Hadley: Bush Learned Of NIE’s Findings ‘In The Last Few Months,’ But Continued To Ratchet Up Rhetoric
Hadley: Bush Learned Of NIE’s Findings ‘In The Last Few Months,’ But Continued To Ratchet Up Rhetoric
This afternoon, National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley held a press briefing on the new National Intelligence Estimate, which concludes that Iran stopped its nuclear weapons program in 2003. As ThinkProgress has documented, Bush administration officials — despite knowing of the NIE — have been ratcheting up their rhetoric on Iran in the past couple of months.
The central question in today’s briefing for Hadley was whether White House officials intentionally disregarded the intelligence community’s findings in order to bang the war drums against Iran. Reporters repeatedly pressed Hadley on the specific date when the White House learned about the NIE’s findings. Yet incredibly, he refused to give a “precise answer,” instead stating that it was within the “last few months.” From the briefing:
QUESTION: Steve, what is the first time the president was given the inkling that something? I’m not clear on this. Was it months ago, when the first information started to become available to intelligence agencies? […]
HADLEY: [W]hen was the president notified that there was new information available? We’ll try and get you a precise answer. As I say, it was, in my recollection, is in the last few months. Whether that’s October — August-September, we’ll try and get you an answer for that.
On at least five different occasions, Hadley said the White House learned of the NIE sometime in the “last few months.” Watch a compilation:
The issue is whether the President himself lied to the public about Iran’s intentions, despite knowing that Iran was even “less determined to develop nuclear weapons.” In October, Bush told a reporter that Iran was trying to “build a nuclear weapon“:
Q But you definitively believe Iran wants to build a nuclear weapon?
THE PRESIDENT: I think so long — until they suspend and/or make it clear that they — that their statements aren’t real, yeah, I believe they want to have the capacity, the knowledge, in order to make a nuclear weapon. […]
So I’ve told people that if you’re interested in avoiding World War III, it seems like you ought to be interested in preventing them from have the knowledge necessary to make a nuclear weapon. I take the threat of Iran with a nuclear weapon very seriously.
So to recap: Sometime in the “last few months,” Bush learned that Iran is “less determined to develop nuclear weapons.” Yet as late as October, Bush was still claiming that Iran “wants to build a nuclear weapon.” What did Bush know and when did he know it?
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112 Responses to “Hadley: Bush Learned Of NIE’s Findings ‘In The Last Few Months,’ But Continued To Ratchet Up Rhetoric”
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Wow. Stephen Hadley is a lying sack o’ shite??
Who knew?
December 3rd, 2007 at 6:26 pmWait a minute. This report was completed in 2006, around November maybe? When was it published for White House consumption, and when did the chymp “discover’ it?
December 3rd, 2007 at 6:30 pmFear, Death, and Third party Checks via China…….it is al they have.
December 3rd, 2007 at 6:31 pmCarry the water Exley. Spin away.
Lies? From this admistration? It couldn’t be.
December 3rd, 2007 at 6:31 pmBush knew this final report last wednesday
December 3rd, 2007 at 6:31 pmMust be difficult keeping all the Bullsh!t straight.
December 3rd, 2007 at 6:31 pmOoops, this document is dated Nov 2007…My bad.
December 3rd, 2007 at 6:31 pmIsn’t it unconstitutional NOT to impeach this entire thug administration?
December 3rd, 2007 at 6:32 pmMan, Hadley is certainly behaving badly. Now, the clown President learned NIE’s Findings ‘In The Last Few Months.’ And did Bush learn the NIE findings from the newspapers or the internets??? Again, Hadley/Badly spining the koolaid crapola hoping that the public will buy it.
December 3rd, 2007 at 6:33 pmWhen I first saw the story break to the MSM, I thought it was odd that this big wet blanky was being thrown on the Iran war thingy. Then someone said it was to boost consumer confidence going into the shopping season.
Watch for threats to return after the holidays. For now, go shopping.
December 3rd, 2007 at 6:33 pmLooks like Kucinich was right AGAIN. And the top tier Democratic candidates were wrong. Does this mean Dennis will get the bulk of corporate media attention? This is a huge victory for Dennis. In college football when a lower ranked team defeats a top ranked team they often exchange places. So I fully expect the corporate media will acknowledge that Dennis Kucinich’s judgement was more sound and reasonable than Hillary, Barack and John.
December 3rd, 2007 at 6:34 pmBush lying??? You’re kidding!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No, No,… this must just bush-it….
Or, maybe he is just blindly obeying shrinking-Dick’s orders, as usually.
What did the American voters do electing and re-electing those crazy lunatics? Can’t we see that people who drink petroleum do have serious mental problems????
December 3rd, 2007 at 6:34 pmanybody want to buy a load of Iranian Pistacio nuts then
December 3rd, 2007 at 6:35 pmThey’re going to use the old, “well you’ve been saying bush is a complete moron, so why are you suprized that he didn’t know what he was talking about?” excuse. why isn’t purrrrina explaining this away? is it too much for her?
