George W. Bush

http://www.salon.com/opinion/blumenthal/2007/09/06/bush_wmd/

Many quotes have surfaced from Democrats in an attempt to suggest the lie was a joint effort. However many of these quotes were made years before the invasion in an attempt to DIMINISH his WMD capacity utilizing UN sanctions, or were based off of what we now know was filtered intellegence.

Some of these statements include:

(But keep in mind that few of these Democrats argued that Iraq's weapons capacity was such a threat that pre-emptive war was justified. Many of the quotes are taken from the context of potential sanctions and other methods.)

"One way or the other, we are determined to deny Iraq the capacity to develop weapons of mass destruction and the missiles to deliver them. That is our bottom line."

President Clinton, Feb. 4, 1998.

"If Saddam rejects peace and we have to use force, our purpose is clear. We want to seriously diminish the threat posed by Iraq's weapons of mass destruction program."

President Clinton, Feb. 17, 1998.

"Iraq is a long way from [here], but what happens there matters a great deal here. For the risks that the leaders of a rogue state will use nuclear, chemical or biological weaponsagainst us or our allies is the greatest security threat we face."

Madeline Albright, Feb 18, 1998.

"He will use those weapons of mass destruction again, as he has ten times since 1983."

Sandy Berger, Clinton National Security Adviser, Feb, 18, 1998

"[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 destructionprograms."

Letter to President Clinton, signed by Sens. Carl Levin, Tom Daschle, John Kerry, and others Oct. 9, 1998.

"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."

Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D, CA), Dec. 16, 1998.

"Hussein has ... chosen to spend his money on building weapons of mass destruction and palaces for his cronies."

Madeline Albright, Clinton Secretary of State, Nov. 10, 1999.

"There is no doubt that . 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 redefine 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."

Letter to President Bush, Signed by Sen. Bob Graham(D, FL,) and others, Dec, 5, 2001.

"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 mandate of the United Nations and is building weapons of mass destruction and the means of delivering them."

Sen. Carl Levin (d, MI), Sept. 19, 2002.

"We know that he has stored secret supplies of biological and chemical weapons throughout his country."

Al Gore, Sept. 23, 2002.

"Iraq's search for weapons of mass destruction has proven impossible to deter and we should assume that it will continue for as long as Saddam is in power."

Al Gore, Sept. 23, 2002.

"We have known for many years that Saddam Hussein is using and developing weapons of mass destruction."

Sen. Ted Kennedy (D, MA), Sept. 27, 2002.

"The last UN weapons inspectors left Iraq in October1998. We are confident that Saddam Hussein retains 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 capabilities. Intelligence reports indicate that he is seeking nuclear weapons..."

Sen. Robert Byrd (D, WV), Oct. 3, 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." Sen. John F. Kerry (D, MA), Oct. 9, 2002.

"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 . We also should remember we have always underestimated the progress Saddam has made in development of weapons of mass destruction."

Sen. Jay Rockerfeller (D, WV), Oct 10, 2002,

"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."

Rep. Henry Waxman (D, CA), Oct. 10, 2002.

"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. 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."

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D, NY), Oct 10, 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. "Without question, we need to disarm Saddam Hussein. He is a brutal, murderous dictator, leading an oppressive regime ... He presents a particularly grievous threat because he is so consistently prone to miscalculation. And now he has continued deceit and his consistent grasp for weapons of mass destruction ... So the threat of Saddam Hussein with weapons of mass destruction is real ...

Sen. John F. Kerry (D, MA), Jan. 23. 2003.

NOW THE DEMOCRATS SAY PRESIDENT BUSH LIED, THAT THERE NEVER WERE ANY WMD'S AND HE TOOK US TO WAR FOR HIS OIL BUDDIES??? Right!!! No, he just did what the Democrats had been asking for since the Clinton administration.

