Woodward Debunks Bush-Bashers

[Nie Trink Wasser]

The President continued, "I've been told all this intelligence about having WMD and this is the best we've got?" At which point Mr. Tenet is said to have thrown his hands in the air and remarked, "It's a slam-dunk case!" Mr. Bush pressed again, "George, how confident are you?" Mr. Tenet: "Don't worry, it's a slam dunk!"

It isn't a shock, of course, that the CIA believed Iraq possessed stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction. The Clinton Administration bombed Iraq for four days in December 1998 based on that assessment. Every other major intelligence agency in the world believed the same. What is new in the Woodward account is the extent to which Mr. Bush appears to have been a thoughtful and critical consumer of such intelligence. The President reportedly told Mr. Tenet several times, "Make sure no one stretches to make our case."

http://opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110005026

- Bob Woodward refutes the claim that Bush "lied" about Iraq.

 

[Upchurch]

- Bob Woodward refutes the claim that Bush "lied" about Iraq.

Unfortunately, it does not absolve Bush of the responsibility of having gone to war over bad information.

 

[Lurker]

OH MY GOD!!!

NTW, are you serious? You realize that this exchange, according to Woodward, occurred in December 2002.

Bush, Cheney and his cronies had already been stretching the intel to the American public for three months prior to this alleged conversation between Tenet and Bush.

If Bush were so thoughtful and critical he sure was not for the previous three months as he was out there stretching the evidence himself. Then, three months later, he supposedly becomes critical of the evidence? Why? And if there were some reason why didn't he share that with the public? This whole anecdote seems kind of revisionist to me.

Dates and timing are important, NTW.

Lurker

 

[Tmy]

"It isn't a shock, of course, that the CIA believed Iraq possessed stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction. The Clinton Administration bombed Iraq for four days in December 1998 based on that assessment. "

Did Clinton also have the UN inspectors roaming Iraq? Or was this when Saddam had them tossed.

When Bush made up his mind the UN had these guys all overand they coudnt find squat. I think the reason given was that "Bilx is an idiot."

 

[Crossbow]

http://opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110005026

- Bob Woodward refutes the claim that Bush "lied" about Iraq.

Sooooo ....

According to NTW wisdom,

Bush is not a liar; instead Bush is just really, really stupid for being so easily duped by that whacky George Tenet while just about everyone else who knew about the subject advised caution.

Oh yeah, I feel so much better now.

 

[Evolver]

Re: Re: Woodward Debunks Bush-Bashers

Sooooo ....

According to NTW wisdom,

Bush is not a liar; instead Bush is just really, really stupid for being so easily duped by that whacky George Tenet while just about everyone else who knew about the subject advised caution.

Oh yeah, I feel so much better now.

Don't you get it? To Republicans, stupid is good. Why else would they keep gutting education? Why else would they think "intellectual" is an insult? Why else would Nie think his posts are good?

 

[Zep]

I thought NTW was going to produce a comprehensive and well-thought-out refutation of the numerous problematic issues arising from the Bush administration over Iraq, etc. THAT would have been interesting reading indeed.

But no. His "headline", again, does not match the content.

True to form, NTW. *yawn*

 

[WildCat]

Re: Re: Re: Woodward Debunks Bush-Bashers

Why else would they keep gutting education?

Ahem.

You should really do some basic googling before you blindly repeat Dem lies.

 

[Mr Manifesto]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Woodward Debunks Bush-Bashers

Ahem.

You should really do some basic googling before you blindly repeat Dem lies.

Ahem

You should really check for figures a little later than 2001 before you back Rep propaganda.

 

[WildCat]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Woodward Debunks Bush-Bashers

Ahem

You should really check for figures a little later than 2001 before you back Rep propaganda.

Sorry Mr. M, but you need to show a reduction in Federal education spending to prove your point. Anyone can find someone who says we're not spending enough. Fact is, Federal education spending is higher now than ever.

And traditionally education spending is the province of the individual states, not the Federal government. The Federal gov't contributes only a small percentage of education funding in the US. The lions share of $$ for education comes from local property taxes.

And I liked your old avatar better.

 

[corplinx]

Re: Re: Woodward Debunks Bush-Bashers

Unfortunately, it does not absolve Bush of the responsibility of having gone to war over bad information.

What makes you think that information is the reason Bush went to war versus all the other more pragmatic and historical reasons?

Or do you mean you feel as if you were duped into supporting the war based on that information?