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 6 of 8)
76. First, ensuring that weapons of mass destruction were lying around Iraq isn't possible. Weapons of mass destruciton are not something that one can leave in an empty warehouse or empty truck trailer.
Second, U.N. inspectors (I actually know one of them) had already stated clearly that there were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
Bush and Cheney would simply have been exposed in yet another lie.
What you and your ilk fail to recognize, ray-two-truths, is that THE WHOLE WORLD IS WATCHING!!!!
The only people fooled by the Bush-Cheney Junta are IDIOTS LIKE YOU AND OKANE!
The world no longer sees us a beacon of hope and freedom. The world sees us as bullies, thugs, crooks, and the bush junta as despotic.
Wake up!
Captain Negative at 5:40PM on Jan 24th 2008
77. ray-two-truths whines..."
"You can't even keep YOUR lies straight."
As opposed to whose lies? Bush-Cheny lies or your lies?
Yes, during the Clinton years we knew that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. We did have the receipts. Reagan and Bush Sr. provided weapons of mass destruction to Iraq. It's historical fact.
It is historical fact which has been documented by other posters in this very thread.
Fascists like you, ray-two-truths, are failing miserably in your attempts to excuse the high crimes and misdemeanors of the Bush-Cheney Junta.
You guys are pissing into a head-wing. I'll give you credit for tenacity, but not for intelligence, and certainly not for wit.
Captain Negative at 5:45PM on Jan 24th 2008
78. Yes, during the Clinton years we knew that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. We did have the receipts. Reagan and Bush Sr. provided weapons of mass destruction to Iraq. It's historical fact.
********************
We not only have the receipts, we also have video tape of Rumsfeld and Cheney laughing and shaking hands with our "then friend" Saddam Hussein. But, hey why bother with such minor details??
When we can still bitch about Clinton's BJ, I mean his lie under oath, about his BJ.
Oh and let's not forget about that other little weapons thing....minor really... Can anyone say, Iran /Contra???Oliver North??? Let's make a deal, and let's hold off on releasing those hostages until I take over the Oval Office, so it wont be so obvious to the dumb masses back home in the good old USA.... Then we will all be so happy in our stupid bliss.....
Yeah boy.... those were the days....
Patty at 6:30PM on Jan 24th 2008
79. In order for Bush-Cheney to plant WMD's after the fact, they would have to come up with some WMD's from U.S. inventory, or they would have to have them manufactured.
Either method would be easily detectable. It would only fool a diminishing number of brain-dead, sychophants like ray-two-truths and OKANE.
Further, all of the appropriate sites for WMD storage in Iraq were thoroughly inspected, multiple times. WMD's aren't left laying around in basements.
Only mentally defective people are that naive. A decreasing number of Americans still pretend that Bush and Cheney are anything but despicable, traitors.
The rest of the world isn't so naive. They know what this country has become under the fascist coup pulled off by the neocons.
Captain Negative at 7:47PM on Jan 24th 2008
80. LB:
To clue you in, John Murtha Democrat-PA saw fit to besmirch combat troops on a Sunday show for political gain. He faces a lawsuit over the action. Clif advocates the tossing out of Douglas MacArthur for political actions in post #84. I just want to point out the hypocrisy of the Radical Left Wing Liberal Democrat Useful Idiots.
Paul Sparcello at 1:50AM on Jan 25th 2008
81. Paul, you hvae totally misrepresented what the author of #84 wrote. He did not "advocate" something that happened back in the 1950's. That claim is ridiculous on its face. He pointed out what actually happened and how it happened.
The author is correct. You really are being quite obtuse.
And please do look up Smedly Butler. Smedly Butler foiled an attempt by Prescott Bush and other right-wing fascists (and I do mean FASCISTS)to overthrow the government of these United States.
This is what the author really wrote...
"General officers, under authority of the god damned commander in chief you moron!! If a general officer shows ANY attempt to make political policy or statement, he is propmtly relieved of his command. Look up Douglas MacArthur and Smedley Butler, you obtuse fool!"
Captain Negative at 3:28AM on Jan 25th 2008
82. Negative, Lets take Clifs quote a line further:
{General officers, under authority of the god damned commander in chief you moron!! If a general officer shows ANY attempt to make political policy or statement, he is propmtly relieved of his command. Look up Douglas MacArthur and Smedley Butler, you obtuse fool!
