Ari Fleischer Blasts CPI Study: ‘They’re Only Attacking Republicans’ For Pre-War Iraq Lies
Ari Fleischer Blasts CPI Study: ‘They’re Only Attacking Republicans’ For Pre-War Iraq Lies
Yesterday on Fox’s Hannity & Colmes, co-host Alan Colmes interrogated former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer about a new study by the Center for Public Integrity and the Fund for Independence in Journalism that found the Bush administration issued 935 false statements about the threat from Iraq in the two years following 9/11.
The report states that Fleischer made at least 109 false statements. Some examples from the database:
“Were Saddam Hussein able to transfer any of the weapons of mass destruction–the chemical, the biological weapons, or the nuclear weapons that he seeks–to these organizations, it would be too late for the United States to do anything.” [9/4/02]
“Unless Iraq proves that they destroyed them, where are they?” [1/21/03]
“We know that there are operatives of Al Qaeda operating inside Baghdad.” [2/12/03]
When confronted about his false statements, Fleischer responded that the study is “making the attack against everybody who said what the CIA had legitimately reported to two administrations. But they’re only attacking Republicans for it. … We were wrong. We’ve always said that. But the Democrats were wrong.”
Sean Hannity refused to accept Fleischer’s concession. “Ari, I don’t think you were wrong. I’m sure those weapons were moved.” Watch it:
Fleischer’s attempts to fault the Democrats for Bush’s war of choice appear to be a reprise of Karl Rove’s efforts to shift blame.
In fact, the CPI study was not partisan in nature. It focused on the statements of the key administration officials who “were part of an orchestrated campaign that effectively galvanized public opinion and, in the process, led the nation to war under decidedly false pretenses.”
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That’s hilarious!
January 24th, 2008 at 11:13 amIt’s the White House that pushed for war!
Ari’s a funny guy.
And they didn’t include statements made by Republicans outside of the administration, either.
January 24th, 2008 at 11:14 amBetter watch what you say! ~Ari
January 24th, 2008 at 11:15 amIt’d be interesting if they did a follow-up study on the number of “journalists” that printed and broadcast these 935 lies without challenging or questioning their accuracy. I wager it’d be the size of a phone book.
January 24th, 2008 at 11:16 amFull disclosure here… The study was posted Tuesday on the Web site of the Center for Public Integrity, which worked with the Fund for Independence in Journalism. They are funded by George Soros.
January 24th, 2008 at 11:18 amStandard Republican Operating Procedure: Blame the Democrats. (No matter who, what, when, where, why or how much.
January 24th, 2008 at 11:19 am“I’m sure those weapons were moved.†- Hannity
republicans are always so emotional when it comes to reality..
they FEEL they are right…
even when the facts are against them…
January 24th, 2008 at 11:20 amHmmm….Well, his comment would be more relevant if it was accompanied by some evidence, BUT why bother start providing evidence now? Not providing it has worked so well for the last 7 years.
January 24th, 2008 at 11:22 am“making the attack against everybody who said what the CIA had legitimately reported to two administrations. But they’re only attacking Republicans for it. … We were wrong. We’ve always said that. But the Democrats were wrong.â€
Okay, a couple of points:
1) He has the BALLS to say “We were wrong. We’ve always said that.“ HUH??? Cheney STILL insists he was right. Bush has only begrudgingly admitted that Saddam was not involved with 9/11 because he was pressed to acknowledge the FACTS. He STILL links the two, and he STILL mumbles crap about WMD. Mindless parrots like Hannity still cling to the delusion that a brutal dictator would move his WMD out of the country rather than use them on a hated enemy massing on his border.
2) “they’re only attacking Republicans for it” Gee, I wonder why? Could it be that it was a Republican administration that cherry-picked the intel it wanted in order to invade a nation that hadn’t attacked us? Could it be because it was Republican House that filled out the ranks and gave Bush cover? Could it be because in the Bush years Democrats were made as irrelevant to the governing process as possible?
3) but you gotta give Ari props for pulling one out of the Troll Bag O’ Tricks and trying to use the “Clinton Did It Tooâ„¢” defense. Ari Fleisher is now modeling himself after O’Bigfool and Frank M. A clear sign of the moral and intellectual bankruptcy of the Right.
January 24th, 2008 at 11:22 amWhen confronted about his false statements, Fleischer responded that the study is “making the attack against everybody who said what the CIA had legitimately reported to two administrations. But they’re only attacking Republicans for it. … We were wrong.
Ari just admitted that the invasion of Iraq was illegal!
They were wrong!
January 24th, 2008 at 11:24 amThey Were Wrong!!
THEY WERE WRONG!!!
Full disclosure here… The study was posted Tuesday on the Web site of the Center for Public Integrity, which worked with the Fund for Independence in Journalism. They are funded by George Soros.
Comment by Badmoodman — January 24, 2008 @ 11:18 am
Full disclosure here…Ari is as big a liar as his former wannabe dictator boss.
January 24th, 2008 at 11:24 amSuch lies have been a key part of the White House’s manipulation of public sentiment throughout the Iraq war/occupation enterprise. In particular, many of the fabrications have been designed to activate our core concerns about issues of vulnerability, injustice, distrust, superiority, and helplessness. I’ve recently completed a 10-minute online video entitled “Resisting the Drums of War†that examines these warmongering appeals and offers suggestions for how to counter them. It’s available for viewing HERE.
January 24th, 2008 at 11:25 amFiaz, how can you call this study non-partisan? It’s from a “think tank†founded and funded by the same guy who founded and funded your little web site! How about some Full Disclosure here.
Comment by Gin — January 24, 2008 @ 11:20 am
Okay, Gin, you’ve alerted all of us to the evil hand of George Soros behind all this.
Are you prepared to offer a critique of the report beyond that?
