredible degree of patience until now.

Quedan dos semanas. En dos semanas estaremos militarmente listos.
Two weeks remain. In two weeks we will be ready militarily.

Creo que conseguiremos la segunda resolución.
I believe we will get the second resolution.

En el Consejo de Seguridad tenemos a los tres africanos , a los chilenos, a los mexicanos.
In the Security Council we have the three Africans, the Chileans, and the Mexicans.

Hablaré con todos ellos, también con Putin, naturalmente.
I will speak with all of them, also with Putin, of course.

Estaremos en Bagdad a finales de marzo.
We will be in Bagdad by the end of March.

Existe un 15% de posibilidades de que en ese momento Sadam Hussein esté muerto o se haya ido.
There is a 15% probability that Sadam Hussein will be dead or gone by that time.

Pero esas posibilidades no existen antes de que hayamos mostrado nuestra resolución.
However, these possibilities do not exist until we have shown (passed) our resolution.

Los egipcios están hablando con Sadam Hussein.
The Egyptians are talking with Sadam Hussein.

Parece que ha indicado que estaría dispuesto a exiliarse si le dejaran llevarse 1.000 millones de dólares y toda la información que quisiera sobre armas de destrucción masiva.
It seems he has indicated he is amenable to exiling himself if allowed to take a billion dollars and all the information he wants about weapons of mass destruction.

(Muammar El) Gaddafi le ha dicho a Berlusconi que Sadam Hussein quiere irse.
(Muammar El) Gaddafi has told Berlusconi that Sadam Hussein wants to go.


Mubarak nos dice que en esas circunstancias existen muchas posibilidades de que sea asesinado.
Mubarak tells us that in those circumstances the possibility exists to assassinate him.

Nos gustaría actuar con el mandato de las Naciones Unidas.
We would like to act with the mandate of the United Nations.

Si actuamos militarmente lo haremos con una gran precisión y focalizando mucho nuestros objetivos.
If we act militarily we will do so with great precision and with our very focused objectives.

Diezmaremos a las tropas leales y el ejército regular rápidamente sabrá de lo que se trata.
We will decimate the loyal troops and the regular army will quickly understand what that means.

Hemos hecho llegar un mensaje muy claro a los generales de Sadam Hussein: los trataremos como criminales de guerra.
We have delivered a clear message to Sadam Hussein's generals: they will be treated as war criminals.

Sabemos que han acumulado una enorme cantidad de dinamita para hacer volar los puentes y otras infraestructuras y hacer saltar por los aires los pozos petrolíferos.
We know they have accumulated an enormous quantity of dynamite to blow up the bridges and other infrastructure and to blow up the oil wells.

Tenemos previsto ocupar esos pozos muy pronto.
We foresee occupying the oil wells very quickly.

También los saudíes nos ayudarían a poner en el mercado el petróleo que fuese necesario.
Also, the Saudis will help us to put oil in the market as necessary.

Estamos desarrollando un paquete de ayuda humanitaria muy fuerte.
We are developing a large humanitarian aid program.

Podemos ganar sin destrucción.
We can win without destruction.

Estamos planteando ya el Irak post Sadam, y creo que hay buenas bases para un futuro mejor.
We are already planning the post-Sadam Iraq, and I believe there are good foundations for a better future.

Irak tiene una buena burocracia y una sociedad civil relativamente fuerte.
Iraq has a good bureaucracy and a relatively strong civil society.

Se podría organizar en una federación.
It could organize as a federation.

Mientras tanto estamos haciendo todo lo posible para atender las necesidades políticas de nuestros amigos y aliados.
Until then, we are doing everything possible to attend to the necessary politics of our friends and allies.

...Another segment with Condi Rice "Blix will now be more negative"

Edited on Wed Sep-26-07 11:33 AM by L. Coyote
PA.
¿Cómo se combina la resolución y el informe de los inspectores?
How will the resolution be combined with the report of the inspectors.

Condoleezza Rice.
En realidad no habrá informe el 28 de febrero sino que los inspectores presentarán un informe escrito el 1 de marzo, y su comparecencia ante el Consejo de Seguridad no se producirá hasta el 6 o 7 de marzo de 2003.
Actually there won't be a report on Feb. 28 unless the inspectors present a written report on Mar. 1. and their testimony to the Security Council will not be produced until March 6 or 7, 2003.

