In June, Hoekstra And Santorum Insisted ‘We Found WMD In Iraq,’ Hoekstra Now Says ‘I Don’t Know’
In June, Hoekstra And Santorum Insisted ‘We Found WMD In Iraq,’ Hoekstra Now Says ‘I Don’t Know’
In June, Hoekstra unequivocally claimed that WMD had been found in Iraq. From a press conference with Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA), 6/21/06:
Congressman Hoekstra and I are here today to say that we have found weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, chemical weapons.
Hoekstra and Santorum went on a media blitz, telling anyone who would listen that WMD’s had been found. (The pair seized on a report describing abandoned, degraded pre-1991 munitions that were already acknowledged by the White House’s Iraq Survey Group and dismissed.) Yesterday, Hoekstra reversed course, saying it he didn’t know whether there was WMD or not. CNN, 11/5/06:
HOEKSTRA: Well, you know, there’s 48,000 boxes of documents that we’ve acquired. I think it’s important to declassify as much of the information. I don’t know whether there was WMD or not. But what we should do is make sure that we go through the process and fully explore what Saddam was capable of doing.
It was Hoekstra’s insistence on declassifying documents found in Iraq that lead to the publication of a document describing how to build a nuclear weapon on a government website.
The truth is that there has been an exhaustive search for WMD in Iraq. None were found. Nevertheless, “Hoekstra is still pressing U.S. intelligence agencies to look for possible weapons of mass destruction in Iraq–even though intelligence officials say further work is unlikely to reveal anything new about Saddam’s WMD programs.”
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you’d think that giving away nuclear secrets would demand some sort of punishment. please, oh please, let the Dems take congress.
November 6th, 2006 at 9:59 amAs Libby Dole might say, “It seems the Republicans are content with not winning the war.” In fact, they seem content with supplying critical knowledge on nuclear weapons technology to our enemies while North Korea builds and tests its first nuclear weapons.
November 6th, 2006 at 10:03 amLying Republicans…who knew?
November 6th, 2006 at 10:05 amThe pair should be made into abandoned, degraded pre-Neandrathal politicians who are acknowledged as intelligence-challenged by the White House, both Houses of Congress, and, most importantly, every voter’s house and immediately dismissed from their positions of public “disservice”.
November 6th, 2006 at 10:07 amCaption
Santorum: “Just one time…”
November 6th, 2006 at 10:10 amHoekstra: “We’d like to get just this close…”
In Unison: “to being right about anything”
Nobody gave away more secrets the Slick-Willy. Here comes the Republican come-back. Get ready for tomorrow. Have all your excuses lined up.
They stole the election again!
November 6th, 2006 at 10:15 amIts a Bush plot!
We were disenfranchised!
WMD’s…and here’s proof…ya see this bottle of Coke,and these Mentos candy….watch…sssssssssssssss…POP!….now we know there is a billion gallons of Coke around here somewhere….
November 6th, 2006 at 10:22 amif north korea just tested a WMD and we did not invade, why do they think the American public gives a hoot? the WMD justification is yesterday’s news… Bush is on to the protecting America’s oil supply tack… jeez… can’t they even keep up with their own party rhetoric.
November 6th, 2006 at 10:23 amNobody gave away more secrets than President Clinton? Easy to say, hard to prove. Here, I’ll try one. George Bush has snorted more cocaine than all other Presidents combined.
what’s your moniker going to be on Nov 8th.? Disgruntled sour Guy?
didn’t you read what tweedle dee and tweedle dumb were spouting about WMD’s? And the fact that they have been PROVEN WRONG escapes you.
Is that why you’re happy? You live in denial?
November 6th, 2006 at 10:23 amPhelgmstra is full of bile, and perhaps he will just embarrass himself to the point where he just devolves. or his constituents could, dare we say it,
November 6th, 2006 at 10:28 amremove his criminally corrupt hiney and redirect it to prison?
Clinton was never found to have given away secrets to making nuclear weapons. This is one only Bush&Co can lay claim to.
Hoekstra is trying to have it both ways. He’s covering his own ass for pressuring the release of these documents, while distancing himself from his own remarks a couple of months ago on “finding” WMDs.
November 6th, 2006 at 10:32 amWhen they talk out of both sides of their mouths, what do they do when they need another vent? I guess they blow it out of their asses.
