Here's an Associated Press summary of the study:
It found that in speeches, briefings, interviews and other venues, Bush and administration officials stated unequivocally on at least 532 occasions that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction or was trying to produce or obtain them or had links to al-Qaida or both.
"It is now beyond dispute that Iraq did not possess any weapons of mass destruction or have meaningful ties to al-Qaida," according to Charles Lewis and Mark Reading-Smith of the Fund for Independence in Journalism staff members, writing an overview of the study. "In short, the Bush administration led the nation to war on the basis of erroneous information that it methodically propagated and that culminated in military action against Iraq on March 19, 2003."
Bush himself led with 259 "false statements." Obviously, they're being polite by calling it "false statements." They mean he lied. And, of course, this was no small matter. When Bush lied, people died. Over 150,000 Iraqis and nearly 4,000 Americans, to be specific.
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Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 8)
1. Bush and all the people at the top who support him,his cocnspirators if you will are evil satanic monsters!
In fact these evil people are spread throughout the entire country,they are made up of the kkk,and other hate groups.As well as those who work within various fundamentalists and evangelical churchs.All these people are nothing more than thinly veiled nazi corporate fascists and their puppets,for a evil satanic global fascists state.Bush is an abomination!
Tori at 10:40AM on Jan 23rd 2008
2. I'll be OKANE has spittle coming out of his mouth when he talks.
What a tool....
Linda at 11:10AM on Jan 23rd 2008
3. The lies will be the Bush legacy. Unless you right wing wackos can undermine how this study was conducted it doesn't matter who funded it. Unlike the swift boaters the study is based on facts and video records.
DaleF at 11:21AM on Jan 23rd 2008
4. Linda
Why thank you
ROBERT OKANE at 11:23AM on Jan 23rd 2008
5. I wonder if the Bush Cheney and group of people if they weren't acting, and actually be the real thugs?
Allen at 11:43AM on Jan 23rd 2008
6. Two LIBERAL FASCIST organizations funded by people who hate the US Government
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lol. liberal fascists eh? did you pick that up from jeff hoard's post the other day?
you remind me of a twelve year-old boy who hears the term "douchebag" for the first time then goes around calling everyone and everything a douchebag.
linda is right okane, you are a tool.
Richelle at 12:23PM on Jan 23rd 2008
7. Please explain to the class how Bush got Clinton to lie about Iraq ... when he was the govenor of Texas.
"[W]e urge you, after consulting with Congress, and consistent with the U.S. Constitution and laws, to take necessary actions (including, if appropriate, air and missile strikes on suspect Iraqi sites) to respond effectively to the threat posed by Iraq's refusal to end its weapons of mass destruction programs." -- From a letter signed by Joe Lieberman, Dianne Feinstein, Barbara A. Milulski, Tom Daschle, & John Kerry among others on October 9, 1998
"This December will mark three years since United Nations inspectors last visited Iraq. There is no doubt that since that time, Saddam Hussein has reinvigorated his weapons programs. Reports indicate that biological, chemical and nuclear programs continue apace and may be back to pre-Gulf War status. In addition, Saddam continues to refine delivery systems and is doubtless using the cover of a licit missile program to develop longer- range missiles that will threaten the United States and our allies." -- From a December 6, 2001 letter signed by Bob Graham, Joe Lieberman, Harold Ford, & Tom Lantos among others
"Saddam's goal ... is to achieve the lifting of U.N. sanctions while retaining and enhancing Iraq's weapons of mass destruction programs. We cannot, we must not and we will not let him succeed." -- Madeline Albright, 1998
"Iraq made commitments after the Gulf War to completely dismantle all weapons of mass destruction, and unfortunately, Iraq has not lived up to its agreement." -- Barbara Boxer, November 8, 2002
"The last UN weapons inspectors left Iraq in October of 1998. We are confident that Saddam Hussein retained some stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons, and that he has since embarked on a crash course to build up his chemical and biological warfare capability. Intelligence reports also indicate that he is seeking nuclear weapons, but has not yet achieved nuclear capability." -- Robert Byrd, October 2002
"What is at stake is how to answer the potential threat Iraq represents with the risk of proliferation of WMD. Baghdad's regime did use such weapons in the past. Today, a number of evidences may lead to think that, over the past four years, in the absence of international inspectors, this country has continued armament programs." -- Jacques Chirac, October 16, 2002