December 3rd, 2007 at 6:36 pmYep that makes him a bonifide propagandist.
THAT IS VERY ILLEGAL
VERY ILLEGAL
December 3rd, 2007 at 6:37 pmIrrelevent. Facts do not penetrate Cheney delusions. President Cheney will carry on full steam with his psychotic reality. Evidence and facts are terrorist sympathizers.
(Having just read the above Exley became physically aroused and unzips his fly)
December 3rd, 2007 at 6:37 pmBush is trying to fix the facts on Iran while waiting for a phone call from God to get the green light for an attack
December 3rd, 2007 at 6:38 pmthe issue is NOT when the administration knew… they’ve known all along… the issue is WHO in the intelligence community decided it was time to throw caution to the winds and stop letting the intelligence books be cooked… what’s really happened here is that someone let the cat out of the bag and thwarted the administration’s effort to suppress the truth…
December 3rd, 2007 at 6:38 pmAnd, yes, I DO take it personally
Yeah, Kucinick is the only one getting it right so far. He is also right on the impeachment of those two guys, before they completely destroy our economy, i.e., before they transfer all our money to ” others” and to themselves.!!!!
December 3rd, 2007 at 6:41 pmCall from God? Since when Cheney changed his name???
December 3rd, 2007 at 6:42 pmJust turned on NBC news with Brian Williams. The Iran-NIE was the top story but for some reason Brian didn’t mention the obvious…that Bushco. has known for sometime that Iran didn’t have a nuclear program but continued to pimp a war anyway.
Now why would a nice man like Brian not make this obvious link?
Seems like this would be an EARTH-SHATTERING SCANDAL (and I’m sure Olbermann will present it that way tonight). Bush could’ve easily brought us to the brink of nuclear war in the middle east if his lie hadn’t been exposed. But according to the NBC/GE spokesman this angle is unnecessary to report. I wonder if a Democrat was President if he’d of reported it honestly?
December 3rd, 2007 at 6:43 pmI take it God has stopped talking to Bush then
December 3rd, 2007 at 6:44 pmPresident George W Bush told Palestinian ministers that God had told him to invade Afghanistan and Iraq
http://www.bbc.co.uk/ pressoffice/ pressreleases/ stories/ 2005/ 10_october/ 06/ bush.shtml
So therefore God has stopped talking to Bush
December 3rd, 2007 at 6:46 pmI believe that the vage claim of “several months” is more likely eleven months because the Bushies tried to squelch this report for a year, while trying to persuade them to back his own claims about Iran.
December 3rd, 2007 at 6:47 pmoops, vague.
December 3rd, 2007 at 6:47 pmThank God the information from the NIE was made public. A nuclear war with Iran may have been averted by an eyelash.
Much of your blame/anger should be directed at Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid. When they took impeachment off that g*ddam table they enabled this. Bush could only conclude that if Pelosi and Reid wouldn’t hold him accountable for lying us into war in Iraq then they certainly wouldn’t hold him accountable for lying us into war with Iran.
December 3rd, 2007 at 6:48 pm2 millionmiles: “Just turned on NBC news with Brian Williams. The Iran-NIE was the top story but for some reason Brian didn’t mention the obvious…that Bushco. has known for sometime that Iran didn’t have a nuclear program but continued to pimp a war anyway.
Now why would a nice man like Brian not make this obvious link?”
Because Brian is big-time republican Jack Welch’s paid whore masquerading as a journalist.
December 3rd, 2007 at 6:48 pmanybody want to buy a load of Iranian Pistacio nuts then
Comment by Bush Cover Ups — December 3, 2007 @ 6:35 pm
I remember that the best pistachio nuts did come from Iran, but after the Iranian hostage crisis in the late 70’s, we don’t get them here. Sorry, California.
December 3rd, 2007 at 6:49 pmIf its Monday then there must be yet another impeachable offense! How many is that? Must be at least two dozen by now.
December 3rd, 2007 at 6:50 pmThey “want to have the capacity, the knowledge, in order to make.” Bush is the Parser-in-Chief.
December 3rd, 2007 at 6:52 pmBecause Brian is big-time republican Jack Welch’s paid whore masquerading as a journalist.
Comment by Ret. Col. Jack Ripper — December 3, 2007 @ 6:48 pm
We have a winner.
December 3rd, 2007 at 6:52 pm“Much of your blame/anger should be directed at Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid.”
Bush is a republican. Republicans in congress have refused to cooperate with any measure holding Bush accountable. Pelosi’s refusal to persue impeachment is purely because she knows that it’s impossible without republican cooperation and, as such, is simply a political show. Why do we hate Pelosi for not running a ridiculous dog & pony show like the repubs did with Clinton? They also knew they weren’t going to be able to remove Clinton from office, but they went ahead with their ridiculous show anyway just to embarass him.