Republicans are anti-science, anti-freedom, and anti-America.
It’s long past time that we kick them out of office.
November 6th, 2006 at 10:32 amNobody gave away more secrets the Slick-Willy.
Comment by Happy Guy — November 6, 2006 @ 10:15 am
Please provide an example. Or maybe just shut up. Because you don’t offer any contribution here but spin, lies, and denial. Quit enabling the Bush regime, too, while you are at it. Isn’t defending the Republicans starting to embarrass you just a little?
November 6th, 2006 at 10:33 am#12 – Don’t worry. I tlooks like the best scenario for Republicans is they only lose 17 seats in the House. The wrost case scenario for Republicans is they lose upwards of 30 seats in the house.
Speaker Pelosi, save us from the massive and repeated failures of Republican hegemony!
November 6th, 2006 at 10:34 amFlip-Flopper
November 6th, 2006 at 10:37 am9
There was a man in Denial
November 6th, 2006 at 10:41 amWho found reality such a trial
With discomfort abhored
The facts were ignored
To maintain his happy guy style.
#13 – Don’t expect a response. When regressives make un-sustainable claims of that nature, they have no proof for their claims. It’s only because they want to believe it that they claim it’s true.
Comment by Democrat Soldier — November 6, 2006 @ 10:42 am
I’m not expecting a response. But I want to give Happy Guy a chance anyway.
How about it, Guy? Got an example? I have to leave in five minutes, so hurry up and finish your frantic search for one. Blue dresses don’t count.
November 6th, 2006 at 10:45 amRepublicans (and even a few Democrats) are too stupid to realize that their ‘god’ is a fictional character in an ancient fairy tale, a metaphor meant to represent compassion and empathy.
Some idiot took it literally and millions of idiots later, we STILL have people that believe “god” is real.
November 6th, 2006 at 10:48 am16. That was good. I’ll give it a try.
The Happy Guy tried in vain
November 6th, 2006 at 10:51 amto revive the republican campaign
But what the WMD’s hid under
was a historical political blunder
now the man is very clearly insane.
Even if Happy Guy had an example, which apparently he doesn’t, isn’t it just a bit pathetic to bring up Clinton SIX YEARS after he left office? Is that how far back Happy Guy must dig to make excuses for his fearless leader Bush? Happy Guys says “Bush is bad, but not quite as bad as Saddam! Oops, I meant not quite as bad as Clinton! Oops, I don’t know what I meant! Bush is great! Bush is great!”.
Right, Happy Guy?
November 6th, 2006 at 10:53 amDateline Tues, Nov 7 9:00 PM: Happy Guy becomes Sad Guy; starts dreaming up excuses. George W. Bush has his fifth scotch of the night. Dick Cheney curses for the fortieth time and has a mild heart attack.
10:00 PM: George W. puts on his bunny pajamas and Laura reads him a story. He cries himself to sleep and wets his bed again. In the past hour, we’ve spent another $7,400,000.00 in Iraq, but thank God Republicans will no longer run the show.
November 6th, 2006 at 10:53 amhellinabucket
Thus, hath been administered and displayed “poetic justice”.
November 6th, 2006 at 10:55 amhey, I have a great idea. Can we have a thread without an irrelevant “religion vs. atheism” discussion?
November 6th, 2006 at 10:56 amI’m just askin’
HOAX-STRA!
HOAX-STRA!
Read all about it!
MORON Found WMD
MORON LOST WMD
November 6th, 2006 at 11:01 amOh, but I am sure that Senator Frothy-Mix-of-Lube-and-Fecal-Matter will be squeezing that one for every confused Pennsylvania voter he could bamboozle!
November 6th, 2006 at 11:01 amVote Democratic. It’s most possibly a better alternative.
November 6th, 2006 at 11:03 amAfter very careful consideration, I have come to the conclusion that Rep Peter Hoekstra is a threat to national security.
Now, what recourse do I as a private citizen have to bring him to the attention of the Department of Homeland Security?
November 6th, 2006 at 11:03 am#
hey, I have a great idea. Can we have a thread without an irrelevant “religion vs. atheism†discussion?
I’m just askin’
Comment by DRxJ — November 6, 2006 @ 10:56 am
Sure, right after the morons that believe in god are out of power. Religion is destroying this country and it should be ridiculed at every opportunity.