No esperamos gran cosa de ese informe. Como en los anteriores, pondrán una de cal y otra de arena.
We have high expectation of that report. Like in those previous, they may play hard to get.

Tengo la impresión de que Blix será ahora más negativo que lo que antes fue sobre la voluntad de los iraquíes.
I have the impression that Blix will now be more negative than before about the Iraqi intentions.

Después de la comparecencia de los inspectores en el Consejo debemos prever el voto sobre la resolución una semana después.
After the testimony of the inspectors to the Council we should foresee the vote for the resolution one week later.

Los iraquíes, entre tanto, intentarán explicar que van cumpliendo sus obligaciones.
The Iraqis, also, intend to explain that they are completing their obligations.

Ni es cierto ni será suficiente, aunque anuncien la destrucción de algunos misiles.
It is not certain nor will it be sufficient, even if they announce the destruction of some missiles.

PB.
Esto es como la tortura china del agua. Tenemos que poner fin a ello.
That's like Chinese water torture. We have to put an end to that.

PA.
Estoy de acuerdo, pero sería bueno contar con el máximo número de gente posible. Ten un poco de paciencia.
I agree, but it would be good to count with the highest number of people possible. I have some patience.

PB.
Mi paciencia está agotada. No pienso ir más allá de la mitad de marzo.
My patience is running out. I don't think I'll go beyond the middle of March.

PA.
No te pido que tengas una paciencia infinita. Simplemente que hagas lo posible para que todo cuadre.
I'm nt asking that you have infinite patience. Simply that you do what is possible so that everyone agrees.

PB.
Países como México, Chile, Angola y Camerún deben saber que lo que está en juego es la seguridad de los EE UU y actuar con un sentido de amistad hacia nosotros.
Countries like Mexico, Chile, Angola, and Cameroon ought to understand that what is in play is the security o the EU and act with a sentiment of friendship towards us.

(El presidente Ricardo) Lagos debe saber que el Acuerdo de Libre Comercio con Chile está pendiente de confirmación en el Senado y que una actitud negativa en este tema podría poner en peligro esa ratificación.
Lagos ought to know that the free commerce agreement with Chile is before the Senate for confirmation and that ny negative actions in this area might endanger ratification.

Angola está recibiendo fondos del Millenium Account y también podrían quedar comprometidos si no se muestran positivos.
Angol is receiving funds from the Millenium Account and this too could be compromised if they don't act positively.

Y Putin debe saber que con su actitud está poniendo en peligro las relaciones de Rusia con los Estados Unidos.
And Putin ought to know that with his attitude he is endangering relations with the United States.

....Another segment BUSH "....Milosevic is a Mother Teresa."

PA. ¿Es cierto que existe alguna posibilidad de que Sadam Hussein se exilie?
Is it true that some possibility exists that Sadam will go into exile?

PB. Sí, existe esa posibilidad. Incluso de que sea asesinado.
Yes, the possibily exists. Including that he be assassinated.

PA. ¿Exilio con alguna garantía?
Exile with some guarantee?

PB. Ninguna garantía. Es un ladrón, un terrorista, un criminal de guerra.
No guarantees. He is a thief, a terrorist, and a war criminal.

Comparado con Sadam, Milosevic sería una Madre Teresa.
Compared to Sadam, Milosevic is a Mother Teresa.

Cuando entremos vamos a descubrir muchos más crímenes y le llevaremos al Tribunal Internacional de Justicia de La Haya.
When we invade, we will discover many more crimes which we will take to the U. N. International Court of Justice in de Hague.

Sadam Hussein cree que ya se ha escapado.
Sadam Hussein believes that he has escaped.

Cree que Francia y Alemania han detenido el proceso de sus responsabilidades.
He believes France and Germany have halted the process of their responsibilities.

Cree también que las manifestaciones de la semana pasada le protegen.
He also believes that the statements of the past week protect him.

Y cree que yo estoy muy debilitado.
And he believes I am very debilitated.