GERMANY:

Prior to the US invasion of Iraq, German Intelligence (the BND) provided one informant to the CIA, that informant's code name was curveball; recently his real name was reviled to be Rafid Ahmed Alwan. German Intelligence informed the CIA that they did not believe curveball's claims of Nuclear and Biological mobile weapons laboratories however; as allies do, the Germans handed curveball over to the US. The CIA fully vetted what curveball told them and concluded that "we believe that curveball is just telling us what we want to here".

The Bush administration omitted the fact that our own CIA, as well as German Intelligence, did not believe curveball when Bush submitted the case for war to the US Congress. The Bush administration also omitted the fact all the intelligence concerning mobile weapons laboratories was from one sole source without any corroboration.

Colin Powell's presentation to the United Nations concerning Iraq's mobile weapons laboratories was also based solely on the statements of curveball.

Germany was angered by the Bush Administration's omissions, and although they did fight with the US in Afghanistan, Germany refused to invade Iraq.

Sources:

CBS News: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/11/01/60minutes/main3440577_page4.shtml

Associated Press:

http://www.pr-inside.com/report-Iraqi-source-who-bolstered-case-r496586.htm

MSNBC:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23728050/

FRANCE:

French Intelligence had an informant who was a member of Saddam's cabinet, Naji Sabri, Iraq's foreign minister. Sabri told French Intelligence that Saddam had no significant, active biological weapons program. When Sabri spoke to the CIA he was asked if Saddam acquired enriched uranium could he build a nuclear bomb in "several months to a year."? Sabri stated that Saddam to a great extent wanted a nuclear bomb, but would not be able to build a nuclear device that quickly, he would require much more time. Sabri also informed both France and the CIA that Saddam's forces had buried nerve gas after the Iran Iraq war; he estimated the weapons cache at 500 metric tons. However; Sabri's estimates were incorrect as only a small amount of rusted and degraded canisters were actually found. Sabri never spoke of any link between Saddam Hussein and Osama Bin Laden.

Later Sabri ranted publicly that the Bush Administration only wanted to attack Iraq to secure its oil reserves.

France was angered by Bush Administration's ignoring of Sabri's statements, and although they did fight with the US in Afghanistan, France refused to invade Iraq.

Sources:

CNN:

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/03/21/Iraq.wmds/index.HTML

MSNBC:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11927856/

NY TIMES:

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/22/politics/22intel.HTML

UNITED KINGDOM GREAT BRITAIN

Prior to the US invasion of Iraq, British Prime Minister Tony Blair's senior ministers meet on July 23, 2002 in a classified meeting at Downing Street. The notes from that meeting later were nicknamed the "Downing Street Memos" when they were published by the Sunday Times on May 1, 2005.

The memos state "Bush wanted to remove Saddam, through military action, justified by the conjunction of terrorism and WMD. But the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy."

"It seemed clear that Bush had made up his mind to take military action, even if the timing was not yet decided. But the case was thin. Saddam was not threatening his neighbours, and his WMD capability was less than that of Libya, North Korea or Iran. We should work up a plan for an ultimatum to Saddam to allow back in the UN weapons inspectors. This would also help with the legal justification for the use of force."

These and other statements contained in the Downing Street Memos showed that as George W Bush was publically stating war was the last option, behind the scenes according to the memos "It seemed clear that Bush had made up his mind to take military action"

Sources:

FOX News:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,158228,00.HTML

Times UK

http://www.timesonline.co.UK/tol/news/UK/article387374.ece

Washington Post:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/12/AR2005051201857.HTML

ITALY & NIGER:

In late 2001, Italian Intelligence received documents that show Saddam Hussein's government was attempting to purchase yellow cake uranium from the country of Niger. These documents were handed over to the CIA and to Great Britain. By early 2002 both CIA and the State Department discovered the documents were forgeries.

Former Iraq Ambassador Joe Wilson was sent by senior officials in the US Government to look into the documents claims. Joe Wilson found no evidence that Saddam had attempted to purchase yellow cake uranium. After informing the Bush Administration of the fact that the documents were forgeries and Joe Wilson found no evidence of any sale of yellow cake uranium, the George Bush said in his state of the union address "the British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa".