November 6th, 2006 at 11:03 amVote Democratic. It’s most possibly a better alternative.
Comment by theswan — November 6, 2006 @ 11:03 am
I don’t think its’ “most possilby”. I know it IS a better alternative
November 6th, 2006 at 11:05 amcan these guys get their lies straight?
November 6th, 2006 at 11:08 amWow, I must have touched a nerve here. I take a quick look back here and see all this ranting. I guess you have seen the polls changing. Getting a little nervous?
Once again thank you John Kerry for giving a November Surprise. You woke everyone up. No matter how much they do or don’t like what is happening they realize they don’t want the DummyRats in power. Otherwise I guess you would already have office or big numbers coming. Hmmm, I guess at least half the country thinks my way. Like it or not you’re a bunch of wack-job, elitist (not progressive), left-wing conspiracy nuts.
By the way. Don’t vote.
November 6th, 2006 at 11:08 amThen RantingTommy, you in essence are ridiculing me, one of the Christian Left, who believes in the teaching of Jesus, and advocate for peace.
End of discussion, unless it’s brought up on another thread regarding religion
November 6th, 2006 at 11:09 amHappy Guy: nice job dodging the request for an example of your earlier accusation that Clinton leaked more secrets than the Republicans who just gave Iran and the rest of the world nuclear secrets.
November 6th, 2006 at 11:11 amhey, I have a great idea. Can we have a thread without an irrelevant “religion vs. atheism†discussion?
I’m just askin’
Comment by DRxJ — November 6, 2006 @ 10:56 am
that IS a great idea… i second that motion…
November 6th, 2006 at 11:11 amOne can describe it as ‘Hoax Extra’ by HoeKstra.
November 6th, 2006 at 11:11 amHappy, you are obviously suffering from a “please, please, look at me, my mommy and daddy didn’t pay enough attention to me” syndrome
November 6th, 2006 at 11:13 amIs you’re self gratification finished yet? Your post and runs are non sensical (much like your life, I presume)
Linked a post to secrets given up by President Clinton, yet? Nope
and by the by, if you’re so damn confident about the votes going the GOP way, then why post this:
By the way. Don’t vote.
Comment by Happy Guy — November 6, 2006 @ 11:08 am
NEXT
un-happy guy…(don’t you just hate your job)
November 6th, 2006 at 11:15 am#
hey, I have a great idea. Can we have a thread without an irrelevant “religion vs. atheism†discussion?
I’m just askin’
Comment by DRxJ — November 6, 2006 @ 10:56 am
Yes, I AM ridiculing you, because YOUR active efforts in perpetuating the mental disease of religion is HELPING THE GOP further ruin this country. Stop pushing the myths of religion and you will stop helping the Republicans.
Stop being a moron and pay attention: god is fake, a ruse, you have been bamboozled.
There are 2 types of religious people: cons and marks.
Grow up, there is no santa claus, easter bunny, or god. Jesus was a good man with good ideas, most of which were REFUTING the religious dogma of the time. Unfortunately, he was conned into believing he was the son of some magic man in the sky.
Live by his ideas for man, ignore his insane rantings about “god”
November 6th, 2006 at 11:17 amDont attack the Religion Tommy…go after the person using religion as a cloak. =)
November 6th, 2006 at 11:18 amWhere did these 48,000 boxes of data come from?
I remember well the shock and awe bombing that targeted government buildings with many of the buildings catching fire and others having the water systems flood the buildings. In other words, much of the documentary evidence was destroyed during the invasion. So, just where did these 48,000 boxes come from? I have my doubts about whether much useful information can be found given the level of destruction that happened during the invasion and widespread looting that followed.
November 6th, 2006 at 11:21 amI guess at least half the country thinks my way. Like it or not you’re a bunch of wack-job, elitist (not progressive), left-wing conspiracy nuts.
Again, FOX news only has on average 1.8 million viewers. That is not half the country, why do you think that half of the use watches and agrees with your opinion on TV?
Thats just wishful crazy talk Happy Guy.
November 6th, 2006 at 11:22 am#
Dont attack the Religion Tommy…go after the person using religion as a cloak. =)
Comment by Dog_named_Boo — November 6, 2006 @ 11:18 am
Sorry, but why should I let insane ramblings about magical beings and demons and superstitions off the hook?