December 3rd, 2007 at 6:54 pm#27: “I believe that the vage claim…” “oops, vague.”
December 3rd, 2007 at 6:55 pm- - Easy Marie, you were vaguely correct.
OT - And now on NBC News they’re calling Chavez a Dictator.
Greg Palast offers a different (reality based, not CIA approved) view:
Bush: If it’s our oil, why do Venezuelans get to vote on it? GOP panicked that counting votes in Venezuela will spread to Florida
http://www.gregpalast.com/ fear-of-chavez-is-fear-of-democracy/
December 3rd, 2007 at 6:55 pmYanno, Col. Jack…at this point, Chimpy could use a little embarrassment.
Something.
December 3rd, 2007 at 6:58 pmOctober certainly isn’t, as Hadley claims, “the last few months”. Hadley knows he’s lying and got totally flustered today.
I’d say that Christmas just came early for all of us - the world can be more optimistic now that Iran is not an imminent threat; this country now has a “smoking impeachment gun” which Congress simply cannot deny at this point.
Bush and Cheney will be impeached before they leave office normally with this new damaging and treasonous evidence. There’s no getting out of this one!
Bush’s “waterloo” = “Irangate”. It’s over for the chimp.
December 3rd, 2007 at 6:59 pmWe know Bush doesn’t like to read. And he surrounds himself with people who would protect him from any inconvenient truth.
It’s not that he is so much a liar as he is a delusional moron.
He really cannot handle the truth. He needs to be removed from office for mental health reasons.
December 3rd, 2007 at 7:00 pmBTW, not to ask a stupid question but isn’t the NIE report delivered directly to the President?? Isn’t it true that, unless he now claims to be dyslexic or unable to read, that he’s had this information for at least one year? If he classified the information, then he read the report. End of story. Bush knew about this and preferred to lie about it.
Just like 9/11 and the run up to Iran, BUSH KNEW IT ALL!
December 3rd, 2007 at 7:01 pmDid God Tell George Bush To Invade Iraq and Afghanistan ?
believing Christians were made to look like fools, fascists, or some combination thereof. And it has worked, : Because Of George Bush, The World Regards Christianity As Evil!
———————
I like your Christ
I do not like your Christians
Your Christians are so unlike your Christ
Mahatma Gandhi
———————-
December 3rd, 2007 at 7:02 pm90 Percent of Iraqi Christians Have Fled or Been Murdered
2millionlightyears: Is anyone counting? It has to be at least twenty or so by now.
December 3rd, 2007 at 7:02 pmPelosi’s refusal to persue impeachment is purely because she knows that it’s impossible without republican cooperation and, as such, is simply a political show.
Comment by Ret. Col. Jack Ripper — December 3, 2007 @ 6:54 pm
I strongly disagree Mr. Ripper. The corporate media would be forced to cover the proceedings. Most of the public is TOTALLY IGNORANT of any of the felonious traitorous information that you and I know chapter and verse. (Seriously, ask 100 of your non-politcal friends what the Downing St. Memos are and you’ll get blank stares). Once they heard the evidence the public would become enraged and activated. They’d put enormous pressure on their representatives to impeach. If their reps. defied their wishes they’d be voted out of office and the republicans would be toast as a politcal party for 50 years.
December 3rd, 2007 at 7:04 pmComment by 2MillionLightYearsToAndromeda — December 3, 2007 @ 7:04 pm
I agree. The Reps would see the writing on the wall, and they’d join in voting for impeachment. You can’t just go with the votes along party lines at this point — there will be cross-overs.
December 3rd, 2007 at 7:13 pm2MillionLightYearsToAndromeda your post assumes that republican voters CARE about their politicians being criminals - that’s a big assumption! One that Pelosi is well aware of. Republicans don’t care if their politicians are criminals - they seem to prefer it that way!
December 3rd, 2007 at 7:14 pmI agree. The Reps would see the writing on the wall, and they’d join in voting for impeachment. You can’t just go with the votes along party lines at this point — there will be cross-overs.
Comment by Zooey — December 3, 2007 @ 7:13 pm
Most of the current Republicans politicians are in strongly republican states, and those voters don’t care about doing the right thing. Sorry, but I disagree. If the last 7 years (especially the last 12 months) has shown us anything - the GOP doesn’t care about compromise, crossing the line or the will of the people or the pressure from the people. Do you honestly believe impeachment pressure would be greater than the Iraq pressure? Nope… Sorry. The GOP is partisan to the core.
December 3rd, 2007 at 7:16 pmNope… Sorry. The GOP is partisan to the core.
Comment by republicans hate facts — December 3, 2007 @ 7:16 pm
Then by all means, let’s do nothing.
December 3rd, 2007 at 7:20 pmSounds like you joioned your neighbor, billy, you dumb shit. these are epublicans, admitting that they lied, but that’s not good enough for an ass like you. you should move to Iran, and show us these little buildings. moron.