That was a REAL war, not a republican for-profit scam. If EITHER party had indulged in the political filth your party perpetrates today, we'd be speaking German. You are about one notch above holocaust deniers in my estimation.}
This is why I reference the entire post as opposed to picking bits and pieces as you have done. Now Negs, find the words "indulge in the political filth".
John Murtha Democrat-PA besmirching combat troops on Sunday shows. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid Democrat-NV saying we lost (Well Harry, who won?) while brave American Troops are involved in daily combat actions in Iraq and Afganistan. Both do so for no other reason than pushing the Democrat Political agenda (aka Political Filth).
Do I expect Liberal Lemmings to do as they say and advocate the "MacArthur" treatment for these pandering Political Prostitutes, NEVER!!!!!!!
Paul Sparcello at 10:30AM on Jan 25th 2008
83. 97. LB:
To clue you in, John Murtha Democrat-PA saw fit to besmirch combat troops on a Sunday show for political gain. He faces a lawsuit over the action. Clif advocates the tossing out of Douglas MacArthur for political actions in post #84. I just want to point out the hypocrisy of the Radical Left Wing Liberal Democrat Useful Idiots.
Paul Sparcello at 1:50AM on Jan 25th 2008
//
Useful Idiots is as Useful Idiots does! Man talk about hypocrisy, you are just what the right wing whacko fascist liars and thieves need. One more blind soldier to spread the bull around.
You really are doing a very good job of it. So, if this is what you want to do your your little life, keep up the puppet work. As useful idiots, you really are quite good at it.
LB at 11:41AM on Jan 25th 2008
84. Clif advocates the tossing out of Douglas MacArthur for political actions in post #84. I just want to point out the hypocrisy of the Radical Left Wing Liberal Democrat Useful Idiots.
xxxxx
You mindless foxmonkey buttmuncher... John Murtha IS A UNITED STATES CONGRESSMAN, NOT IN THE MILITARY!! Making policy is his JOB! are you a victim of early onset alzheimers?
Paul, you'e more than sick. I think you're just plain stupid.
I reported the history you were foxfarting about. Your boy, the 'ass kissing little chickenshit' became INOVOLVED IN THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH and assisted in making policy.
Betrayus, remember?
Since you moved past Butler to MacArthur, who was also relieved of command for assuming authority to make policy, Smedley Butler was an American Patriot, and he was fired for informing President Roosevelt that a Fascist coup was afoot to take over the government.
There was great suspicion at the time, and it has NEVER been disproven that the president's grandfather, Prescott Bush was involved in the coup. As you know, he was a nazi sympathizer.
Butler blew the whistle on the plot and it was foiled. He is a little-sung American hero, yet he was relieved of command for having approached the executive branch.
And another thing you should know.
If you think this pile of fascist neocalvinist libertarian shit called the republican party bears any resemblance to the Pre Benito Reagan party, you are as deviate as your masters.
The republicanist party of today has been abandoned by all but the paleoconservative fundamentalist separatist jingoist element. It is a global emabarassment, can't trade, can't win a self-declard war. The party that could fuck up a ball bearing.
Blindly following this fascist filth and giveaway programs to communist china and islamic nations impeaches everything American about you.
There are still enough decent people in this country that one way or another this is going to be cleaned up.
This country will never survive another republican administration. Arguably it hasn't survived this one.
Clif Kuplen at 12:11PM on Jan 25th 2008
85. Oh Clif, you are only waisting your time and knowledge on this tool and all the other dumb ass right whing nuts who only know how to follow the make believe leaders, with their make belive truths!
LB at 12:16PM on Jan 25th 2008
86. After his arrest, Moussaoui sat in jail for 3 1/2 weeks on an immigration violation, saying little to investigators before hijacked planes slammed into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon or crashed in a Pennsylvania field on Sept. 11.
The Minneapolis FBI agents who responded to the tips were unable to persuade their superiors in Washington to seek a national security warrant to search Moussaoui's belongings and laptop computer.
THE GOVERNMENT SAT ON THIS CRITICAL INFORMATION FOR A REASON..........SO THAT THE ATTACKS COULD GO ON AS PLANNED!