Pero la gente de su entorno sabe que las cosas son de otra manera.
But the people surrounding him understand things differently.

Saben que su futuro está en el exilio o en un ataúd.
They understand that his future is in exile or in a coffin.

Por eso es tan importante mantener la presión sobre él.
This is why it is so important to maintain the pressure on him.

Gaddafi nos dice indirectamente que eso es lo único que puede acabar con él.
Gaddafi tells us indirectly that that is the only way that it can end with him.

La única estrategia de Sadam Hussein es la de retrasar, retrasar.
The only strategy of Sadam Hussein is that of delay, delay, delay

PA.
En realidad el mayor éxito sería ganar la partida sin disparar un solo tiro y entrando en Bagdad.
In reality, the best outcome would be to win the game without firing a single shot and entering Bagdad.

PB. Para mí sería la solución perfecta. Yo no quiero la guerra. Sé lo que son las guerras. Sé la destrucción y la muerte que traen consigo. Yo soy el que tiene que consolar a las madres y a las viudas de los muertos. Por supuesto, para nosotros esa sería la mejor solución. Además, nos ahorraría 50.000 millones de dólares.
That would be the perfect solution for me. I don't want war. I know what wars are. I know they bring destruction and death. I am the one who has to console the mothers and the widows of the dead. So of course, for us that woulD be the better solution. Besides, we will save 50 billion dollars.

PA.
Necesitamos que nos ayudéis con nuestra opinión pública.
We will need you to help us with public opinion.

PB.
Haremos todo lo que podamos. El miércoles voy a hablar sobre la situación en el Oriente Medio, proponiendo un nuevo esquema de paz que conoces y sobre las armas de destrucción masiva, de los beneficios de una sociedad libre, y situaré la historia de Irak en un contexto más amplio. Quizá os sirva.
We will do all we can do. On Wed. I will speak on the situation in the Middle East, proposing a new outline for peace as you know, and about weapons of mass destruction.

PA.
Lo que estamos haciendo es un cambio muy profundo para España y para los españoles. Estamos cambiando la política que el país había seguido en los últimos 200 años.
What we are doing is a very profound change for Spain and for the Spanish people. We are changing the politics that the country has been following in the las 200 years.

PB.
A mí me guía un sentido histórico de la responsabilidad igual que a ti. Cuando dentro de unos años la Historia nos juzgue no quiero que la gente se pregunte por qué Bush, o Aznar, o Blair no hicieron frente a sus responsabilidades. Al final, lo que la gente quiere es gozar de libertad. Hace poco, en Rumania me recordaban el ejemplo de Ceausescu: bastó con que una mujer le llamara mentiroso para que todo el edificio represivo se viniera abajo. Es el poder incontenible de la libertad. Estoy convencido de que conseguiré la resolución.
A historic sense of responsibility guides me as it does you. When within a few years History judges us I don't want people asking why Bush, or Aznar, or Blair did not assume their responsibilities. All said, people want to enjoy freedom. Recently, I remember the example of Ceausescu in Romania: it was sufficient that one woman call him a liar for the entire repressive regime to collapse. That is the uncontainable power of liberty. I'm convinced I will get the resolution.

PA. Mejor que mejor.
Better than better.

PB.
Yo tomé la decisión de ir al Consejo de Seguridad. A pesar de las divergencias en mi Administración, les dije a mi gente que teníamos que trabajar con nuestros amigos. Será estupendo contar con una segunda resolución.
I made the decision to go to the Security Council. Given the divergences of opinion in my administration, I told my people that we would have to work with our friends. It would be stupendous to have a second resolution.

PA.
Lo único que me preocupa de ti es tu optimismo.
The only thing that worries me about you is your optimism.


PB.
Estoy optimista porque creo que estoy en lo cierto. Estoy en paz conmigo mismo. Nos ha correspondido hacer frente a una seria amenaza contra la paz. Me irrita muchísimo contemplar la insensibilidad de los europeos sobre los sufrimientos que Sadam Hussein inflige a los iraquíes.
I'm optimistic because I believe I am right. I'm at peace with myself. It has fallen upon us to oppose a serious attack on peace. It irritates me greatly to think about the insensibility of the Europeans about the sufferings that Sadam Hussein inflicted on the Iraqis.