December 3rd, 2007 at 7:26 pmHehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehe…
no…..wait….
hehehehehehehehehehehehehehehe
hehehehehehehe
hehehe..
he.. hickup…hehe
Still gotta bomb those bastards though…obviously..
http://www.tshirtinsurgency.com
December 3rd, 2007 at 7:29 pmNope… Sorry. The GOP is partisan to the core.
Comment by republicans hate facts — December 3, 2007 @ 7:16 pm
Then by all means, let’s do nothing.
Comment by Zooey — December 3, 2007 @ 7:20 pm
Not everything is all or nothing you know.
…Or we could focus what little resources we have on legislating and trying to get work done for the American people (as democrats have done), including withholding additional funding for Iraq until the administration complies.
And work on everything else that needs to get done, like health care for poor children, etc.,
Impeachment will CONSUME congress, and while it is an effort of political calculus to not impeach - it’s one done on the realization that the GOP is to partisan to succeed. That amounts to political kabuki at this point. A waste of time…
Oh, and just to be clear, I’d love it if they WOULD impeach, but I understand and sympathize with the congressional leaders. I realize their choice, and why they’re making it - even if it might not be the one I would prefer.
December 3rd, 2007 at 7:34 pmThe NIE covers 16 different “intelligence agency’s†and tries to paint a picture of what they think is going on at any one time. With 16 different agency’s, tens of thousands of people, the Russians, the Chinese, the Brits and about 30 other country’s spy’s and operatives sniffing around Iran by this time they are all knee deep in each others do do and never mind the fact that the whole manufacturing process is located in a building or buildings smaller than 1 wing of the Pentagon located some where between Gwabar and Tabriz in a million square miles but as a Progressive I have to believe the report because I hate Bush so much and that leaves me no other choice. The information may be as old as 2 years. I had a neighbor tell me he quit drinking 2 years ago……………but he started back up last month and with a fresh start and the knowledge he has gathered he should be ahead of his schedule by next week in consumption for the next biennium as he is building a monument to Dale Jr. out of Bud cans.
Comment by Billy Hill — December 3, 2007 @ 7:21 pm
Go back and take another hit of meth - this GOP ‘tarded post (posing as a liberal - how LAME) just proves why you nutters are incapable of being rational, thoughtful or competent.
December 3rd, 2007 at 7:35 pmI had a neighbor tell me he quit drinking 2 years ago…
Comment by Billy Hill
Not the same “friend” you went to SF with for the Pelosi concert by any chance?
You may want to consider smoking less salmon…..
December 3rd, 2007 at 7:42 pmBilly,
It seems you must maintain the piss-soaked fear stance at all costs. If you are so damned concerned about getting nuked by an Islamofascist, shouldn’t you be doing more about it, like getting personally involved in the war on terra?
December 3rd, 2007 at 7:43 pmMost of the current Republicans politicians are in strongly republican states, and those voters don’t care about doing the right thing. Sorry, but I disagree.
Comment by republicans hate facts — December 3, 2007 @ 7:16 pm
Here’s what I see. 10% of the country is completely bat-shit crazy (Cheney suporters). They’re racist, hateful and love making money off other people’s death. They’re unreachable. Another 10% is extremely partisan, party before country. They refuse to look at or believe established fact. Science scares them. They’re also unreachable. Another 10% has a flicker of conscience, they just don’t know it or what it means. They’ll only sway opinion or move to action if they see the sky actually falling on them. We can write most of them off too. The other 70% of the country, although of various education and intelligence, would be for impeachment if the case was made. This 70% is enough to be successful with impeachment IMO.
December 3rd, 2007 at 7:44 pmI was relieved to see this NIE story. I would rather not live in fear.
December 3rd, 2007 at 7:44 pmTruth,
Check your FB.
December 3rd, 2007 at 7:46 pmI agree. The Reps would see the writing on the wall, and they’d join in voting for impeachment. You can’t just go with the votes along party lines at this point — there will be cross-overs.
Comment by Zooey — December 3, 2007 @ 7:13 pm
I think Cheney would flee the country if the trial was underway. All it’ll take is for someone to call his bluff. It couldn’t be any more obvious.
December 3rd, 2007 at 7:46 pmI think Cheney would flee the country if the trial was underway. All it’ll take is for someone to call his bluff. It couldn’t be any more obvious.
Comment by 2MillionLightYearsToAndromeda — December 3, 2007 @ 7:46 pm
Exactly. I don’t care how much crap congress has to do — as if they’re doing much of it anyway — this country needs impeachment investigations, at the very least.
December 3rd, 2007 at 7:49 pmSee?
Told you crazy people would just find an excuse to invade Iran no matter how well behaved they are.