READ ALL YOU CAN ABOUT MOUSSAOUI AND YOU WILL SEE THAT OUR GOVERNMENT WAS INDEED INVOLVED!
JUSMEMN at 12:34PM on Jan 25th 2008
87. Responding to Private Zero (#93 & #96)
You wrote: “First, ensuring that weapons of mass destruction were lying around Iraq isn't possible.”
Yes it is! Most anything is possible. It may be irresponsible, but, it is possible.
You also wrote: “Second, U.N. inspectors (I actually know one of them) had already stated clearly that there were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Bush and Cheney would simply have been exposed in yet another lie."
Huh??? WTF are you trying to say!??
Are you really saying Bush lied about the existence of the WMDs and then invaded Iraq, KNOWING that the truth would come out, but, he would not attempt to cover up the first lie because the cover-up MIGHT be discovered???
It is far more logical that they reaized that they could not lie about the WMDs and not be exposed. You are actually making a good argument that could be used to exonerate them from claims of lying.
You are also suggesting that if WMDs were discovered, because the UN team had already declared them gone, then, everyone would believe that Bush had planted them there in the first place. That is highly suspect.
You also wrote: “Further, all of the appropriate sites for WMD storage in Iraq were thoroughly inspected, multiple times. WMD's aren't left laying around in basements.”
WRONG! Many of KNOWN sites were not inspected and it is highly probable that there were sites unknown to the UN team. Your so-called UN inspector friend was speculating and expressing an opinion that the rest of the team did not share. While Blix changed his opinion very quickly, he offered no explanation and actually never said that the WMDs are all gone. He stated that Iraq had finally accepted the idea of disarmament and was cooperating. However, no one on the team could say with confidence that the WMDs did not exist in Iraq prior to the threat of invasion.
The UN team simply did not have the time to do as you say. The UN team returned to Iraq in Nov 2002, but, withdrew 5 months later when the invasion was imminent. The UN team was actually not allowed back into Iraq until several years later. And it is still not convinced. That is why Russia still demands that the UN team complete it’s work!
To put it simply: We do not really know the truth about the WMDs!!
If there is any one easily swallowing unsubstantiated claims, it is YOU!
ray at 12:39PM on Jan 25th 2008
88. Not False? Nor Lies? what maybe prefabricated to make people believe that such a war and mass killing of people, detroying a culture was badly needed? Only to use a nation's resources. None is correct in politics nowadays!
Nora at 3:58PM on Jan 25th 2008
89. Sparcello..."John Murtha Democrat-PA besmirching combat troops on Sunday shows. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid Democrat-NV saying we lost (Well Harry, who won?) while brave American Troops are involved in daily combat actions in Iraq and Afganistan. Both do so for no other reason than pushing the Democrat Political agenda (aka Political Filth)"
_________________________________________________
I know you hear these LINES from your Reich-wing websites, your infamous emails, Fox News, and AM hate radio.
The problem is that you just blindly accept such statements as true and throw them out there as if they are fact.
You've been brainwashed, Paul.
Captain Negative at 4:06PM on Jan 25th 2008
90. ray, thank you for accurately relating what I posted. That's quite unusual.
I stand by what I said.
You don't borrow your neighbor's pickup and drive down to Home Depot and pick up a load of WMD's.
Those WMD's would have to be taken from U.S. inventory. They would have been traceable.
Can you deny that?
And, again, you don't just park that pickup truck loaded with WMD's behind some warehouse in Iraq, waitng to be found.
In short, they couldn't do it.
This just fits the pattern of the Bush-Cheney Junta.
They lie until they run out of lies and then do what they wanted to anyway.
Look to Iran. The Bush Junta has repeatedly lied about a non-existant nuclear weapons program. They have been caught in that lie. Does it stop them? No, it doesn't.
The neocons have a plan. They have posted it for the world to see. The plan was written even before the Bush-Cheney Junta stole the election.
The plan called for the invasion and occupation of Iraq. The plan calls for the invasion and occupation of Iran.
But to return to the point...
They couldn't plant WMD's after the invasion because they would have been traced right back to the United States.
How could Bush-Cheney remove WMD's from U.S. inventory without being detected?
How would Bush and Cheney explain U.S. WMD's laying around in Iraq?
Captain Negative at 4:07PM on Jan 25th 2008