Operation Iraqi Freedom: one year later. Bush in his own words

[scottcsmith]

Member's of Bush's cabinet, right-wingers, and other Bush defenders have applied a revisionist history to the war in Iraq, changing the reason why we went from a hunt for weapons of mass destruction to freeing the Iraqi people from a repressive regime. Bring up WMDs, and right-wingers are quick to say, "The American public doesn't care about WMDs." Well, I care, and I'm pissed off, and saddened, that 566 American troops, and thousands of Iraqi civilians, have been killed in what has amounted to a bloody snipe hunt. What follows are the words of our "commander in chief" in the early days of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

March 19, 2003, Bush addresses the nation
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/03/20030319-17.html

"Our nation enters this conflict reluctantly -- yet, our purpose is sure. The people of the United States and our friends and allies will not live at the mercy of an outlaw regime that threatens the peace with weapons of mass murder. We will meet that threat now, with our Army, Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard and Marines, so that we do not have to meet it later with armies of fire fighters and police and doctors on the streets of our cities."

Note: I've added italics for emphasis.

March 22, 2003, Bush weekly radio address:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/03/20030322.html

"American and coalition forces have begun a concerted campaign against the regime of Saddam Hussein. In this war, our coalition is broad, more than 40 countries from across the globe. Our cause is just, the security of the nations we serve and the peace of the world. And our mission is clear, to disarm Iraq of weapons of mass destruction, to end Saddam Hussein's support for terrorism, and to free the Iraqi people."

March 23, 2003, Bush makes statement from Camp David:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/03/20030323-1.html

"I am pleased with the progress that we're making in the early stages of a -- of the war to rid Iraq of its weapons of mass destruction, and to free the Iraqi people from the clutches of a brutal dictatorship."

Finally, General Tommy Franks, commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, gave the following press briefing on March 22:
http://www.centcom.mil/CENTCOMNews/Transcripts/20030322.htm

"You know, Secretary of Defense Don Rumsfeld, my boss, yesterday outlined the military objectives of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Let me review them with you.

First, end the regime of Saddam Hussein.

Second, to identify, isolate and eliminate Iraq's weapons of mass destruction.

Third, to search for, to capture and to drive out terrorists from that country.

Fourth, to collect such intelligence as we can related to terrorist networks.

Fifth, to collect such intelligence as we can related to the global network of illicit weapons of mass destruction

Sixth, to end sanctions and to immediately deliver humanitarian support to the displaced and to many needy Iraqi citizens.

Seventh, to secure Iraq's oil fields and resources, which belong to the Iraqi people.

And last, to help the Iraqi people create conditions for a transition to a representative self-government."

These are the real reason we went to war. Right-wingers may be quick to dismiss weapons of mass destruction, but there's no denying that finding those weapons was our primary goal. And now, a year later, with hundreds of coalition forces dead, not a single weapon has been found.

[indepat]

1. Thanks for the post. In olden days a political price would be paid

for deceiving the Congress, the media, and the American people about the necessity for war, but apparently not now, at least not when a Republican sits in the White House.

[arcane1]

2. 3rd- "capture and to drive out terrorists from that country"???

I thought the whole point was to LURE TERRORISTS TO IRAQ AND FIGHT THEM THERE INSTEAD OF HERE?????

:shrug:

make up your mind, Chimpy!