Which statements in the report were not actually made by the administration officials to whom they are attributed?
Which elements of context noted (i. e. other intelligence known at the time, for instance) are falsely presented?
Which Democratic president used this intel to authorize an invasion and occupation of Iraq?
January 24th, 2008 at 11:27 amThe study was posted Tuesday on the Web site of the Center for Public Integrity, which worked with the Fund for Independence in Journalism. They are funded by George Soros.
Comment by Badmoodman — January 24, 2008 @ 11:18 am
So what? Does this somehow make those 935 lies true?
January 24th, 2008 at 11:29 am“Now there is an Inconvenient Truth.”
Comment by Gin
By the time Bush invaded, any chemical or biological weapons Saddam had would have been inert. The stuff under your sink is more deadly.
January 24th, 2008 at 11:31 amFiaz, how can you call this study non-partisan? It’s from a “think tank†founded and funded by the same guy who founded and funded your little web site! How about some Full Disclosure here.
Comment by Gin — January 24, 2008 @ 11:20 am
well, patriotism is never going to be respected by the traitors of the right. how about disproving the facts of the study instead of worrying about who funded it?
No? Didn’t think so.
January 24th, 2008 at 11:32 amAs to the so called lies, all you need to do is read this…
http://www.cnn.com/ US/ 9812/ 16/ clinton.iraq.speech/
Now there is an Inconvenient Truth.
Comment by Gin — January 24, 2008 @ 11:24 am
So, what’s new? Clinton, representing the Left wing of the Neo-Con party, and being in on the deceptions?
Like I have been saying, Ron Paul and Dennis Kucinich…Two of the only ones NOT bought and sold by the NeoCoNaZionists.
January 24th, 2008 at 11:32 amNow there is an Inconvenient Truth.
Comment by Gin — January 24, 2008 @ 11:24 am
Only in wingnutville is 1998 the same as 2003.
January 24th, 2008 at 11:33 amthis ot but whatever happened to ex-lax?
did she die?
January 24th, 2008 at 11:34 amSo what? Does this somehow make those 935 lies true?
- - What part of “Full Disclosure” do you people not understand or find so repugnant? If a Right-leaning study had been done that supported any argument they wanted to promote, everyone on this board would be yelling about how the study was funded by that Right wing entity.
Yes, this administration ginned up the reasons for war. This is news? And by this study being funded by Mr. Soros it gives the Right a perfect rebuttal. That’s the reality and I don’t live in any bubble.
January 24th, 2008 at 11:34 am“They’re only attacking Republicans for pre-war Iraq lies”
Well, DUH. After all, it was REPUBLICANS that cooked the books on the intelligence and saber-rattling FOR war.
In accordance with the Nuremberg tribunal rulings. Conspiracy, planning, and waging a war of aggression in the SUPREME WAR CRIME.
Accordingly, Bush/Cheney, Wolfowitz, Feith, Perle, Rumsfeld, Rice, Powell, Abrams, & Fleischer are WAR CRIMINALS and should be sentenced to death.
January 24th, 2008 at 11:34 amAwe, would you look at that. A rupubliholic, with his back up against the wall, starts in with the ole stand by whine…
i’m the victim here!!! Bill Clinton!!!! Al Gore!!!!! the Democrats!!!
anybody? anybody? errrrr….
January 24th, 2008 at 11:34 amSure, the Clinton Administration is just as wrong for invading and occupying Iraq under false pretense. If Clinton hadn’t invaded, we wouldn’t be there now, debating about whether or not it was the right decision based on ambiguous ‘conditions on the ground’.
January 24th, 2008 at 11:35 amdid exlax die?
one can only hope.
January 24th, 2008 at 11:37 amFull disclosure here… The study was posted Tuesday on the Web site of the Center for Public Integrity, which worked with the Fund for Independence in Journalism. They are funded by George Soros.
Comment by Badmoodman — January 24, 2008 @ 11:18 am
What does that mean? “Funded by George Soros” ? Here is a list of the people and foundations funding CPI. Perhaps you’d like to first identify which of those is “George Soros” and what percentage of the funding comes from him.
Hmmm. Doesn’t seem to be on the Board of Directors.
Not on the advisory board.
Please, instead of mouthing wingnut “information”, be specific about how George Soros “funds” this organization.
January 24th, 2008 at 11:39 am- What part of “Full Disclosure†do you people not understand or find so repugnant? If a Right-leaning study had been done that supported any argument they wanted to promote, everyone on this board would be yelling about how the study was funded by that Right wing entity.
Comment by Badmoodman — January 24, 2008 @ 11:34 am
I have no problem with full disclosure. Thank you for informing me that the evil George Soros funded this study. Now please explain which of those 935 lies have suddenly become true because the evil George Soros funded the study documenting them.
January 24th, 2008 at 11:39 amHow about some Full Disclosure here.
How can it be partisan when most of the statements were made by non-elected officials? If it were partisan, someone would have to be seeking office.
How about you speak to the facts rather than whining about the source, which did nothing except compile from transcripts things that have been shown to be false? Not a single conservative on the internet has been able to dispute that these statements were made perniciously. We all know about the intelligence stovepipes, and the Dept. of Energy (the authority on nuclear materials processing) said we were wrong on our WMD evidence way before we went to Iraq, but they were ignored, mostly because they knew what they were talking about.
The ONLY reason that you bastards are getting away with this is because of an uneducated public (maybe also why you morons still support it). Wake up and deal with reality.
January 24th, 2008 at 11:39 amMaybe Scotty McClellan will send Ari a signed copy of his new book.
January 24th, 2008 at 11:41 amAny “lies” that the Democrats told were simply a repeat of the lies the Administration made to them. They were fools to believe that George Bush would tell them the truth.
January 24th, 2008 at 11:41 amThey are funded by George Soros.
