the raw data speaks for itself. there is no doubt they lied. this document from Waxman a great reference...
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IRAQ ON THE RECORD
THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION’S PUBLIC STATEMENTS ON IRAQ
PREPARED FOR REP. HENRY A. WAXMAN
Methodology:
The Special Investigations Division compiled a database of statements about Iraq
made by President Bush, Vice President Cheney, Secretary Rumsfeld, Secretary
Powell, and National Security Advisor Rice. All of the statements in the database
were drawn from speeches, press conferences and briefings, interviews, written
statements, and testimony by the five officials.
Findings:
Number of Misleading Statements. The Iraq on the Record database contains
237 misleading statements about the threat posed by Iraq that were made by
President Bush, Vice President Cheney, Secretary Rumsfeld, Secretary Powell,
and National Security Advisor Rice. These statements were made in 125 separate
appearances, consisting of 40 speeches, 26 press conferences and briefings, 53
interviews, 4 written statements, and 2 congressional testimonies. Most of the
statements in the database were misleading because they expressed certainty
where none existed or failed to acknowledge the doubts of intelligence officials.
Ten of the statements were simply false.
Statements by President BushBetween September 12, 2002, and July 17, 2003,
President Bush made 55 misleading statements about the threat posed by
Iraq in 27 separate public appearances. On October 7, 2002, three days before the congressional votes on the Iraqi war resolution, President Bush gave a speech in
Cincinnati, Ohio, with 11 misleading statements, the most by any of the five
officials in a single appearance.
Some of the misleading statements by President Bush include his statement in the
January 28, 2003, State of the Union address that “the British government has
learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium
from Africa”; his statement on October 2, 2002, that “the Iraqi regime is a threat
of unique urgency”; and his statement on May 1, 2003, that “the liberation of Iraq
. . . removed an ally of al Qaeda.”
Statements by Vice President Cheney.Between March 17, 2002, and January 22, 2004
Vice President Cheney made 51 misleading statements about the threat
posed by Iraq in 25 separate public appearances.
Some of the misleading statements by Vice President Cheney include his
statement on September 8, 2002, that “we do know, with absolute certainty, that
he is using his procurement system to acquire the equipment he needs . . . to build
a nuclear weapon”; his statement on March 16, 2003, that “we believe he has, in
fact, reconstituted nuclear weapons”; and his statement on October
LOTS more in the document. This is an amazing reference.
Link to document (PDF):
http://www.house.gov/reform/min/pdfs_108_2/pdfs_inves/pdf_admin_iraq_on_the_record_rep.pdf