Besides, i don’t ridicule the religion itself, only the people that believe religion is real.
Belief in ‘god’ is just as silly as belief in ‘trickle-down-economics’.
November 6th, 2006 at 11:24 amOnce again, the Republicans have put their political power ahead of America’s national security. And this time, they may have just given Iran the recipe for a nuclear bomb as a result.
For the details, see:
November 6th, 2006 at 11:25 am“Documents of Mass Destruction: GOP Puts Party Before National Security with Iraq Papers.”
The BushCo Theme Song (with only some change to the Rocky Theme)
Trying hard now
it’s hard work now
lying hard now
Getting wrong now
don’t belong now
getting gone now
Gonna lie now
November 6th, 2006 at 11:27 amlying more now
gonna lie…lie…lie
Comment by RantingTommy
There is more to religion than the belief in invisible beings.
At its core religioun is about doing good things for others even if it does not directly benefit YOU. Its about being unselfish even though our animal nature gives us no reason to do anything that does not directly benefit us.
Are you your brothers keeper?
Why should you care if you are your brothers keeper?
November 6th, 2006 at 11:29 amExley,
November 6th, 2006 at 11:30 amI know you’re here. Weren’t you at one time defending Sen. Rick Santorum’s “proof” of WMD’s?
Just curious what your “stance” is now?
Sen. Santorum is going to be voted out of office tomorrow > not even Karl Rove can cheat enough to keep that corrupt creepo in office > bye Ricky!
November 6th, 2006 at 11:32 amWhy should you care if you are your brothers keeper?
Comment by ggibson — November 6, 2006 @ 11:29 am
Because he’s my BROTHER, no need for any fictional magical intervention there.
I’m highly suspect of people that need the threat of eternal torture by fire to convince them to be nice to each other.
November 6th, 2006 at 11:33 amUnfortunately, he was conned into believing he was the son of some magic man in the sky.
Comment by RantingTommy
Naw, Jesus was talking about the sun and stars. He called himself the morning star, which is really Venus [planet of love] was called Lucem Ferre, the bringer of light.
Venus appeared on the Horizon before the Sun. Jesus said I am son of man, and that he was the morning star, In effect Jesus was speaking of the Sun and not a magic man in the sky.
November 6th, 2006 at 11:33 am#39, I agree that religion is a myth. You might want to know that nobody believed that Jesus was the son of god while he was alive. It was way after his death that it was decided to write about him and make him divine.
November 6th, 2006 at 11:34 amDRxJ and Dog named Boo
I’ve already tried your track with RantingTommy – all I got back was more attack, not on my political views or my actions, only my religious belief.
Unless my religious beliefs are a direct threat to anyone, they should be tolerated and respected by true progressives, especially if we share the political value of separation of church and state and can work together to achieve that. Those of us who are progressive, liberal Christians are the best hope for reigning in the fundamentalist Christians. I am reminded of the need for white northerners to support the civil rights movement for blacks in the 60’s. I am also reminded of the response of some black leaders who belittled that support.
I really don’t care if an agnostic or an atheist does not agree with my religious beliefs. I do care if they attack them without provocation and don’t return the tolerance that I have for their beliefs. I do care that their attack weakens the progressive movement by seeming to exclude those of faith from the discussion.
November 6th, 2006 at 11:39 amKeep going Ranting Tommy. Throw in a couple of quotes from Mike Moore so we can all see were you people come from.
ROTFL!
November 6th, 2006 at 11:43 amI really don’t care if an agnostic or an atheist does not agree with my religious beliefs. I do care if they attack them without provocation and don’t return the tolerance that I have for their beliefs. I do care that their attack weakens the progressive movement by seeming to exclude those of faith from the discussion.
Comment by PatrioticLiberalChristian(PLC) — November 6, 2006 @ 11:39 am
BULLSHIT! I DO tolerate your beliefs, but I DON’T have to respect them!
It is SUCH obvious baloney that respecting them would be dishonest.
If you want to stop being ridiculed for believing in superstition, stop asserting that your superstitions are real.
Funny how you demand respect for your outlandish claims and yet have zero respect for my belief that your beliefs are total bullshit!
