January 13, 2005

• Wasn't this why we went to war? No, it wasn't.
• No, it wasn't. Bush said Iraqi WMDs were an imminent threat. So yeah, it was.
• Do you really believe that's why they (not we) went to war? The real reason will probably never be known, but I would say it has more to do with the fact that Saddam had been thumbing his nose at the US for more than ten years, plus the personal vendetta regarding Bush Sr. The WMD angle was just marketing.
• You don't need to see his WMDs to have a war. These aren't the WMDs you're looking for. Dubya can go about his business. Move along.
• Zabernism
• I didn't say that's why we went to war. WMDs were the justification. It's also known as a lie.
• What did the Democrats say about Iraq's WMD?
• Don't worry about these WMD or no-WMD stories. Look over here.
• Rocket88 does have a point. Both parties have blood on their hands. However, this doesn't absolve W from leading the charge to war.
• Has there been an official declaration of war on Iraq by Congress?
• Read the first one in its entirety; it's pretty clear from context that Kerry did NOT say Iraq had WMD, he said that it was a good idea to make sure that Saddam Hussein was never given the opportunity to obtain WMDs. And he was about as scathing as Kerry ever got with respect to how the Bush government went about it. I'm going to assume that the other snippets have about the same level of reliability.
• Has there been an official declaration of war on Iraq by Congress? Maybe we should ask the parents of some of the dead troops.
• meaning the quotes in rocket88's link.
• I think that's a bit of a fine point to make, Alex, as a resolution by congress authorizing the use of force is tantamount to a declaration of war... or would you call what's happening in Iraq not a war? Or what happened in '91? Or in Vietnam? or Korea? All widely accepted to have been wars, without, as you say, an official declaration.
• Maybe we should ask the parents of some of the dead troops. Hilarious. Or we could ask the parents of some of the live troops. Or hell, why not ask the troops themselves? Or does this count?
• I'm going to assume that the other snippets have about the same level of reliability. Why don't you just read them, instead of assuming? I hate to sound like I'm defending Bush, because I'm not. The move to war was wrong. The reasons were wrong. But if the claim that Iraq had WMDs was a lie, it was a lie told by almost everone in both parties.
• Holy crap, it's the rocket88, f8xmulder, Alex Reynolds trifecta!
• I don't see anyone disputing that.
• I know you aren't rocket88 - but if there's one thing that the past year or two has taught people, it is that those who lie like rugs are going to keep on doing so. There's just no point going over the rest of the quotes; chances are very high that it's going to be more of the same.
• fukk
• So, what faulty intelligence did the Democrats in Congress (or for that matter, the Republicans in Congress) have about WMDs that did NOT come from the Bush Administration? Weren't they kept away from the conflicting (and more truthful) intelligence about the WMDs BY the Bush Administration? Congress and the Democrats were buffaloed and bullied into following Bush into this war. Now, what did they do that absolves the Bushies from full responsibility for this war?
• Because Karl Rove sez so.
• Dat true Wendell.
• the Democrats in Congress are by and large, big pussies who seem to wish they were Republicans. Their incredible willingness to roll over and play dead at any opportunity encourages Bush to do absolutely anything he wants. Joe Lieberman in particular needs to be "hung by his feet from a telephone poll on Pennsylvania Ave." to quote Hunter S Thompson. John Kerry lost so many "red states" because they saw through him as a wannabe phony flip-flopper which, lets face it, he was. (and I voted for him)
• So, what faulty intelligence did the Democrats in Congress (or for that matter, the Republicans in Congress) have about WMDs that did NOT come from the Bush Administration? Weren't they kept away from the conflicting (and more truthful) intelligence about the WMDs BY the Bush Administration? Some of the WMD quotes in my link were from 1998 & 1999. I doubt the info came from the Bush administration. I should quit now before I become a Bush apologist....*shudder*.
• me thinks it`s time for another internet based campaign for this admin removal from office. And maybe now all those social security voters will join it.
• "The move to war was wrong. The reasons were wrong. But if the claim that Iraq had WMDs was a lie, it was a lie told by almost everone in both parties." - rocket88 That may be true, but consider that most people in every other country on the planet knew that the whole WMD excuse was nothing more than nonsense used to drum up support for the invasion of Iraq. There has yet to be presented any rational explanation for violating international law, and while Democrats do deserve to be castigated for their part in the sham, it is the whole of the U.S. government and military which must be held accountable.
• "Oh - the WMD? That's what you were looking for? Why didn't you say? Yeah, I've got them - think they're in the airing cupboard. What's that...? No, no, never said when he was going to pick 'em up. I didn't really mind him leaving them here, I never use that cupboard anyway.We were going to do something with it, make better use of the space, but Jake never got round to- what's that you say, Jake? No... no, it's just some weapons inspectors. Yeah, 'bout the WMD. No, I am not criticising you, I was just telling them about the cupboard. No, I don't think your a failure. I was just explaining why I put them in that particular cupboard. So, anyway... can I get either of you gentlemen a drink, by the way?..."