"The community of nations may see more and more of 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. If we fail to respond today, Saddam and all those who would follow in his footsteps will be emboldened tomorrow." -- Bill Clinton in 1998
"In the four years since the inspectors left, intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons stock, his missile delivery capability, and his nuclear program. He has also given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to terrorists, including Al Qaeda members, though there is apparently no evidence of his involvement in the terrible events of September 11, 2001. It is clear, however, that if left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage biological and chemical warfare, and will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons. Should he succeed in that endeavor, he could alter the political and security landscape of the Middle East, which as we know all too well affects American security." -- Hillary Clinton, October 10, 2002
"I am absolutely convinced that there are weapons...I saw evidence back in 1998 when we would see the inspectors being barred from gaining entry into a warehouse for three hours with trucks rolling up and then moving those trucks out." -- Clinton's Secretary of Defense William Cohen in April of 2003
"Iraq is not the only nation in the world to possess weapons of mass destruction, but it is the only nation with a leader who has used them against his own people." -- Tom Daschle in 1998
"Saddam Hussein's regime represents a grave threat to America and our allies, including our vital ally, Israel. For more than two decades, Saddam Hussein has sought weapons of mass destruction through every available means. We know that he has chemical and biological weapons. He has already used them against his neighbors and his own people, and is trying to build more. We know that he is doing everything he can to build nuclear weapons, and we know that each day he gets closer to achieving that goal." -- John Edwards, Oct 10, 2002
"I share the administration's goals in dealing with Iraq and its weapons of mass destruction." -- Dick Gephardt in September of 2002
"Iraq does pose a serious threat to the stability of the Persian Gulf and we should organize an international coalition to eliminate his access to weapons of mass destruction. Iraq's search for weapons of mass destruction has proven impossible to completely deter and we should assume that it will continue for as long as Saddam is in power." -- Al Gore, 2002
"We are in possession of what I think to be compelling evidence that Saddam Hussein has, and has had for a number of years, a developing capacity for the production and storage of weapons of mass destruction." -- Bob Graham, December 2002
"We have known for many years that Saddam Hussein is seeking and developing weapons of mass destruction." -- Ted Kennedy, September 27, 2002
"I will be voting to give the president of the United States the authority to use force - if necessary - to disarm Saddam Hussein because I believe that a deadly arsenal of weapons of mass destruction in his hands is a real and grave threat to our security." -- John F. Kerry, Oct 2002
"We begin with the common belief that Saddam Hussein is a tyrant and a threat to the peace and stability of the region. He has ignored the mandates of the United Nations and is building weapons of mass destruction and the means of delivering them." -- Carl Levin, Sept 19, 2002
"Over the years, Iraq has worked to develop nuclear, chemical and biological weapons. During 1991 - 1994, despite Iraq's denials, U.N. inspectors discovered and dismantled a large network of nuclear facilities that Iraq was using to develop nuclear weapons. Various reports indicate that Iraq is still actively pursuing nuclear weapons capability. There is no reason to think otherwise. Beyond nuclear weapons, Iraq has actively pursued biological and chemical weapons.U.N. inspectors have said that Iraq's claims about biological weapons is neither credible nor verifiable. In 1986, Iraq used chemical weapons against Iran, and later, against its own Kurdish population. While weapons inspections have been successful in the past, there have been no inspections since the end of 1998. There can be no doubt that Iraq has continued to pursue its goal of obtaining weapons of mass destruction." -- Patty Murray, October 9, 2002
"As a member of the House Intelligence Committee, I am keenly aware that the proliferation of chemical and biological weapons is an issue of grave importance to all nations. Saddam Hussein has been engaged in the development of weapons of mass destruction technology which is a threat to countries in the region and he has made a mockery of the weapons inspection process." -- Nancy Pelosi, December 16, 1998