December 3rd, 2007 at 7:54 pmHere’s what I see. 10% of the country is completely bat-shit crazy (Cheney suporters). They’re racist, hateful and love making money off other people’s death. They’re unreachable. Another 10% is extremely partisan, party before country. They refuse to look at or believe established fact. Science scares them. They’re also unreachable. Another 10% has a flicker of conscience, they just don’t know it or what it means. They’ll only sway opinion or move to action if they see the sky actually falling on them. We can write most of them off too. The other 70% of the country, although of various education and intelligence, would be for impeachment if the case was made. This 70% is enough to be successful with impeachment IMO.
Comment by 2MillionLightYearsToAndromeda — December 3, 2007 @ 7:44 pm
Actually it’s about 25% that’s completely bats$%t crazy, and another 10-15% that’s not far behind. That’s the problem, they tend to bunch up and elect politicians that represent them (the GOP)
December 3rd, 2007 at 7:54 pmIran has made it plain they intend to work against the United States in our attempts to stabilize and democratize the middle east. This makes them our enemy.
Iran will have to be dealt with eventually.
Comment by O. Bigfoot — December 3, 2007 @ 7:51 pm
They have? Because even the pentagon credits Iran with stopping arms smuggling. Sounds more like you’ve confused Iran with the US which seems intent on destabilizing and installing US friendly dictator governments in the middle east (it’s what we’ve been doing for 50 years you know - little ‘tard).
December 3rd, 2007 at 7:56 pmIran will have to be dealt with eventually.
Comment by O. Bigfoot — December 3, 2007 @ 7:51 pm
well, it’s not going to be the weak, piss-poor US military, who has already been decimated by the weaponless, leaderless Iraqi insurgency. maybe we can hire the Poles. As long as rightard cowards refuse to enlist and back their mouth-offs with actual courage, we don’t stand a chance. nice of you to talk so big, bigmouth. Too bad you’re such a pansy.
December 3rd, 2007 at 7:59 pmLet me say this about that.
I am only slightly more suspicious of Iran’s long-term intentions than I am of this administration’s, though I’m obviously pleased with this NIE and its shot-across-the-bows to Cheney’s fear-/war-mongering.
As to TP’s suggestion that Bush lied, in this instance I’m not so sure that’s clear, and I don’t think TP gave its own source a fair reading.
The Q&A snippet that TP provides above has Bush saying he “believes” that Iran would like “the capacity, the knowledge” to build a nuclear weapon. From the declassified exec sum that was released to the media, I’m not at all sure that Bush’s conclusion there is unsupported by the NIE.
What it tells us — at least what this bit tells us — is that in a sense Iran has stopped actively developing the weapon development process. But of course by continuing to enrich uranium, they are continuing the pursuit of nuclear weapons capacity and knowledge. So Bush, though being dodgy on the specifics, made a statement that is supportable by the available evidence.
December 3rd, 2007 at 8:01 pmAlright BigFoot, but for now we’ll make sure we keep lots of spy satellites on them, lots of aircraft carriers on them. And we’ll keep all those new bases in Iraq, so we can be a constant threat and reminder to Iran. We’ll keep intelligence well-funded, and we won’t even out any US agents who may be working on Iran’s WMD programs.
Do you feel safer and ready for night, night?
December 3rd, 2007 at 8:08 pmThe Republican logic basically states: You cannot prove a negative. How can you prove something was not there, maybe you just never found it, and it’s still there.
December 3rd, 2007 at 8:15 pmIran has made it plain they intend to work against the United States in our attempts to stabilize and democratize the middle east. This makes them our enemy.
Iran will have to be dealt with eventually.
Comment by O. Bigfoot — December 3, 2007 @ 7:51 pm
And what about Saudi Arabia which is responsible for more bombs, soldiers and money that’s killing our troops? Do you support dropping nuclear bunker busters on the King’s castle?
December 3rd, 2007 at 8:19 pmAnd what about Saudi Arabia which is responsible for more bombs, soldiers and money that’s killing our troops? Do you support dropping nuclear bunker busters on the King’s castle?
Comment by 2MillionLightYearsToAndromeda
I think he will answer yes. He only cares about his bike and the Taco Bell around the corner… and not that much.
December 3rd, 2007 at 8:21 pmThe Republican logic basically states: You cannot prove a negative. How can you prove something was not there, maybe you just never found it, and it’s still there.
Comment by ForTruth — December 3, 2007 @ 8:15 pm
Sounds like that long whine from BART about GOD… These wackos are so extremist crazy there’s no way to have a logical and rational discussion with them.
December 3rd, 2007 at 8:21 pmI’d like to see discussion in the media about how much Bush and Cheney’s Iran war talk drove up the price of oil, even after they knew that Iran wasn’t pursuing nukes.
I used to think blaming the President for the price of gas was over extending, but I’m not so sure any more.
This is a meme that could catch on - maybe I’ll suggest it to MoveOn for ads.