Comment by Badmoodman
1) I’m sure you have proof of this.
2) What difference does it make?
Following your line of thinking, anything that is funded by Rupert Murdoch would also be suspect. Is that what you want to say here?
January 24th, 2008 at 11:42 amby this study being funded by Mr. Soros it gives the Right a perfect rebuttal. That’s the reality and I don’t live in any bubble.
Comment by Badmoodman — January 24, 2008 @ 11:34 am
I see your point, Badmoodman, and it’s true, the source of funding for the study gives the Right a crevice into which to anchor their pathetic litttle pitons. But it’s far from a rebuttal.
In fact, it’s the only thing they can point to. well, that and their sad little “Clinton Did It Tooâ„¢” whine.
As toasterhead pointed out, George Soros’ funding has no impact on whether or not the statements in the public record by administration officials are true or not.
All Mr. Soros’ involvement does is give the desperate a way to stir up a cloud of dust. And that’s all they’ve got.
January 24th, 2008 at 11:43 amYou gotta love these right wing loons. They think all they have to do is say “George Soros” and it should be case closed. Why is that?
January 24th, 2008 at 11:43 amIf Bush apologists want to dismiss outright anything that is related to George Soros because of alleged bias, they must join in dismissing outright anything from Rupert Murdoch too.
Murdoch owns more TV, satellite and newspapers than anyone on the planet.
Talk about a springboard for propaganda.
Soros doesn’t own a single newspaper or tv station.
-GSD
January 24th, 2008 at 11:43 amAri was the best liar Bush ever had as press secretary. Scotty couldn’t handle the job at all because he always had the deer in the headlights look when lying. Tony Snow was a world class liar, but everyone knew he was lying simply because he used to work for Fox News. Dana Perino is an interesting choice as press secretary. Bush went a different direction when he picked someone who is just too dimwitted and uninformed to even know that she is lying.
January 24th, 2008 at 11:44 amHow about from their own website?
* Full disclosure: The Open Society Institute, which was founded by George Soros, is a funder of the Center for Public Integrity.
http://www.publicintegrity.org/report.aspx?aid=196
But so what?
Comment by Gin — January 24, 2008 @ 11:42 am
Once again, Gin, point taken.
Now how does this make any of the statements identified in the report any less false?
January 24th, 2008 at 11:45 amMany of same moronic Democrats will have their belligerent war talk against Iran thrown back in their faces too.
You can’t say the GOP doesn’t play them like a fiddle.
-GSD
January 24th, 2008 at 11:45 amARI THE LIAR: …”But they’re only attacking Republicans for it. … We were wrong. We’ve always said that. But the Democrats were wrong.â€
Ding! Another lie.
Yeah, the Dems were wrong — because you liars in the Bush administration fed them LIES!
January 24th, 2008 at 11:45 amMan, it sucks when all the worlds intelligence agencies got it wrong and believed they had WMD’s. Blaming Bush for intelligence failures I guess is justified in some sense because he is President but I certainly wouldn’t call what Ari said lies. He was just telling the American public what the CIA, British intelligence, and many other believed.
Maybe the Dems should focus their hate on their other favorite target, our CIA, Military, etc.
January 24th, 2008 at 11:46 amI will never forget how arrogant and paranoid Ari Fleisher was after Bill Maher made some comments about the war. He said, “people better watch what they say”….which was basically a threat to the press. That was the begining of the downfall of America.
He should be in prison.
January 24th, 2008 at 11:46 am* Full disclosure: The Open Society Institute, which was founded by George Soros, is a funder of the Center for Public Integrity.
http://www.publicintegrity.org/report.aspx?aid=196
But so what?
Comment by Gin — January 24, 2008 @ 11:42 am
But did Soros fund the study? No? then what’s the difference?
January 24th, 2008 at 11:46 amBut so what?
Comment by Gin — January 24, 2008 @ 11:42 am
Well, that settles it then. An organization George Soros founded funds the organization that wrote the study. This obviously means that Saddam Hussein was trying to buy yellowcake uranium from Niger after all. Proof positive!
January 24th, 2008 at 11:47 amI see the usual GOP MO is in full swing on this issue. If you can’t refute the facts, blame the messenger. If facts aren’t on your side, blame Clinton. It’s getting difficult for the Right Wing to create it’s own “reality” when the relentless lying that this Administration has done is part of the public record and now easily researched in an online database. You almost feel sorry for the trolls. There jobs trying to sell the GOP’s talking points is getting harder day by day. Each and every one of their Republican Primary candidates sucks. Their representatives in Congress and the Senate are risking major defeat in the next election round due to their obfuscation and continued ass licking of the lame duck and his dick, Cheney. The legacy of their king and his band of corporate mercinaries is swirling around the toilet bound to be forever written into the history books as THE worst administration in US history if not the first to be imprisoned for their traitorous acts against our Country and our Constitution. Keep it up, trolls! Happy days ahead….NOT!
January 24th, 2008 at 11:47 amIt’s interesting how, when they controlled the House and Senate, Republican’ts made every effort to marginalize Democrats — ignoring their input, holding meetings without them…
Now that there’s blame to be distributed, they’re all about bi-partisanship.
Pathetic.
January 24th, 2008 at 11:47 amBritish intelligence, and many other believed.
Comment by Roger_Roger
Never heard of the Downing Street Memos, eh?
January 24th, 2008 at 11:48 amHe was just telling the American public what the CIA, British intelligence, and many other believed.
Maybe the Dems should focus their hate on their other favorite target, our CIA, Military, etc.
Comment by Roger_Roger — January 24, 2008 @ 11:46 am
lies, rr. The CIA was very specific in denying the existence of WMD, as was the UN inspection team. British Intelligence like wise pulled back when it learned of the results of the UN inspections. Your lies are getting a little ridiculous.