I’d call you a religious hypocrite, but that’s redundant.
November 6th, 2006 at 11:44 am#47 Hey DRxJ,
Actually, I am pretty sure I never commented on the earlier Santorum/Hoekstra press conference. Since the Duelfer Report, I would say it has been pretty definitively established that Iraq’s WMD programs were not at the same state of readiness or viability as believed before the invasion.
November 6th, 2006 at 11:45 amIt is a belief, Tommy may believe in String theory, who knows? Both are equally unprovable. =)
Okay lets try a little Socrates!
Socrates says it was Poseidon that was chained, who made the Earth shake. Is this False?
Not really , today we call the shaking of the Earth the Schumann Resonance. We can also find this shaking mentioned as far back as the Bhagavatam. Religion, Myth even does hold some truths, we just have to dig for it!
November 6th, 2006 at 11:52 amHello, Bush.
November 6th, 2006 at 11:52 amGood bye tree
Get me some gas for my SUV
If you find a WMD
Send me a post card COD
And… Oh, by the way… Osama.
Where is he?
Actually, I am pretty sure I never commented on the earlier Santorum/Hoekstra press conference. Since the Duelfer Report, I would say it has been pretty definitively established that Iraq’s WMD programs were not at the same state of readiness or viability as believed before the invasion.
Comment by Exley
I think you mean ‘the propaganda spewed’ instead of believed.
November 6th, 2006 at 11:55 amHello, Bush
November 6th, 2006 at 11:55 amGood bye tree.
Get me some gas
For my SUV.
If you find a WMD
Send me a post card COD.
And … Oh, by the way … Osama …
Where is he?
Because he’s my BROTHER, no need for any fictional magical intervention there.
I’m highly suspect of people that need the threat of eternal torture by fire to convince them to be nice to each other.
Comment by RantingTommy
Wow you REALLY think that saying “Am I my brothers keeper?” is talking about your biological brother?
And what does it have to do with hell fire? Nothing. There are bad people that focus on hell fire and then there is the actual good reason for religion to exist which has nothing to do with hell fire and EVERYTHING to do with “Am I my fellow mans keeper?”
November 6th, 2006 at 11:57 amI really don’t care if an agnostic or an atheist does not agree with my religious beliefs. I do care if they attack them without provocation and don’t return the tolerance that I have for their beliefs. I do care that their attack weakens the progressive movement by seeming to exclude those of faith from the discussion.
Comment by PatrioticLiberalChristian(PLC) — November 6, 2006 @ 11:39 am
HERE HERE!!!
just had to say that… now, that’s all that needs said… END OF SUBJECT.
November 6th, 2006 at 11:57 am.
Keep going Ranting Tommy. Throw in a couple of quotes from Mike Moore so we can all see were you people come from.
ROTFL!
Comment by Happy Guy
WTF does Michael Moore have to do with this conversation? Are you getting just as childish as Ranting Tommy? It is like all the right winger freaks saying Michael Moore was trying to say guns should be outlawed in the USA when his movie specifically showed that guns where NOT the problem because overall Canada has MORE guns and does not have the violence problem America does… keep your truth TRUE or else people wont belive a thing you say.
November 6th, 2006 at 12:00 pmIt was all about the oil, stupid. Geez, what’s up with the people who keeps voting against their own interest – state of denial, I guess.
November 6th, 2006 at 12:02 pmIt was a method to control the masses, just as today we have our government playing crisis management with WMDs and Nukes.
November 6th, 2006 at 12:09 pmHuh, what do you call Nuclear Detterents?
Death by Fire!!
November 6th, 2006 at 12:15 pmSame place ‘were’ you are from, Earth.
November 6th, 2006 at 12:18 pmWhos Michael Moore?
O please. Now I get attacked because I think religion is superstition.
You holy rollers are beyond help. As long as you believe in a magic man in the sky, your opinion must be taken with a grain of salt, as you are not grounded in reality.
Religion is superstition. Call me childish, attack the messenger, whatever.
November 6th, 2006 at 1:06 pmO please. Now I get attacked because I think religion is superstition.
You holy rollers are beyond help. As long as you believe in a magic man in the sky, your opinion must be taken with a grain of salt, as you are not grounded in reality.
Religion is superstition. Call me childish, attack the messenger, whatever.