December 3rd, 2007 at 8:26 pmEven Dimwitted Dana is a better liar the Simpleton Steve. Chinny et Bush should bring back ole Gongshow to relearn ‘em how ta lie.
December 3rd, 2007 at 8:28 pmwow….they can read….so what happened to the PDB aug 6/01…?
December 3rd, 2007 at 8:32 pmSaudi Arabia does produce quite a few successful anti US terrorists, what up wit dat?
December 3rd, 2007 at 8:34 pmBig Foot…one of these days you’re going to have too come out of the woods…..and into the real world….the whole thing was bullsh!t…
December 3rd, 2007 at 8:39 pmSo I guess Hadley will be promoted?
Dubbie’s got “Hazelwood Syndrome”…
…can’t resist retaining and promoting basket-case disaster monkeys.
December 3rd, 2007 at 8:46 pm72 - Dubby kisses Saudi royalty on the face, that’s what.
December 3rd, 2007 at 8:47 pmSaudi Arabia does produce quite a few successful anti US terrorists, what up wit dat?
Comment by ForTruth — December 3, 2007 @ 8:34 pm
Saudis Pour Oil Money into Terror
The news that Saudi Arabia is the nation providing the greatest number of foreign fighters in Iraq underscores the lies and duplicity at the foundation of President George W. Bush’s policies in the Middle East.
When the undersecretary of the Treasury in charge of tracking terror financing points to Saudi Arabia as a continuing conduit for millions of dollars to al-Qaeda, and the president ignores the assessment and then certifies that “Saudi Arabia is cooperating with efforts to combat international terrorism,†you know the fix is in.
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/11/27/5456/
December 3rd, 2007 at 8:50 pmIran has made it plain they intend to work against the United States in our attempts to stabilize and democratize the middle east. This makes them our enemy.
Iran will have to be dealt with eventually.
Comment by O. Bigfoot — December 3, 2007 @ 7:51 pm
About 200 years ago, we came up with something called the Monroe Doctrine, which I always thought made a certain amount of sense even though it was inherently patronizing toward the rest of the Western Hemisphere. At least there was some internal logic to it, namely that this part of the planet was our backyard and the Europeans needed to stay out of it.
The problem with modern Imperialists (such as Bigfoot) is two-fold. First of all, we decided somewhere along the line that “our backyard” was the entire planet, and that’s only because we haven’t begun to colonize offworld. The second problem is that no one else gets to have the same “rights” that we do.
The idea that Iran would have a solid vested interest in what transpires in their immediate vicinity has no legitimacy at all to these people. Even the fact that, historically, Iran has about a 2500-year-old jump on us seems to mean nothing to them. “Our” interests supercede all others, even if the meaning of “our” is left purposely vague.
The Iranians have at least as much right to “stabilize” their neighbors as the US does, and probably a lot more so. The myth that we intend to “democratize” the Middle East is so absurd and so utterly lacking in supporting evidence that it should be laughed out of the room whenever it is raised. I’m sure the Iranians, post-Mossadeq, think the notion is hysterical.
December 3rd, 2007 at 8:58 pmHeckuva Job, Stevie.
Bush & Cheney sent Hadley out today for “damage control” and he couldn’t even keep the lies straight. Just tell us, Stevie, WHEN did Bush Boy get the NIE Report?
Call Pelosi, Reid, Leahy, Waxman, and everyone you can reach tomorrow morning. Demand that both houses of Congress address this latest scandal when they reconvene tomorrow afternoon.
We are mad as hell and we’re not going to take it anymore.
December 3rd, 2007 at 9:35 pm#58 Comment by O. Bigfoot — December 3, 2007 @ 7:51 pm
Iran has made it plain they intend to work against the United States in our attempts to stabilize and democratize the middle east. This makes them our enemy.
Iran will have to be dealt with eventually.
As usual you are completely out of touch with reality. Explain to me what gives you (BushCo) the right to go into other soverign countries and “stabilize and democratize” them. Just because you want to?
It is “Emperor Bigfoot,” is it not? If so, that explains everything.
December 3rd, 2007 at 9:53 pmAnd then Heidi was like.. ‘Spencer, if you leave. Don’t come back!” and then he leaves… Like WTF?
December 3rd, 2007 at 10:01 pmIran has made it plain they intend to work against the United States in our attempts to stabilize and democratize the middle east. This makes them our enemy.
Iran will have to be dealt with eventually.
Comment by O. Bigfoot — December 3, 2007 @ 7:51 pm
Is this the thanks they get for helping us oust the Taliban?
December 3rd, 2007 at 10:17 pmIran has made it plain they intend to work against the United States in our attempts to stabilize and democratize the middle east. This makes them our enemy.
Iran will have to be dealt with eventually.
Comment by O. Bigfoot — December 3, 2007 @ 7:51 pm
Also - how do you plan to democratize a democracy? (Iran’s a democracy just fyi)
December 3rd, 2007 at 10:18 pmIran has made it plain they intend to work against the United States in our attempts to stabilize and democratize the middle east. This makes them our enemy.