"Even today, Iraq is not nearly disarmed. Based on highly credible intelligence, UNSCOM [the U.N. weapons inspectors] suspects that Iraq still has biological agents like anthrax, botulinum toxin, and clostridium perfringens in sufficient quantity to fill several dozen bombs and ballistic missile warheads, as well as the means to continue manufacturing these deadly agents. Iraq probably retains several tons of the highly toxic VX substance, as well as sarin nerve gas and mustard gas. This agent is stored in artillery shells, bombs, and ballistic missile warheads. And Iraq retains significant dual-use industrial infrastructure that can be used to rapidly reconstitute large-scale chemical weapons production." -- Ex-Un Weapons Inspector Scott Ritter in 1998
"There is unmistakable evidence that Saddam Hussein is working aggressively to develop nuclear weapons and will likely have nuclear weapons within the next five years. And that may happen sooner if he can obtain access to enriched uranium from foreign sources -- something that is not that difficult in the current world. We also should remember we have always underestimated the progress Saddam has made in development of weapons of mass destruction." -- John Rockefeller, Oct 10, 2002
"Saddam’s existing biological and chemical weapons capabilities pose a very real threat to America, now. Saddam has used chemical weapons before, both against Iraq’s enemies and against his own people. He is working to develop delivery systems like missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles that could bring these deadly weapons against U.S. forces and U.S. facilities in the Middle East." -- John Rockefeller, Oct 10, 2002
"Whether one agrees or disagrees with the Administration’s policy towards Iraq, I don’t think there can be any question about Saddam’s conduct. He has systematically violated, over the course of the past 11 years, every significant UN resolution that has demanded that he disarm and destroy his chemical and biological weapons, and any nuclear capacity. This he has refused to do. He lies and cheats; he snubs the mandate and authority of international weapons inspectors; and he games the system to keep buying time against enforcement of the just and legitimate demands of the United Nations, the Security Council, the United States and our allies. Those are simply the facts." -- Henry Waxman, Oct 10, 2002
Only traitors, lying scum and liberals morons think Bush lied about Iraq
Thomas J Gassett at 12:46PM on Jan 23rd 2008
8. So Bush orchestrated our intelligence agency. the British intelligence, Canadian...and Bush killed the 350,000 Kurds with nerve gas..a WMD..3 yrs prior justifying the UN sanctions..which Iraq violated., along with France, Germany, & Russia (the son of the UN's Secy.General involvement) The 50 truck caravan from Iraq to Syria, 4 days after our initial occupation. Wake up...the socialist, globalists, anti American, anti capitalists Soros
led propaganda machine, and our own Demo/liberal
party have been dividing our nation for 5 years, with distorted facts, half truths & innuendos!
Vet2 at 1:08PM on Jan 23rd 2008
9. Thank you Paul Sparcello..for the Clinton speech,
which no one will read...too long for the average
blogger..and it's factual!! I'm doubtful the
negative believers.will understand the point
you are making!!
Vet2 at 1:18PM on Jan 23rd 2008
10. Yes, The Bush Administration has made a DEMOCRACY
Out of Our REPUBLIC! SHAME!
Democracy is Rule by Majority & Tyrants
Where Individual & Minorities have no Voice
No "Equality Under the Law"
Chandler Yergin at 3:11PM on Jan 23rd 2008
11. 19. I'll be OKANE has spittle coming out of his mouth when he talks.
What a tool....
Linda
>>>
More crap from linda the spew queen ... nothing new here.
Thomas J Gassett at 1:31PM on Jan 23rd 2008
12. When clintoon bombed a factory in Sudan he said. "The factory was built by Bin Laden to make WMD for ... say it with me ... Saddam."
This was the only operational link ever made between Saddam and Al Qeada, and it was made by clintoon not Bush.
Now, empty your liberal near brain and chant how Bush lied ... like the mind numbed traitors that you are.
Thomas J Gassett at 1:38PM on Jan 23rd 2008
13. Delusional Gassett writes.."This was the only operational link ever made between Saddam and Al Qeada, and it was made by clintoon not Bush."
----------------------------------------------------
What planet have you been living on, Gassett?
Captain Negative at 1:47PM on Jan 23rd 2008
14. Before Bill Clinton became president there was no such thing as a "nuclear Islamic state". Now we have a politically instable nuclear Pakistan, since 1998. Now the world has to hold its breath every time there is political instability in Pakistan out of fear their nuclear weapons would fall into the wrong hands. Doing nothing while nuclear weapons proliferation spreads throughout the Middle East is what passes for a successful foreign policy when the president is a Democrat (Clinton) - give me a break.
Does the Bash Bush crowd actually think the Middle East and Iraq would be better off if Saddam Hussein and his soccer team torturing sons were still in power in Iraq ? Why ?
USA OK at 1:57PM on Jan 23rd 2008
15. Richelle at 12:23PM
Go to Google and search for the name of one of these two foundations. Read their website, backers,founders,policies, etc.
M2D5 at 1:59PM on Jan 23rd 2008