Comment by RantingTommy
Isnt it time for you to be in school right now?
You dont have the slightest clue what you are talking about. Just because many of us do not attack religion as the source of all evil doesnt mean we believe in any of the religious fairy tales. Of coarse they are fairy tales… they were written prescience and they had nothing to base their understanding of the universe on. That does not change the fundamental moral truths that still exist there.
You act like some kid that has no clue about anything spouting off his mouth as if he is an authority. It is dipshits like you that allows the religious right to trick their followers into thinking the athiests are out to get them when in reality most non-believers simply want to be left alone not “get” the christians. Grow up.
At both extremes “All religion all the time” and “ANARCHY!!!!” exists a pool of complete and utter fools. People like you are no better than Pat Robertson.
November 6th, 2006 at 1:26 pmHappy Moron, you began your trolling early in this discussion by saying Clinton gave away more secrets. People asked you for examples. You evidently have none. As usual, pure B.S.
November 6th, 2006 at 1:31 pmRanting Tommy, I have a personal relationship with Zeus. We speak almost every day. Zeus tells me you’re on to something here.
November 6th, 2006 at 1:33 pmHoekstra is the one who insisted that plans to build nuclear bombs be posted on the internet. Why hasn’t Melonie Morgan called for his execution?
November 6th, 2006 at 1:38 pmI’m back, Happy Guy, and I am very unhappy with your performance. It has been five hours since I stepped out, yet in that time you have failed to come up with a single example of a “secret” given away by Clinton, even though you had plenty of time to compose some very snotty messages of spin, insults, and deceit.
November 6th, 2006 at 3:46 pmWatch the video of Rick Santorum’s press conference (with Hoekstra) announcing the declassified Iraqi documents web site, in which Rick takes credit for getting the documents made public and says he’s not concerned that any of the information is sensitive, even though he admits to having “no idea” what’s contained in the documents. Well Rick, now we know that you helped declassify nuclear secrets. Brilliant!
WATCH THE VIDEO
November 6th, 2006 at 4:03 pmThese two thinking they were the anointed spokesmen for the administration was one of the biggest, most desperate whoot I have ever seen and heard.
They may have just as well said, “Oh yea, oh yeah well I’ll tell you what ….”.
Who in their right mind would think that anyone other than our little woodenhead president Pinocchio would have made this announcement?
November 6th, 2006 at 4:29 pmKomic Kommentary on the utter boobery of putting nuke plans on a government website.
November 6th, 2006 at 5:14 pmHappy Moron, we’re still waiting…
November 6th, 2006 at 5:46 pmWow, I’d forgotten all about that. Now I can add another reason to my list of why I’m voting against Santorum tomorrow.
November 6th, 2006 at 7:42 pmJesus H. Christ Ranting Tommy. What exactly are you trying to accomplish? I am an atheist but I am not going to attack peoples’ religious beliefs if they have no effect on me. See, ggibson’s beliefs do not affect me, therefore he can have whatever beliefs he wants. Keep your attacks in your pants for those who want to force their beliefs on you.
November 6th, 2006 at 9:13 pmRanting Tommy,
There is no bigger disbeliever than me. I agree that religions are (of course) fairytale myth at their core. I also agree that the greatest dangers we face in the world today (and really, through recorded history) are religiously motivated. I further agree that the religious right have formed an unholy alliance with neocons to nearly wreck our country.
But… here’s the thing… you don’t have to be such a JERK do you? There are a lot of most-excellent people out there who happen to be religious. It’s not something I can comprehend, but it is something I can happily accept. I can and do live in peace with people like this every day. They are my friends, neighbors, and relatives.
I believe the best way to show the correctness of one’s views is by example. Show, through example, that you can be loving, and kind, and tolerant, and charitable, without being the least bit religious. This then forms a great counter-example to lying slime hypocrites like Ted Haggard who preach hate wrapped in religious trappings.
Show the value of your philosophy with your actions. You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar.
Give it a try, why doncha?
November 7th, 2006 at 4:12 am[...] Source: Think Progress Posted by Michael Kolanos Filed in Iraq War, Congress [...]
November 7th, 2006 at 12:07 pm[...] Who will tell us where the WMD are now? 10:32 pm | Comment (0) [...]
November 7th, 2006 at 10:32 pm