Iran will have to be dealt with eventually.
Comment by O. Bigfoot — December 3, 2007 @ 7:51 pm
And if our attempts to stabilize and democratize the Middle East include such winning techniques as encouraging Israel to beat the crap out of south Lebanon, propping up repressive governments in Egypt, Libya, and Saudi Arabia, supporting elections in Palestine and then cutting off the territories because they didn’t elect the corrupt terrorist-supporting party we liked, and invading Iraq and turning the cradle of civilization into a clusterfcuk of tribal warfare, then maybe we should step aside and let Iran have a shot.
December 3rd, 2007 at 10:27 pmAlso - how do you plan to democratize a democracy? (Iran’s a democracy just fyi)
Comment by toasterhead — December 3, 2007 @ 10:18 pm
But, Iran has a “religious fanatic” as President and the Ayatollahs tell him what to do.
Bush was “instructed by God” to attack Afghanistan and Iraq while receiving advice from the likes of Ted Haggard and Pat Robertson.
We have nothing in common. /sarc off
December 3rd, 2007 at 10:37 pmlooks like BigFoot stubbed his bigtoe
December 3rd, 2007 at 10:42 pmtoasterhead — Fantastic!
December 3rd, 2007 at 10:46 pm72 - Dubby kisses Saudi royalty on the face, that’s what.
Comment by tombaker — December 3, 2007 @ 8:47 pm
Well, to be fair, that is a proper greeting among men in Gulf Arab cultures.
December 3rd, 2007 at 10:50 pmI spent the Thanksgiving vacation reading the PhaseII Intelligence report. That document says that the administration did the same thing going into Iraq. Most people I know don’t even realize that there was a PhaseII report. It shows this same pattern of ignoring the facts. Maybe we have seen a true American do his job and release this report!
December 3rd, 2007 at 10:53 pmWell, to be fair, that is a proper greeting among men in Gulf Arab cultures.
Comment by toasterhead — December 3, 2007 @ 10:50 pm
yeah, but what about congressional Republicans?
And crotch-sniffing?
December 3rd, 2007 at 11:12 pmOkay, but the real question is:
Will the media remain PATSIES or will they report BUSH LIED ABOUT IRAN LIKE HE LIED ABOUR IRAQ?!1?
December 3rd, 2007 at 11:48 pm72 - Dubby kisses Saudi royalty on the face, that’s what.
Comment by tombaker — December 3, 2007 @ 8:47 pm
Well, to be fair, that is a proper greeting among men in Gulf Arab cultures.
Comment by toasterhead — December 3, 2007 @ 10:50 pm
Well, kissing yes, but did he have to FRENCH KISS him? I mean… REALLY…
December 3rd, 2007 at 11:49 pmSomebody needs to go back over Bush’s State of the Union address and look for false statements on Iran along the lines of his infamous 16 words. If there are any they would represent perjury. That is why Bush was forces to say those 16 words should not have been in his SOTU address.
December 3rd, 2007 at 11:49 pmAhh ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha . . .
The pig-sh!ts foiled for once . . . wow . . . hard to believe that congress
didn’t give them the okay to nuke the entire middle east before now.
My gawd . . . do I really detect ‘good news’ for once in 7 fecking years ?
Naww . . . it can’t be so . . . must be a dream .
December 3rd, 2007 at 11:54 pmand at bush’s next press conference we can expect him to answer questions on this? - will he eat a bit of humble pie or will the press stick to the programme and dodge the issue…..we NEED to hear cheney and the chimp quizzed on this new info
December 3rd, 2007 at 11:58 pmWell, to be fair, that is a proper greeting among men in Gulf Arab cultures.
Comment by toasterhead
Well, here is for gays.
December 4th, 2007 at 12:02 amwe NEED to hear cheney and the chimp quizzed on this new info
Comment by shaun — December 3, 2007 @ 11:58 pm
Cheney and his Scoop Jackson cronies spent the better part of the 70s and 80s trying to discredit the CIA. I’m sure they’re working on this right now.
What’s that about Wolfowitz getting a new job as a security adviser in an obscure White House office?
Nah - must be a coincidence.
December 4th, 2007 at 12:08 amQ: Are you all in the White House a pack of lying hyenas?
Answer: Uh, I’ll have to get back to you on that one.
December 4th, 2007 at 12:19 amhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellowcake_forgery
“Investigative reporters Carlo Bonini and Giuseppe d’Avanzo report that Nicolo Pollari, chief of Italy’s military intelligence service, known as Sismi, brought the Niger yellowcake story directly to the White House after his insistent overtures had been rejected by the Central Intelligence Agency in 2001 and 2002. Sismi had reported to the CIA on October 15, 2001, that Iraq had sought yellowcake in Niger, a report it also plied on British intelligence, creating an echo that the Niger forgeries themselves purported to amplify before they were exposed as a hoax.
