McCain Claims ‘No One’ Believes Iraq ‘Diverted Our Attention’ From Quest To Catch Bin Laden
McCain Claims ‘No One’ Believes Iraq ‘Diverted Our Attention’ From Quest To Catch Bin Laden
Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) continues to deny that the Bush administration’s turn to Iraq in late 2001 had any effect on the battle at Tora Bora, according to the LA Times yesterday:
“I know of no one who believes attention to Iraq at that point diverted our attention from Tora Bora,” McCain said. …
“We should have put more boots on the ground there to apprehend [Bin Laden]. Everyone agrees. But I have no reason to believe that because we urged attention to Iraq, it had any tactical effect on the battleground.”
But according to Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward, even before the Tora Bora battle, Bush began meeting with Army Gen. Tommy Franks and his war cabinet to plan the U.S. attack on Iraq:
On Nov. 21, 2001, 72 days after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, Bush directed Rumsfeld to begin planning for war with Iraq. “Let’s get started on this,” Bush recalled saying. “And get Tommy Franks looking at what it would take to protect America by removing Saddam Hussein if we have to.” …
Bush’s order to Rumsfeld began an intensive process in which Franks worked in secret with a small staff, talked almost daily with the defense secretary and met about once a month with Bush.
Similarly, Michael Gordon, co-author of Cobra II: The Inside Story of the Invasion and Occupation of Iraq, has reported that Franks, in charge of the battle, was upset about Bush’s turn to Iraq:
I was at Tora Bora at that point, in December ‘01. The desire to have a war plan for Iraq has already been telegraphed to [General] Tommy Franks at Centcom. Franks is actually struggling with Tora Bora, with his unhappiness with the results in Afghanistan, just as he is on the eve of returning for a very important meeting at Crawford with the President. I think they made a very quick decision that in principle Iraq was next on the agenda.
Reporter Christina Lamb, using Woodward’s book as her source, has said that “there was another reason for Washington’s reluctance to commit troops on the ground” at Tora Bora. According to Woodward, when Gen Tommy Franks received the top-secret message asking for an Iraq war plan within a week, he was incredulous. “They were in the midst of one war in Afghanistan, and now they wanted detailed planning for another? Goddamn,” Franks said, “What the f*** are they talking about?”
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Shrub, the idiot boy-king “war presidunce”.
Pathetic pile of sh8t, sorry excuse for a human.
And just plain gives adult white males a bad name.
March 24th, 2008 at 6:11 pm“I know of no one who believes attention to Iraq at that point diverted our attention from Tora Bora,”
Yet one more reason to vote Dem this time around: McCain is surrounded by yesmen.
March 24th, 2008 at 6:11 pmCatch bin Laden? That’s the LAST thing this administration wants. Then the fear tactics might not work as well and people might start to question when we roll back civil rights and torture our enemies.
March 24th, 2008 at 6:11 pmCaption Contest:
Next, I’ll make a shadow bunny!
March 24th, 2008 at 6:12 pmWarning – shameless plug to follow
I was interviewed in the Deseret Morning News (a local Utah paper) about this very thng.
March 24th, 2008 at 6:13 pmI Do
23 NATO soldiers have been killed this year so far compared to 18 US Soldiers
and heres how we Europeans feel about it mr McBush the 2nd
With all available U.S. troops tied down in Iraq, the U.S. is using NATO soldiers as mercenaries to try to counter a resurgent Taliban. Europeans are tiring of their role as an European proxy for America’s legions, and the NATO commander speaks of a NATO defeat in Afghanistan.
March 24th, 2008 at 6:15 pm“No one believes Iraq diverted our attention form Osama been forgotten.
Sorry McJowls, ALL the irrefutible evidence says otherwise.
March 24th, 2008 at 6:16 pm“I know of no one who believes attention to Iraq at that point diverted our attention from Tora Bora,” McCain said.
Of course he knows of no one who would say such a thing. McSame is a Republic, and they are well known for their disdain of dissenting voices.
Some evolutionary biologists have speculated that, in an evolutionary adaptation, they developed the ability to not hear dissenting voices at all, thus saving the effort of actively ignoring them.
March 24th, 2008 at 6:16 pmNATO was an alliance created to resist a Soviet invasion of Europe. The U.S. has kept an unnecessary NATO alive for 18 years as a source of troops for its foreign adventures. Europeans dislike being mercenaries for an American empire, especially one that slaughters civilians.
there you go fat arse McCain
March 24th, 2008 at 6:16 pmI see McMaverick rocks the “idiot math” that’s so popular with Righties in general.
“My friends, 4-3 doesn’t = 1; 4-3 = 5.75″
March 24th, 2008 at 6:17 pmThey don’t call him McCrazy for nothing. Way to go old fella.
March 24th, 2008 at 6:18 pmfor christs sake the whole planet knows hes hidding in Pakistan or dead
Benazir Bhutto: “Bin Laden was Murdered”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnychOXj9Tg
March 24th, 2008 at 6:19 pmChris L Says:
March 24th, 2008 at 6:13 pm
I was interviewed in the Deseret Morning News (a local Utah paper) about this very thng.