January 24th, 2008 at 11:48 amPlease, instead of mouthing wingnut “informationâ€, be specific about how George Soros “funds†this organization.
Comment by gummitch — January 24, 2008 @ 11:39 am
How about from their own website?
* Full disclosure: The Open Society Institute, which was founded by George Soros, is a funder of the Center for Public Integrity.
http://www.publicintegrity.org/report.aspx?aid=196
But so what?
Comment by Gin — January 24, 2008 @ 11:42 am
Hey, you’re the one who brought it up. You tell us “so what”?
Notice that “a funder” is quite different than “funded by”. The fact that Soros, or anyone else, makes a contribution to an organization is the boogey man of the wingnuts. You and your fellow wingnut implied that this somehow sullied the report and demanded “full disclosure”.
January 24th, 2008 at 11:48 amMan, it sucks when all the worlds intelligence agencies got it wrong and believed they had WMD’s.
Comment by Roger_Roger — January 24, 2008 @ 11:46 am
Prove that statement.
the British “sexed up” their reports going into the war, and the CIA found what Bush wanted them to find.
January 24th, 2008 at 11:49 amMan, it sucks when all the worlds intelligence agencies got it wrong and believed they had WMD’s.
Comment by Roger_Roger — January 24, 2008 @ 11:46 am
Actually, most of the world’s intelligence agencies had it right until the neocon’s Team B came along and made them fudge the facts.
January 24th, 2008 at 11:49 amSo now all the liars are being outed, and are desparately scrambling to avoid the Nuremberg Noose. I will attend the hangings, and cheer mightily for the USA’s release from these traitors.
January 24th, 2008 at 11:50 amYour lies are getting a little ridiculous.
Comment by Lefty Patriot
The only way to defend liars is by lying.
January 24th, 2008 at 11:50 amConfused Comment by Roger_Roger
Exhibit “a:” republicanis rodentium.
January 24th, 2008 at 11:51 amExcuse me… maybe I missed something…
but since when did the truth become partisan??
January 24th, 2008 at 11:51 amThe only way to defend liars is by lying.
Comment by shoeless — January 24, 2008 @ 11:50 am
and they never learn; that’s how they’re always brought down.
January 24th, 2008 at 11:51 ambut since when did the truth become partisan??
Comment by raynman — January 24, 2008 @ 11:51 am
As Stephen Colbert has pointed out on numerous occasions, the truth has a well-known liberal bias.
January 24th, 2008 at 11:52 amGod damn, it must be painful being a troll these days.
And embarrassing too.
January 24th, 2008 at 11:52 amMan, it sucks when all the worlds intelligence agencies got it wrong and believed they had WMD’s.
Comment by Roger_Roger — January 24, 2008 @ 11:46 am
You mean, like the Germans, who warned the CIA that Curveball was a liar, and that they shouldn’t rely on his testimony?
I kind of admire the wingnuts like R2 who have the audacity to claim that there was this worldwide push to war, but now that Bush was wrong, everyone disavows their claims.
Y’know, it’s funny… I seem to remember Bush having quite a difficult time gathering support from other nations for this adventure. I seem to recall, in fact, massive protests in the great capitals of Europe and Asia against Bush’s invasion. I can picture the grave misgivings in the UN Security Council — so much so that Bush decided against pushing for a vote on another resolution.
I don’t recall this global unanimity that R2 seems to remember.
Anyone else?
January 24th, 2008 at 11:53 amIs Harry Reid a crypto-Bush-dog-Democrat?
January 24th, 2008 at 11:54 amThe coalition of the Billing seems to have lost its steam. Iceland pulled its only troop.
January 24th, 2008 at 11:54 amSean Hannity is a such an idiot!!! Why would they move the weapons? Saving those WMDS for a rainy day? If Iraq had ‘em, why didn’t they use ‘em? You know against our invading army. Impeach Cheney, impeach Bush and hang them both just like their buddy Saddam.
January 24th, 2008 at 11:55 amGeorge Soros! George Soros! George Soros!
Have you all wingnuts got it out now?
January 24th, 2008 at 11:55 amI don’t recall this global unanimity that R2 seems to remember.
Anyone else?
Comment by ralph the wonder llama — January 24, 2008 @ 11:53 am
Only Bushitler and his neocon Reich wanted this. Everybody else was strongarmed and lied to.
January 24th, 2008 at 11:56 ambut since when did the truth become partisan??
Comment by raynman — January 24, 2008 @ 11:51 am
Since Republican’ts realized that the Truth has a liberal bias.
January 24th, 2008 at 11:56 amI wonder how much good money roger roger would throw at a bad investment. I wonder if he would want to send a 2nd child of his into burning building after the 1st child whom he sent in to save the cat that was never in the building.
I wonder why he insists he feels no pain when he continually bangs his head into the wall.
January 24th, 2008 at 11:57 amYou mean, like the Germans, who warned the CIA that Curveball was a liar, and that they shouldn’t rely on his testimony?
Comment by ralph the wonder llama — January 24, 2008 @ 11:53 am
Perhaps you haven’t been reading the thread, but George Soros funded the study on the 935 lies told by the administration. This means that Curveball was in fact 100% correct.
January 24th, 2008 at 12:00 pmI see your point, Badmoodman, and it’s true, the source of funding for the study gives the Right a crevice into which to anchor their pathetic litttle pitons. But it’s far from a rebuttal.
- - Thanks Ralph, somebody got it.
January 24th, 2008 at 12:01 pmMaybe it’s because - ONLY THE REPUBLICANS LIED - yeah, that could be it.
Buck Fush
January 24th, 2008 at 12:04 pmLet’s not forget that this list is strictly of the clear lies that were told. If the list also included all the intentionally “misleading” quotes that the Administration has spewed when banging their war drums the number would be staggering. Cheney may have been low on the list of number of lies told but considering how little he actually speaks to the media, his lies told per words spoken ratio would probably outshine all of these criminals.