• Maybe we misheard. It was not MASS but Weapons of GLASS Destruction Or maybe ASS (NSFW), GRASS or GAS. Or even CASH BASS or BRASS!
• Their incredible willingness to roll over and play dead at any opportunity encourages Bush to do absolutely anything he wants. Agreed. From the Bushies, I can understand the rush to war -- in the 1980s and 1990s they and their ilk became the party of pig America. From the Democrats, the failure to stand up in the face of the rush to war was pathetic and disgusting. I like that it's still raising hackles here despite having become a non-issue in the mainstream media.
• I find it fascinating that if one were to examine the statements of Bush and Hussein pre-invasion concerning Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and general military situation, then one would obviously conclude that Hussein was far more accurate (ie, telling the truth) far more than Bush was. I would love to see someone put their pre-invasion quotes side-by-side and show whose statements turned out to contain more truth.
• The WMD are in the social security system now. We'll have to destroy it or it'll kill our children.
• surlyboi, there are terrorist cells embedded in many, many major U.S. government policies created between the Great Depression and 1980, a period of American history which if Karl Rove has his way will one day be known as the Dark Times.
• Fighting the good fight to leave our children beholden to our folly. God, if it wasn't all so terminally depressing, I'd be laughing at the absurdity.
• The Big Lie.
• Meanwhile, while trying to rescue a wounded soldier two other American soldiers are killed.
• Don'tcha know - we invaded Iraq, not because of WMDs, but because of the potential eventuality of hypothetical WMD-related programmes! ^{and freedom is on the march and we're fightin' the terrois' and we are welcomed as liberators!}
• Well, now that's over with, they can look for those elusive candy and flowers that were supposed to rain on our troops heads as they marched through the country.
• there are terrorist cells embedded in many, many major U.S. government policies I meant government programs, not policies. And while I'm here, I've just got to mention one more time how happy I am that there was enough political support in my country to impeach a president for getting a blowjob, but not enough to bring to task a president who lied to rush into a war that is killing thousands of Americans and many thousands more Iraqis. Fucking fuck.
• It's not the blowjob. It's the lie about the blowjob. Who sez the right can't do nuance?
• This job blows...
• That's a lie!
• G: Fission Bombs? I: Uh, not as such. G: Uuh, Fusion Bombs? I: no G: Dirty Bombs, I: no G: Anthrax, I: no G: Ebola, I: no G: Small Pox, I: no G: Cholera, I: no G: tularemia? I: Not *today*, sir, no. (pause) G: Aah, how about Plague? I: Well, we don't get much call for it around here, sir. G: Not much ca--It's the single most popular WMD in the world! I: Not 'round here, sir. G: and what IS the most popular WMD 'round hyah? I: ricin, sir. G: IS it. I: Oh, yes, it's staggeringly popular in this manusquire. G: Is it. I: It's our number one best seller, sir! G: I see. Uuh...ricin, eh? I: Right, sir. G: All right. Okay. 'Have you got any?' he asked, expecting the answer 'no'. I: I'll have a look, sir... nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnno. G: It's not much of a WMD shop, is it? I: Finest in the district! G: (annoyed) Explain the logic underlying that conclusion, please. I: Well, it's so clean, sir! G: It's certainly uncontaminated by WMD.... I: (brightly) You haven't asked me about Sarin, sir. G: Would it be worth it? I: Could be.... G: (slowly) Have you got any Sarin? I: No. G: Figures. Predictable, really I suppose. It was an act of purest optimism to have posed the question in the first place. Tell me: I: Yessir? G: (deliberately) Have you in fact got any WMD here at all. I: Yes,sir. G: Really? (pause) I: No. Not really, sir. G: You haven't. I: Nosir. Not a scrap. I was deliberately wasting your time,sir. G: Well I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to invade you. I: Right-0, sir. G takes out a army and invades I. G: What a *senseless* waste of human life.
• MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!
• I thought the WMD angle was just to trick people like my parents into thinking the war was "okay."
• It was. The panicky rubes bought it hook, line and sinker.
• US closes book on WMD hunt. and ( for schadenfreude
• monkeyfilter: What a *senseless* waste of human life. Couldn't resist.
• I've heard more than one person - these are people i'm acquainted with - say that they never bought the WMD argument, but were for the war anyway. 'Cause we need the oil. I just shake my head in utter disbelief.
• New intel report reignites Iraq arms fight
• Politicizing Crappy Intelligence - Again
• BEES posted a tagline!?!?! Way cool, Bees. You rock. MonkeyFilter: I just shake my head in utter disbelief. oh, and ... MonkeyFilter: The panicky rubes bought it hook, line and sinker.
• "'Scuse me, is this a cheese shop?" "No, sir." "Well that's that sketch knackered then innit?"
• Rep. Curt Weldon will find those WMD!
• The GOP's Clorox bombshell
• Clunk, clunk, clunk.
• Hey, maybe they're at Weldon's daughter's house.