Very nice, Chris. Well spoken. Thanks for that link.
March 24th, 2008 at 6:19 pmI recall reading, in late 2001 that Cheney/Bush convened a group, including Henry the K. and other usual suspects, on or about September 19. 2001, to discuss invading Iraq.
March 24th, 2008 at 6:19 pmAny one get the feeling that the neocons are reprising the Colin Powell UN moment? Banking on McBush’s reputation of being a Maverick (which means he is not one of them) and having credibility with the public.
March 24th, 2008 at 6:21 pmhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnychOXj9Tg
watch this and listen at 2.15 seconds
March 24th, 2008 at 6:21 pmKinda OT, but:
80,000 angry men: is the US surge collapsing?In an investigation carried out by GuardianFilms for Channel 4, we uncover how thousands of Iraqis employed at $10 a day by the US to take on al-Qaida are threatening to go on strike because they say they have been used by the ‘Americans to do their dirty work’ and haven’t been paid
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2008/mar/20/surgecollapse
March 24th, 2008 at 6:21 pmralph the wonder llama Says:
March 24th, 2008 at 6:19 pm
Very nice, Chris. Well spoken. Thanks for that link.
###
Thank you.
BTW, here is an Afghanistan veteran that thinks Iraq has diverted us from the Real Global War On Terror.
Oh, and here is another one. By the way, both of these soldiers served in Afghanistan and Iraq.
March 24th, 2008 at 6:23 pmOops, that second link didn’t come through.
March 24th, 2008 at 6:24 pmhttp://www.vetvoice.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=244
Bin Laden thats that bloke who outfoxed Bush who destroyed the american economy isnt it
March 24th, 2008 at 6:26 pmChris L Says:
March 24th, 2008 at 6:13 pm
Thanks for the “shameless plug.” I am happy to have you post here and both respect and admire the work you are doing.
March 24th, 2008 at 6:27 pmChris, the vets’ opinions don’t count, sheesh. They’re not the SmartGuys rubbing elbows in DC.
March 24th, 2008 at 6:29 pmBin Laden thats that bloke that worked for Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh the real mastermind behind 911 that Bush cant admit too
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahmed_Omar_Saeed_Sheikh
and an even better insite to 911
http://www.cooperativeresearch.org/essay.jsp?article=essaysaeed
March 24th, 2008 at 6:29 pmyet another senior moment right?
March 24th, 2008 at 6:33 pmHello Senator John McCain.
Let me introduce myself, My name is “No One”.
March 24th, 2008 at 6:35 pmWay to go, Chris L. Thank you for serving your country, and thank you for speaking out with your honest belief. You have my gratitude.
March 24th, 2008 at 6:36 pmAs for McCrazy, he is nuts.
March 24th, 2008 at 6:37 pmEven Obama knows who the real cuplrits were ???? 25 Pakistan
March 24th, 2008 at 6:41 pmtombaker Says:
March 24th, 2008 at 6:21 pm
Kinda OT, but:
Thanks for the link Tom!
The neocons are unraveling… unfortunately it is happening in slow motion.
March 24th, 2008 at 6:44 pmcaption:
McCain:
“What’s that?!!! Is it Been Laden?
No, wait, I think it’s Sodom Insane!!!
Lieberman: (off-camera)
March 24th, 2008 at 6:47 pm“No John, we’re not in Arabia anymore, we’re in Arizona now, those are just some tourists getting home late from Easter in Tijuana… they pull the serapes up over their heads ’cause the sun hurts their eyes…
caption:
McCain:
“What’s that?!!! Is it Been Laden?
No, wait, I think it’s Sodom Insane!!!
Lieberman: (off-camera)
March 24th, 2008 at 6:51 pm“No John, we’re not in Arabia anymore, we’re in Arizona now, those are just some tourists getting home late from Easter in Tijuana… they pull the serapes up over their heads ’cause the sun hurts their eyes…
LOL…Beautiful!
Life must be a bed of roses for Maverick Nitwit McCrazy! He’s so deluded that he’s now speaking pure nonsense.
March 24th, 2008 at 6:51 pmMcCain merely demonstrates that he is clueless not just about foreign policy, but also about opinions in the United States. Is he really that out of touch? Does he read newspapers? No wonder he thinks Al Qaeda is being trained in Iran. This bastard wants to be President?!
March 24th, 2008 at 6:59 pmIraq announces tenders for Iraq-Iran pipelines,
Iraq announced tenders for international oil companies to test two of its largest oil fields, develop a major natural gas field and build a pipeline to Iran, ha ha ha America build a pipeline straight to Iran ha ha ha ha
Also Russian President Putin presses Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to revive an old oil deal
http://iraqoilreport.com/
March 24th, 2008 at 7:00 pmLooks like Russia and China have oil deals in Iraq
America get 2 years service contract ha ha ha ha
March 24th, 2008 at 7:02 pmI wonder if McCrabby will start pal-ing with this guy soon (from Raw Story):
A Senate candidate has legally changed his name to Pro-Life and will appear on the ballot that way this year, state election officials say.