January 24th, 2008 at 12:06 pmAri Fleischer Blasts CPI Study: ‘They’re Only Attacking Republicans’ For Pre-War Iraq Lies
- - - - -
yeah? really? so the fu(k what?
Ari, if you don’t like the report, go write your own report. I’m 100% positive Fox “News” will broadcast any stupid shit you write on a piece of paper.
January 24th, 2008 at 12:07 pmMURDERER Bush is a COXUCKER punk TRAITOR to the USA, a little silver-spoon Nazi.
Soros is a PATRIOT to the USA, who lived under Nazi occupation, and knows Nazis like Bush.
January 24th, 2008 at 12:07 pmHe obviously went to the george bush school of “Make up you own reality” and got great grades…
WHAT A LOSER!!!
January 24th, 2008 at 12:08 pmSo… what happened to Gin? Didn’t she have anything except “George Soros!!!“?
January 24th, 2008 at 12:10 pm“We were wrong. We’ve always said that.”
——————————————-
Um…WHEN has this administration EVER admitted they were wrong???
January 24th, 2008 at 12:12 pmAri Fluscher is swirling down the bowl along with the rest of the Bush turds.
Say hi to the Tidy Bowl Man Ari.
-GSD
January 24th, 2008 at 12:14 pmIf a Right-leaning study had been done that supported any argument they wanted to promote, everyone on this board would be yelling about how the study was funded by that Right wing entity.
Comment by Badmoodman — January 24, 2008 @ 11:34 am
Yes, we might be yelling about who funded the study, but we would be spending most of our time rebutting the findings. It’s not too hard to do that with right wing reports.
So, since this is a report you apparently disagree with, why aren’t you rebutting the findings instead of yelling about who funded the study? Which of these “lies” are actually true?
January 24th, 2008 at 12:15 pmAri’s right, the Democrats should have balked at giving Bush carte blanche to attack anyone and everyone he wanted to, after 9/11; and they certainly should never have voted to authorize invading Iraq. And they are wrong to continue to FUND the occupation.
Having witnessed the Afghanistan fiasco, common sense told anyone who was paying attention that invading Iraq would end in a worse disaster for us than Saddam’s possession of a nuke ever could. There was plenty of evidence though, that what we were being told about Iraq was erroneous.
The other party equally to blame for perpetrating the lies is the unquestioning media, who aided and abetted the hype for whatever reason.
There’s plenty of blame to go around; but it was George W. Bush who gave the order to invade. And it is he and his minions who insist we remain.
January 24th, 2008 at 12:16 pmYes, this administration ginned up the reasons for war. This is news?
Comment by Badmoodman — January 24, 2008 @ 11:34 am
And you’re apparently OK with an administration that fudges facts, cherry-picks intelligence, conflates Iraq with Al Qaeda to outrage the populace, and tells blatant lies to get us into a war? Sad. True patriots — you know, the ones who love this country and its constitution — think these are impeachable offenses.
January 24th, 2008 at 12:20 pmAs to the so called lies, all you need to do is read this…
http://www.cnn.com/ US/ 9812/ 16/ clinton.iraq.speech/
Now there is an Inconvenient Truth.
Comment by Gin
hit and run troll……I really appreciate this link. It proves that bush is a criminal. Clinton took the appropriate action with other countries involved. bush invaded & occupied unilaterally…..serious difference there….
January 24th, 2008 at 12:22 pmBlame the CIA and foreign intel agencies? But the CIA warned Bush that Iraq had no nuclear program. The Germans warned us that Curve Ball’s story about biological weapons should not be believed. Soon we’ll find out the truth about Tony Blair’s “dodgy dossier” on Iraq WMD. Fleischer needs a new excuse.
January 24th, 2008 at 12:24 pmSo the Dems lied, too. That is no excuse. Impeach and convict.
January 24th, 2008 at 12:26 pmLieberman is NO LONGER A DEMOCRAT - see PROBLEM SOLVED! ;)
January 24th, 2008 at 12:28 pmComment by Badmoodman
I don’t know what you’re arguing about. You have no case whatsoever. These people are proven liars. Give me a break. 935 is COMPLETELY realistic.
911 lies would of course be sooo much more appropriate.
January 24th, 2008 at 12:35 pmSo the Dems lied, too.
And unlike my friends on the other side of the aisle I will not excuse it or let it go unpunished. Any Democrat involved in that kind of stuff has long since lost my support. And that is the fundamental difference between myself and conservatives. It’s called consistency and integrity.
January 24th, 2008 at 12:37 pmImpeach Nancy along with bushco. Get a l o n g table for all of them.
January 24th, 2008 at 12:38 pmComment by Gin — January 24, 2008 @ 11:20 am
All ‘think-tanks’ say they are non-partisan [Sheeshhhh]
Its nice to see the crackpot realists on the defense for once.
January 24th, 2008 at 12:39 pmThis administration has hit on the perfect formula for cleansing us of the inconvenient dirty truth. Sort of like the directions for washing ones hair. Apply lies liberally, scrub and rinse away facts, repeat as necessary.
January 24th, 2008 at 12:40 pmThey’re only attacking Republicans?! Republicans were in charge! Jesus christ, are the Democrats now to blame for the Iraq war too? These people are so pathetic it makes me sick to my stomach to think their ilk are still running this once great nation.
January 24th, 2008 at 12:41 pmhit and run troll
Comment by Fred — January 24, 2008 @ 12:22 pm
Fred!! I’ve made 3, now 4, posts to this thread. WTF is hit and run?
Comment by Gin
If you mean attacks and then not answer any discussion about your attacks then I guess you’re right…..at least you know who and what you are.