Joe Wilson wrote an op-ed in the NY Times entitled "What I didn't find in Niger" refuting the Presidents statements. Shortly there after his wife, Valerie Plame Wilson, had her covert identity of a CIA officer blown in a column by Robert Novak.

Sources:

Telegraph co.UK:

http://www.telegraph.co.UK/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/09/05/wuran05.xml

NY Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/04/international/Europe/04italy.HTML

CBS News:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/04/21/60minutes/main1527749.shtml

ABC News:

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2007/07/Wilson-bush-acc.HTML

GEORGE W BUSH:

In the lead up to the US invasion of Iraq George W Bush made numerous statements, both direct and indirect, linking Saddam Hussein with the events of September 11th and Osama Bin Laden.

After exhaustive research the September 11 Report found no operational link between Saddam Hussien and Al Qaeda. The Pentagon and CIA also have found no operational link between Saddam Hussien and Al Qaeda and after the Iraq war George W Bush himself stated "I've seen no evidence that Saddam Hussien was involved with the September 11th."

Sources:

MSNBC:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7634313/

MSNBC

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13480264/

Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/30/AR2006063001528_pf.HTML

Concerning the quotes above posted by the original author of this article

The Democratic quotes below are taken from two points in history, first just prior to December 17, 1999 concerning UNSCR 1284 which Created - "the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspections Commission (UNMOVIC) to replace previous weapon inspection team (UNSCOM)." Everyone in Congress demanded Saddam allow weapons inspectors in, and he did but, Saddam limited their access.

The second set of Democratic quotes are from around the time of the second UN Security Consol referendum Friday, November 8, 2002: "The United Nations Security Council approved a resolution that demanded unfettered access for U.N. inspectors to search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq." This time everyone in Congress demanded Saddam allow weapons inspectors and not limit their access and he did despite claims to the contrary.

Moreover, the second set of Democratic quotes, around the November 2002 date, were based on the intelligence as presented to them by the Bush Administration who omitted the fact that our own CIA as well as German Intelligence did not believe curveball when they submitted the case for war to the US Congress and curveball was one sole source of mobile weapons laboratories and without any corroborate. Congress was not told the whole truth.

Remember, there is now every indication that the Gulf of Tonkin Incident, upon which LBJ justified escalating the war in Vietnam, either didn't happen, or was instigated by the US Navy, yet that information has taken some 40 years to come to the public's attention. History offers a perspective that no amount of desire can match. We may someday know the truth to this question and others like it, but in the interim, there can be little doubt that if there were any hard facts "as yet" supporting the contention that Bush intentionally lied about Iraq's WMD, this Democratic congress would have long ago initiated impeachment proceedings.

George W. Bush was born on 1946 July 6.

George W. Bush was 48 years old when he was elected Governor of Texas on 1994 November 8.

George W. Bush was 54 years old when he was elected 43rd President of the United States on 2000 November 8.

He also had a failed congressional run in Texas when he was 32 years old, in 1978.

Note: Do your own fact checking, these answers may not all be based on fact.

Here are some sample answers from the site contributors:

Because he wanted the oil, as the price of oil is soon to rise. He also went into Iraq to get the gold which was stolen from Kuwait by Iraq. He also entered to interfere and make himself seem like a good man while doing so. However, I believe he is in there for the money.

The official response has always been that the President and his advisers believed that Iraq was stockpiling weapons of mass destruction and could possibly be a future danger to U.S. interests and security.

Many opinions are based on a person's individual perception of the circumstances and obviously their feelings toward the U.S. government.

There have NEVER been any weapons of mass destruction found. Something doesn't smell right!

President George W. Bush went into Iraq because allies to the U.S. said Sadaam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. Hussein had killed hundreds of thousands with gas, and Al Qaeda training sites were found there as well.