Quizá porque es moreno, lejano y musulmán, muchos europeos piensan que todo está bien con él. No olvidaré lo que me dijo una vez Solana: que por qué los americanos pensamos que los europeos son antisemitas e incapaces de hacer frente a sus responsabilidades. Esa actitud defensiva es terrible. Tengo que reconocer que con Kofi Annan tengo unas magníficas relaciones.
Perhaps because he is dark-skinned, distant, and Muslim, many Europeans think everything is fine with him. I won't forget what Solana once told me: that why do Americans think Europeans are anti-Semitic and incapable of confronting their responsibilities. This defensive attitude is terrible. I have to reestablish having magnificent relations with Kofi Annan.

PA.
Comparte tus preocupaciones éticas.
Share you ethical concerns with him.

PB.
Cuanto más me atacan los europeos tanto más fuerte soy en los Estados Unidos.
The more the European attack me, that much stronger I am in the United States.

PA.
Tendríamos que hacer compatible tu fortaleza con el aprecio de los europeos.
We have to make your fortitude compatible with the appreciation of Europeans.

[Disturbed]

2. The most damning documents are still hidden.

Ahmed Chalabi & his team arrived in Baghdad & loaded up 12 Tons of Documents.
Think about that for a few seconds. Those have never been found. Imagine what those 12 Tons of papers contain. Chalabi was accused of being a spy for Iran & counterfeiting Iraqi money. His offices & home were raided & turned up nothing.
Chalabi is still an Oil Minister.

[chill_wind]

3. Excellent reminders. And here's another- November 9, 2005. Mr Curveball comes to Washington.

Memory Lane....

Controversial Iraqi visiting Bush officials in Washington
Wednesday, November 9, 2005; Posted: 3:30 p.m. EST (20:30 GMT)

(...)
Democrats urge Chalabi be subpoenaed

Congressional Democrats called for the Iraqi official to be subpoenaed during his visit.

"It's rather unusual that any prosecutor would pass up the opportunity to grab an absolute key, central witness that's in plain sight," said Rep. George Miller, D-California.

(snip)

McClellan said Chalabi would meet with Vice President Dick Cheney and national security adviser Stephen Hadley.

The Iraqi official also was to meet with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Treasury Secretary John Snow and other officials. He is set to speak to the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank that backed the invasion of Iraq.

Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, called the Bush administration's meetings with Chalabi "totally inappropriate."

"How can you have the Federal Bureau of Investigation say that he is under active investigation as to whether or not he leaked sensitive data to the Iranians, that could have endangered American soldiers, and this man is being treated like some visiting dignitary?" asked Durbin, the Senate's second-ranking Democrat.

(...)

http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/11/09/chalabi.us/

(he also met with Rice.)

[L. Coyote]

7. Thanks.

[chill_wind]

5. Bush: "Given the divergences of opinion in my administration, " We have his firsthand confession

that he planned to ignore his own intelligence advisors.

Excellent gift of this translation for DU, L Coyote. Thank you so much for this work!

K&R

PS-- wonder what would be the Spanish translation for "Somminabitch tried to kill't my Daddy." ....

[Middle finga]

4. I guess that's why they lynched Saddam so quickly to ensure he wouldn't

talk about this and other dirty little secrets he knew of our government.

[L. Coyote]

6. He could have told volumes. The USA aided him in the war with Iran.

This is one reason why diplomatic relations with Iran do not exist?

[AzDar]

11. Right before the Democratic majority in Congress took office.

Basically, Bush used our military and treasury to settle a Bush family vendetta against Saddam.
George W. Bush illegally invaded and occupied a sovereign nation and MURDERED that nation's citizens and government.
HE IS A WAR CRIMINAL.

[L. Coyote]

8. Kick for the evening crowd.

[mike_c]

9. with all due respect...

...the century is still pretty young. That's not meant to diminish Bush's crimes, however.

[Kelly Rupert]

10. I hope to hell this is the war crime of the century.

That would make it the nicest century we've had in a while.

[L. Coyote]

12. Hopefully this will not be another bloodiest century in human history.