January 24th, 2008 at 12:42 pmThe Republicans are not real men. They cannot take any responsibility for anything. Real men stand up and can take a punch but they just pretend and pretend like second grade schoolgirls at a teaparty with stuffed animals.
You fvked it all up, conservatives! You want to lead this country? How about acting like true leaders? You don’t really want to lead! You just want to be in charge! And it’s not the same thing!
January 24th, 2008 at 12:45 pmAri’s right, the Democrats should have balked at giving Bush carte blanche to attack anyone and everyone he wanted to, -Judy
They didn’t give him carte blanche, they said it, resolution 1441] should not be an automatic trigger for war according to Negroponte
http://www.worldpress.org/specials/iraq/
January 24th, 2008 at 12:54 pmU.S. Ambassador to the U.N. John Negroponte said: “This resolution contains no ‘hidden triggers’ and no ‘automaticity’ with respect to the use of force.
Ari’s not telling the whole story when hes pointing fingers
January 24th, 2008 at 12:57 pmAri Fliescher
January 24th, 2008 at 1:00 pmYes, this administration ginned up the reasons for war. This is news? And by this study being funded by Mr. Soros it gives the Right a perfect rebuttal. That’s the reality and I don’t live in any bubble.
Comment by Badmoodman — January 24, 2008 @ 11:34 am
Sure we’ll all sit around and wait for the right wing to do their own study about how they lied us into war. Eventually they’ll develop a conscience, not.
January 24th, 2008 at 1:06 pmTHEY LIED AND PEOPLE DIED! CRIMINALS!!! WAR CRIMINALS!!!!!!
HAGUE 2009 FOR THE ENTIRE BUSH ADMINISTRATION!
January 24th, 2008 at 1:09 pmNEGROPONTE IS A CRIMINAL! IN THE 80′S HE WAS EMBASSADOR TO HONDURAS WERE HE HAD THE JOB OF FINANCING AND SUPPORTING ANTI-DEMOCRATIC PARAMILITARY TERRORIST MILICIAS IN NICARAGUA, YOU KNOW, THE ONES THAT TORTURED THOUSANDS OF INOCENT PEOPLE AND MURDERED FATHER ROMERO!!!! NEGROPONTE IS A WAR CRIMINAL!
January 24th, 2008 at 1:14 pmBUSH AND HIS CRIMINAL ADMINISTRATION=COMPULSIVE LIES
January 24th, 2008 at 1:16 pm“WAR ON DEMOCRACY” A FILM BY JOHN PILGER. YOUTUBE!
January 24th, 2008 at 1:17 pmWas Ari the first Mossad agent to serve as WH Press Sec, or did ‘It’s my Son, stupid!’, Father Bush do it, too?
January 24th, 2008 at 1:17 pmWhat would the Roman Senate have done to Julius Caesar if he lied them into a war?
Yeah.
January 24th, 2008 at 1:24 pmSo Hannity .. the WMD were moved .. to Iran right ?? And who’s going to pay for this new war ?? Fox News ??
January 24th, 2008 at 1:24 pmThe Rude Pundit says:
Ari Fleischer (is) a man who, even if truth was an armless war orphan who had seen both her parents disemboweled and hung by their own intestines, would bend it over his lectern and rape it in front of the gathered press.
January 24th, 2008 at 1:41 pmI’ll repeat what I’ve said previously…
Presidential candidate John Edwards on 10/7/02:
“My position is very clear: The time has come for decisive action to eliminate the threat posed by Saddam Hussein’s weapons of mass destruction. I’m a co-sponsor of the bipartisan Resolution that’s presently under consideration in the Senate. Saddam Hussein’s regime is a grave threat to America and our allies. We know that he has chemical and biological weapons today, that he’s used them in the past, and that he’s doing everything he can to build more. Every day he gets closer to his long-term goal of nuclear capability.
Democracy will not spring up by itself overnight in a multi-ethnic, complicated society that’s suffered under one repressive regime after another for generations. The Iraqi people deserve and need our help to rebuild their lives and to create a prosperous, thriving, open society. All Iraqis, including Sunnis, Shia and Kurds, deserve to be represented. This is not just a moral imperative. It’s a security imperative. It is in America’s national interest to help build an Iraq at peace with itself and its neighbors, because a democratic, tolerant and accountable Iraq will be a peaceful regional partner, and such an Iraq could serve as a model for the entire Arab world.â€
Bill Clinton on 7/22/03:
“People can quarrel with whether we should have more troops in Afghanistan or internationalize Iraq or whatever, but it is incontestable that on the day I left office, there were unaccounted for stocks of biological and chemical weapons.â€
I’ll spare you all the dozens upon dozens of other comments by American Democrats - and Republicans - who came to a judgment, often independent of the administration’s rhetoric, that Iraq was a threat.
January 24th, 2008 at 1:46 pm#112.
Why is it that you sorryass 25% deadenders constantly blame those who were lied to, while giving a free pass to those who did the lying?
Oh yeah, I know why. Because you are sorryass 25% deaenders.
January 24th, 2008 at 1:51 pmBUSH made the decision to invade, as he IS “The Decider”, right?
Along with the rest of the PNAC LIARS.
THREE YEARS ago, the Brits revealed the minutes from an intel meeting which said the “US was fixing its intel around its policy to invade Iraq”.
Osama is STILL free.
And Bush REFUSED TO TESTIFY to the 9/11 UNDER OATH about 9/11.
The WAR CRIMINALS are the Bush PNAC boys.
THEY are the ones who INVADED on LIES.
“We can’t wait another day. We KNOW where the WMD are”.
MURDERERS, LIARS and TRAITOR to the USA
The Bush Crime Family–70 Years of TREASON against the USA.
January 24th, 2008 at 1:54 pmI’ll spare you all the dozens upon dozens of bla, bla, bla,,,,,,
Comment by thirdparty
you sound like a child……I didn’t do it…..the dems did……see what I mean?