Pollari met secretly in Washington on September 9, 2002, with then–Deputy National Security Advisor STEPHEN HADLEY. Their secret meeting came at a critical moment in the White House campaign to convince Congress and the American public that war in Iraq was necessary to prevent Saddam Hussein from developing nuclear weapons.”
December 4th, 2007 at 1:21 amI think Iran just wants to provide themselves with nuclear energy for their country so they can sell the oil to the rest of the world.
December 4th, 2007 at 2:34 amWar criminal profiteer and junkie GWBush simply itches for more war. Like a junkie in need of more dope. He’ll say and do whatever it takes to mislead this nation into war.
December 4th, 2007 at 2:43 amhttp://www.dni.gov/ press_releases/ 20071203_release.pdf
December 4th, 2007 at 4:25 amFact-Based Intelligence Prevails on Nukes and Iran
by Ray McGovern
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/12/03/5590/
December 4th, 2007 at 4:28 amWhy does Think Progress insist on misquoting Bush and misrepresenting the NIE by removing caveats?
Comment by DreamCrusher — December 4, 2007 @ 4:13 am
Because we have a President and ruling cabal who notoriously ignores caveats, details, and facts, and makes policy based on beliefs rather than facts.
December 4th, 2007 at 5:42 amThank God for Admiral Fallon!
US SPY AGENCIES CONTRADICT BUSH; IRAN ENDED NUKE ARMS WORK IN ‘03
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/12/03/5590/
Fact-Based Intelligence Prevails on Nukes and Iran
——–
General Pace fired to clear way for “national emergency,†Iran nuclear strike?
by Paul Craig Roberts
http://www.globalresearch.ca/ index.php?context=va&aid=6110
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/11/4/04233/2962
The difference between coup, and mutiny
At the Mercy of the Military by Chris Hedges
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/11/12/5164 /
December 4th, 2007 at 6:19 amSo by doing the same thing, Think Progress is just like Bush, according to you. How ironic.
Comment by DreamCrusher — December 4, 2007 @ 7:38 am
Recommend (0) | Report Abuse
Nice try, but your lies don’t fly here. You’ve been shown the eror of y8our ways, and Bush has been proven a liar. Just go, you’re a waste of space, at best, and a supporter of treason, at worst.
December 4th, 2007 at 8:09 amSo by doing the same thing, Think Progress is just like Bush, according to you. How ironic.
Comment by DreamCrusher — December 4, 2007 @ 7:38 am
The fact that you have to resort to parsing language of intelligence estimates and the President’s statements for minutia of word choices proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that you and your fellow warmongering traitors are truly grasping at straws. It also shows that you are sadly lacking in both reading and critical thinking skills. You must be a product of No Child Left Behind.
December 4th, 2007 at 8:26 amI think we’re going to find out a lot of the TRUTH once this administration is out of office - in about 15 years, when he and his administration is long gone. Unfortunately it will be too late to do anything about.
Congress needs to Impeach this man and do it now. That is the only way to get to the bottom of all these lies.
Coonsey’s View
December 4th, 2007 at 9:40 amhttp://www.freewebs.com/coonsey/
Swipe everything onto the floor and ‘WHUMP’!
Place impeachment firmly on the table top - NOW!!!!!!!
Way far over due…..
December 4th, 2007 at 10:05 amPoint should be - Going public with WWIII talk with knowledge of a much less threat - TOTALLY Impeachable!
December 4th, 2007 at 10:13 amOh please. Let’s put those quotes back in context, OK?
The NIE said:
“Tehran’s decision to halt its nuclear weapons program suggests it is less determined to develop nuclear weapons than we have been judging since 2005.â€
Ooooh, suggests! Think Progress removes the caveat and presents it as if it is fact.
——-
Okay but if you put the emphasis on “Tehran’s decision to halt its nuclear weapons program ” then it’d be pretty damned dishonest to come out with “I believe they want to have the capacity, the knowledge, in order to make a nuclear weapon.â€
How would they have the capacity if they halted their weapons program?
December 4th, 2007 at 10:54 amBUSH AND BLAIR LIED AND PEOPLE DIED! IMPEACH, INDICT, IMPRISON!
December 4th, 2007 at 1:09 pmdeebaser… Bush & Co. omited that Iraq had no WMD, they omited that Saddam Hussein did not procure aluminium tubes, Collin Powell in the UN omited the fact that those ‘cartoons’ he presented than were nothing but ‘cartoons’. And God know what they omited about 9/11!!!!!!!!!!!
December 4th, 2007 at 1:12 pmPoint should be - Going public with WWIII talk with knowledge of a much less threat - TOTALLY Impeachable!
December 4th, 2007 at 1:14 pmI AGREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“OH MY GOD”…………….WE ARE IN-FOR-IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
December 6th, 2007 at 11:45 am