Rumsfeld is lucky he is not facing civil charges for torture...We go in to these countries to help because of torture and genocide and he condones torture...that is very respectable.
There is a difference in blame and wanting accountability. But that is one thing Bush would definitely not want to accept. That is why he hand picked the commission for the Iraq Intelligence report on a very tight presidential mandate to look only at the Intelligence communtiy, not at the administration's use or misuse of the intelligence.
What we are really talking about is not whether Iraq was a proliferator, because the UN had basically answered that question before the war began. It is really whether the US and Britain took what was a UN estimate that Iraq had capabilities that couldn't be accounted for and translated that into a false estimate that Iraq was actively developing and producing weapons for immediate deployment.
John Dean, a leading figure in the Nixon era Watergate scandal, has written:
In the three decades since Watergate, this is the first potential scandal I have seen that could make Watergate pale by comparison. To put it bluntly, if Bush has taken Congress and the nation into war based on bogus information, he is cooked. Manipulation or deliberate misuse of national security intelligence data, if proven, could be 'a high crime' under the Constitution's impeachment clause. It would also be a violation of federal criminal law, including the broad federal anti-conspiracy statute, which renders it a felony 'to defraud the United States, or any agency thereof in any manner or for any purpose.
They wanted that war from the day they took office. Isn't that why Mr. Tenet was given the Medal of Freedom? (Freedom from facts.) And if anyone did disagree or give evidence to dispute their hype and manipulation like Joe Wilson look what happened to Valerie Plame.
Do you remember Richard Clarke, Former counterterrorism adviser....If you want a clearer picture read his remarks before the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States.
Especially since they were in such a hurry to rush to war that they kicked the inspectors out....Yeah, Bush sure knows how to use diplomacy to achieve objectives. And what about that No Bid Halliburton contract...hmmm...that may have been reason enough to start a war in such an arrogant, undiplomatic, and unappealing way...Greed that is...Black gold...monopoly of Iraq's resources...more control of the Middle East...so many big ideas and no plan...just wishful thinking consumed with greed. Now the republicans are insisting we give them a plan. Bring our soldiers home and let Bush and Cheney and all the loud mouths who want war go fight it.
Even Bush Sr. had already predicted what would happen...And it wasn't a cake walk...
In his memoirs, A World Transformed, George Bush, Sr. wrote the following to explain why he didn't go after Saddam Hussein at the end of the Gulf War:
"Trying to eliminate Saddam .. would have incurred incalculable human and political costs. Apprehending him was probably impossible ... We would have been forced to occupy Baghdad and, in effect, rule Iraq ...there was no viable "exit strategy" we could see, violating another of our principles. Furthermore, we had been self-consciously trying to set a pattern for handling aggression in the post-Cold War world. Going in and occupying Iraq, thus unilaterally exceeding the United Nations' mandate, would have destroyed the precedent of international response to aggression that we hoped to establish. Had we gone the invasion route, the United States could conceivably still be an occupying power in a bitterly hostile land."
In his memoirs, A World Transformed, George Bush, Sr. wrote the following to explain why he didn't go after Saddam Hussein at the end of the Gulf War:
"Trying to eliminate Saddam .. would have incurred incalculable human and political costs. Apprehending him was probably impossible ... We would have been forced to occupy Baghdad and, in effect, rule Iraq ...there was no viable "exit strategy" we could see, violating another of our principles. Furthermore, we had been self-consciously trying to set a pattern for handling aggression in the post-Cold War world. Going in and occupying Iraq, thus unilaterally exceeding the United Nations' mandate, would have destroyed the precedent of international response to aggression that we hoped to establish. Had we gone the invasion route, the United States could conceivably still be an occupying power in a bitterly hostile land."
Too bad his son can't read...atleast he could have talked it over with his earthly father instead of his delusional direct contact with God. Poor Jr. still does not measure up to his father and the only legend he will leave is that of a failure and the dumbest President we ever had.
Don't knock Tennessee they corner the market in morals and values... Just look at what a moral conscious man Bill Frist is.
The first thing Bush did for them when he took office was relax the envrionmental standards Gore and Clinton had put in place...Got to help those big donors (corporations) doesn't matter if thier kids won't have clean water to drink.
Well maybe if we had took the fight to the enemy and put the resources there to finish the job we would have Osamabinforgotten and we would not have sent our troops to Iraq to be sitting ducks for more enemy who was created. Maybe with more diplomacy with neighboring countries we would have gotten more support and cooperation. What was the rush to war? Iraq did not attack us, they were not a threat to us and did not have WMD.
From the start of this ill defined, unthoughtout war with all the hype, lies, fear, and manipulation that was used for public support, I have cried for our young men going in a hostile territory and fighting an enemy that they don't know while our top leaders acted moronic with no diplomacy and created more hostility and hate for America and American's and more enemies. No, we don't blow our horns when when they die...we cry because a mother never gets a chance to say goodbye. And I think the point is that if Bush wasn't a dunce, dense stubborn mule we wouldn't be in this predicament. Can you think of any mistakes he has made because he can't....
I think you were right in your last post that we need some better leaders....Someone with some diplomacy and integrity would be a nice change.
Tony Blair is grabbing at straws to save some dignity for making such a HUGE mistake to wag his little tail and follow Bush and Cheney and the great wise one Blair didn't even see it coming. Atleast the British people are smart enough to see through the deceptions as were most of the world. They knew Tony was a little lap dog. If they (Iraqis') had only laid down their guns and let America run their country and their resources...Tony wouldnt' be resigning. There is no other excuses. Jesus didn't die for oil and neither should American GI soldiers have to. Iraq was not a threat to the US.
Dear Mr. President Come take a walk with me Let's pretend we're just two people and You're not better than me I'd like to ask you some questions if we can speak honestly
What do you feel when you see all the homeless on the street Who do you pray for at night before you go to sleep What do you feel when you look in the mirror Are you proud
How do you sleep while the rest of us cry How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye How do you walk with your head held high Can you even look me in the eye And tell me why
Dear Mr. President Were you a lonely boy Are you a lonely boy Are you a lonely boy How can you say No child is left behind We're not dumb and we're not blind They're all sitting in your cells While you pay the road to hell
What kind of father would take his own daughter's rights away And what kind of father might hate his own daughter if she were gay I can only imagine what the first lady has to say You've come a long way from whiskey and cocaine
How do you sleep while the rest of us cry How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye How do you walk with your head held high Can you even look me in the eye
Let me tell you bout hard work Minimum wage with a baby on the way Let me tell you bout hard work Rebuilding your house after the bombs took them away Let me tell you bout hard work Building a bed out of a cardboard box Let me tell you bout hard work Hard work Hard work You don't know nothing bout hard work Hard work Hard work Oh
How do you sleep at night How do you walk with your head held high Dear Mr. President You'd never take a walk with me Would you
RE: Bush is a Duffer (dunce, dense)
Rumsfeld sure helped win us a lot of respect and goodwill from the world. Not!