January 24th, 2008 at 2:20 pmIn the immortal words of Doc Holiday, Ari can kiss my rebel dick.
Also, third party, I’d like a link or supporting evidence that any Democrat, like Edwards in your example, came to a judgment independent of this administration’s rhetoric. I mean, just how would one warrant that claim?
Despite its suppression by the traditional media, the Downing Street Memo asserts that the data was “fixed” around the policy. For the sake of argument, what would Edwards’ militant rhetoric be based upon besides his briefing by the administration and its lackeys?
January 24th, 2008 at 2:30 pmPlunger: Fortunately for modern technology, the many tapes of Bush making this claim and his realization of his unintended outing of himself will be used at his criminal trial. And then it will be used at his international tribunal at the Hague. There’s no way he can spin this obvious “admission of guilt” and “foreknowledge”.
January 24th, 2008 at 2:34 pmAnd the Downing Street Memo is being made public in the UK as we type.
January 24th, 2008 at 2:35 pmAngry McManus: Until the NIE put their findings on the streets, we can also see how the very same modus operandi was being parroted by the Bush Cabal thinking that it worked once, why not try to spin it again?? This time there were insiders who were not going to permit it to happen. I’d say this “lameduck’s day” is well behind him.
January 24th, 2008 at 2:37 pmAs to the so called lies, all you need to do is read this…
http://www.cnn.com/ US/ 9812/ 16/ clinton.iraq.speech/
Now there is an Inconvenient Truth.
Comment by Gin
No Gin, that is history. At that time Saddam was not cooperating with the weapons inspectors. When Bush and Company told their lies, Saddam was cooperating with weapons inspectors. Just ask Scott Ritter, he was a weapons inspector and he was on the ground in Iraq when George Bush told the nation that Saddam had kicked out the weapons inspectors. We saw them with our own eyes while Bush was lying.
January 24th, 2008 at 2:37 pmBefore the NIE squelched war with Iran, the PNAC fascists were having wet dreams every night - thinking about all that money made from sheer war profiteering at the expense of our military.
January 24th, 2008 at 2:37 pmXisitherus - “Carte Balnche” referred to HJRES.64, passed shortly after 9/11 fo Bush use military force against anyone “HE determines planned, authorized….the attacks” of 9/11. That’s one reason he tried so hard to link Saddam to those attacks.
You can look it up - Library of Congress
January 24th, 2008 at 2:39 pmYes, this administration ginned up the reasons for war. This is news? And by this study being funded by Mr. Soros it gives the Right a perfect rebuttal. That’s the reality and I don’t live in any bubble.
Comment by Badmoodman
So you seem to be saying anything that was funded by George Soros should be suspect.
Then by your thinking, anything funded by Rupert Murdoch or any of the other right wingers should be suspect. Do you agree?
January 24th, 2008 at 2:40 pmBilbo: You got it! Saddam was in full cooperation and, what’s more, those dirty little weapons which Bush 41 sold to him he had actually destroyed (he got one up on the Bush crime family after all!).
This is why the collective wisdom of the international community was in favor of permitting the inspectors to do their job; this was no in synchrony with Bush’s war plan however. He needed to get Haliburton in there pronto so the Bush and Cheney crime families could begin racking in the dough. If anyone can’t see the connection, research the Dresser Corp (owned by Herbert Walker - Bush 43’s maternal grandfather) and how when it was in dire straights due to asbestos lawsuits which was demolishing it, it merged with Haliburton in 1989 (the Cheney/Bush money connection). Follow the money….it’s all there in black and white.
January 24th, 2008 at 2:41 pmThanks to Plunger’s posts, many of us were led in the direction of the Dresser/Bush - Haliburton/Cheney direction for our research! Kudos to Plunger! This is something not very well known.
Also, Prescott Bush (Bush 43’s paternal grandfather) was involved in selling gas to the nazis and was obstructed from so doing in accordance with the “trading with the enemy act”…..
Now let’s connect the dots to what’s been going on with the Sibel Edmonds case - where “high officials” have committed treason by selling nuclear secrets and it’s all coming ’round full circle. The Bush crime family has been doing “dirty business” for the past century. When this nerd finishes his term or is impeached, they will be run out of this country.
January 24th, 2008 at 2:44 pmThe foregone conclusion to all of this is that Jeb Bush had better think about another hobby because this dirty demon will never grace the steps of the white house when the dirty family laundry is finally hung out on the line.
January 24th, 2008 at 2:45 pmHmmmm…..still ruminating here about the Bush/Cheney connection ala Dresser/Haliburton and how that’s been playing out for the past 7 years. Clearly, it’s been Cheney who has been behind everything that’s wrong with this country and this administration; ergo, the “impeach Cheney” movement. Now it all makes perfect sense….Haliburton (Cheney’s retirement tool) saved Dresser (Bush family tool) from bankruptcy. Mix in the fact the Dresser’s asbestos made the WTC obsolete and a “sick environment” and voila - false flag on that location makes perfect sense. It’s all about the money which, in turn, becomes the pretexe for war which means mega war profits to the two crime families.
January 24th, 2008 at 2:47 pmwas always wondering what method was utilized in the selection of location for a false flag. Now I think we know.
January 24th, 2008 at 2:48 pm“They are only attacking Republicans” says Fleischer.
Well, duh, little Ari. You former boss, his vice-president, Powell, Rice, and God only knows how many Neo-cons were behind this plot (Wolfowitz, Perle, Kagan, Podhoretz, etc… went around lying through their teeth about Iraq’s WMDs. In fact, one year after the invasion of Iraq, President Ding-Dong, at a meeting with journalists, went around some room looking under tablecloths for WMDs. This tells you all about that compulsive liar.
January 24th, 2008 at 3:02 pmveritas - good thing cheeeney was successful in his “search” for
January 24th, 2008 at 3:07 pmsomeone to be the v.p…. quite the ruse…
Everything has to be funded by something. Conservatives love the Washington Times (funded by strange Korean religious cult) and Fox News (Australian billionaire who made his fortune from sleazy tabloids). Leftists are not allowed to make the connection between everyone in the Bush administration being from the OIL industry and taking over control of Middle Eastern OIL—but if Soros funds a think tank that forms a database of White House quotes, then it must be false?!?
They are quotes—actual quotes. As Jon Stewart says, “don’t they realize we are recording them?”.
I recommend the film UNCOVERED: THE WHOLE TRUTH about the Iraq War by Robert Greenwald (2004). It’s at Netflix.
January 24th, 2008 at 3:37 pm“The sale of Dresser to Halliburton is intriguing. We know Prescott Bush was running Dresser up until his death in 1972. We have no evidence of huge lumps of cash going into either George Sr. or George Jr.’s bank accounts. Is it possible that the $8 billion they got for Dresser was in the form of stock and stock options? Then, doesn’t it seem possible that the Bushs and their friends actually own the controlling interest in Halliburton?”
http://www.pulsetc.com/article.php?sid=2161
January 24th, 2008 at 3:38 pmThere’s so much we don’t know. But I suspect that things will be coming out into the light for decades.
January 24th, 2008 at 3:42 pmMiss Molly: And you’re (ME) apparently OK with an administration that fudges facts, cherry-picks intelligence, conflates Iraq with Al Qaeda to outrage the populace, and tells blatant lies to get us into a war?
- - No, and if you’ve read my comments on this site for over a year now you’d know your question is ridiculous. All those things you said are true, but what would you have me do, pull a Howard Beale and scream out my window that I’m not going to take it anymore?
Some of you people wrte and respond like you’re a raw, exposed nerve. I have neither the time nor inclination to defend my opinions to a group of people who seem so intent at railing against the part of the world they object to and generally howling at the moon.
January 24th, 2008 at 4:23 pmWeasel. Weasel. Weasel.
January 24th, 2008 at 4:25 pmHe knowlingly lied and now he’s crying foul because he got caught.
Is there another namejacker afoot?
January 24th, 2008 at 5:13 pmGin-There is a big difference between what Bush did and what Clinton did in Iraq. Bush invaded a country, Clinton targeted sites where they thought there might be weapons etc.
Saddam Hussein was contained!!!!
January 24th, 2008 at 5:45 pmHow about we hold everyone accountable? Without the willful support of Congress, this White House would not have gone to war. Argue with that all you want, but just know that you’ll be totally divorced from reality.
January 24th, 2008 at 7:42 pmhow do fleischer and hannity manage to feel good about themselves?
January 24th, 2008 at 7:54 pm“…But they’re only attacking Republicans for it. … We were wrong. We’ve always said that.”
***********************************************
Since when??? Since @#$%^&* when?!?!? In the past seven years, when have the Republicans generally or any members of the White House staff specifically ever admitted that they were wrong about the WMD in Iraq?!? Never, that’s when. The Democrats may have allowed themselves to go along with it, but they weren’t the ones with the majority influence at the time — and at a time of uber-patriotism bordering on outright nationalism, when people were walking around making insinuations to the effect that anyone who disagrees with George W. Bush is not only unpatriotic but an outright anti-American traitor (as Bush and Co. were doing at the time), then it’s by no means impossible that some people might have felt a little threatened and intimidated. Fleischer is engaging in a childish bout of finger-pointing in the hopes of diverting attention away from the Republicans and thus avoiding accountability, but that still won’t exonerate the Republicans from their share of responsibility for what happened.
January 24th, 2008 at 10:26 pm11 wow, it only took 11 comments to blame Clinton. Amazing.
You know what is sooo hilarious about Gin and his unyeilding, unflinching, unthinking support for this miserable, fascist country wrecking administration? Nothing, there’s nothing funny about it. In fact it is quite sad.
I read your link Gin, weren’t all you Republican a-holes whining then that it was Clinton trying to disract from his blow job? But now Clinton was right? And if Clinton was right, which you only use as a convenient transparent device to deflect blame, then it was Clinton’s fault? Clinton never invaded Iraq with too little troops, he did some bombing runs. He never deployed troops and invaded a soveriegn nation that had NEVER attacked us. In 98, he probably still did have the WMD’s that we sold him. Are you f_cking kidding me? This is your argument, you weak a_s. You’re an embarrasment. Try again Gin, with some fore thought this time you fascist supporting neo con loving, constitution wrecking traitor.
I find it incredibly irritating and exhausting that Republicans never step up and admit when they are wrong, which is pretty much always. Even if they know deep down in their blackened souls that they are. Why take responsibility when we can lie? Brilliant. Gin, as tough as it may be to actually face up to reality, your fascist administration will go down in the annals as the worst, most despicable, corrupt regime in American history and the fact that you still support this guy only reinforces my belief that you are clinically insane.
January 25th, 2008 at 12:39 pm“I have neither the time nor inclination to defend my opinions to a group of people who seem so intent at railing against the part of the world they object to and generally howling at the moon.”
Mkay then, bubye. Here, here’s a tissue.
January 25th, 2008 at 12:43 pmBadmoodman,The Center for Public Integrity is funded by many foundations & individuals. Do your homework. As usual, the Repub. apologists attack the messenger because they can’t refute the substance of the evidence.
Here’s the list:
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* Major Institutional Support
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The Center for Public Integrity extends its sincere thanks to our funders and members, without whom our work would not be possible.
The Center does not accept contributions from corporations, labor unions, governments or anonymous donors.
Foundation Support
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January 25th, 2008 at 1:18 pm* Brian Arbogast
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