As Marvin Pro-Life Richardson, the organic strawberry farmer from Letha, 30 miles northwest of Boise, was denied the use of his middle name when he ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2006 because the state’s policy bars the use of slogans on the ballot.
Now, though, officials in the Idaho secretary of state’s office say they have no choice because Pro-Life is his full and only name. He says he will run for the highest state office on the ballot every two years for the rest of his life, advocating murder charges for doctors who perform abortions and for women who obtain the procedure.
Freaking lunatic…
March 24th, 2008 at 7:11 pmThe US isn’t really supposed to catch Bin Laden. He is part of the Saudi Royal family, they would prefer we not do that. And Bin Laden is much more useful being “at large”. Keeps the fear mongering going.
March 24th, 2008 at 7:12 pmBrilliant, Jordan Michael Smith, absolutely brilliant!!
March 24th, 2008 at 7:20 pmAnother LIE by McSenile.
Wesley Clark, a former US General, said that Iraq diverted resources from the REAL war on terror in Afghanistan/Pakistan.
It’s like they’re getting the press USED to his LIES, so that they will simply give him a pass like GENOCIDE BushBoy.
I’m waiting for them to get here to hell.
SMASHING TIME!!
Cheers,
March 24th, 2008 at 7:22 pmBush’s MASTER Satan
I said it before and I’ll say it again: I am really interest to know what these people smoke! I would love to have some too, so I could see the illegal Wars, the torture of POW, Katrina, the economy, BlackWater and other mercenary contractors, 9/11,Bush’s support for the criminal Uribe, the lies, scooter libby, Diego Garcia, the war crimes in Falhluja and in Haditta, their military coup attempt on Hugo Chavez, treason, and war criminals, through this blinding vail that allows scumbags like MacCain say crap like that and believe in it. He believes in it… doesn’t he?!
March 24th, 2008 at 7:23 pmRove must thought them well obiwan… They keep repeating their Lies. It is a technique of mass control. Keep saying they lies, as many times you appear in front of a camera or a microphone. That is what they have been doing since Bush took over the WH. (I stress here ‘TOOK OVER’ not elected!)
March 24th, 2008 at 7:30 pmMcCain Claims ‘Everyone Except ME’ Believes Iraq ‘Diverted Our Attention’ From Quest To Catch Bin Laden…
There, much more accurate.
Bush/Cheney
March 24th, 2008 at 7:41 pmHague Trials ‘09
McCain has never met a position on Iraq that he didn’t like. First it was “It’ll be easy,” then it was “this’ll be hard,” now it’s “this’ll be long.” It’s no wonder he can’t keep anyone straight over there.
March 24th, 2008 at 7:48 pmlies are the ultimate aphodesiac.
March 24th, 2008 at 7:52 pm‘No one’ Believes Iraq’Diverted Our Attention’ From Quest to catch Bin Ladin”.
March 24th, 2008 at 8:05 pmThat indicates that either McCain does not read or he does not know many people.
I’m yet another ‘No One’!
March 24th, 2008 at 8:26 pmthere mr mccrusty butt lets get you into to this here jacket and we’ll find a nice soft room … oops I mean bed … by the way it’s medication time
March 24th, 2008 at 8:48 pmOK. So on Nov. 21, 2001, 72 days after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, Bush directed Rumsfeld to begin planning for war with Iraq. “Let’s get started on this,” Bush recalled saying. “And get Tommy Franks looking at what it would take to protect America by removing Saddam Hussein if we have to.”
And what of Powell’s and Rice’s declarations a few months prior to that?
Powell and Rice both made statements that Saddam was not a threat and that his military was weak. Powell went on to state that Iraq had been contained, the sanctions against him were working as planned (and had been reworked in order to remain effective), and Saddam did not have the capability nor the capacity to produce WMDs.
More here:
http://www.thememoryhole.org/war/powell-no-wmd.htm
March 24th, 2008 at 9:16 pmMcCain misspeaks again–I believe that EXACTLY!!!!
March 24th, 2008 at 9:22 pmThe all war channel is really old.
March 24th, 2008 at 9:54 pmJeez, I was just scrolling through the threads, and when I saw the picture of McCain, I thought for a second that he had a blindfold on. I suppose that would actually be appropriate, considering the thread… ;)
March 25th, 2008 at 12:05 am“I know of no one who believes attention to Iraq at that point diverted our attention from Tora Bora,” McCain said. …
Senator McCain, I’d like to introduce myself when you make your next visit to Alabama.
March 25th, 2008 at 1:20 amYou’ll meet at least ONE person who honestly believes that Iraq has done nothing BUT divert attention.
Joe Lieberman, John McCain, Lindsey Graham: The Andrews Sisters of American foreign policy.
March 25th, 2008 at 5:28 amMaybe McCain should sit down for a few hours and watch the PBS special on Bush’s War broadcast last night and again tonight. Iraq was in their minds almost as soon as the second plane hit the towers. This is not new news anyway. Maybe McCain should read some books on the subject. As for General Franks, shame on him and everyone who knew this administration was out of control and went along with the plan anyway. He would have been more heroic to resign.
March 25th, 2008 at 7:09 amLove to hear McCainbrain is going to deal with Pakistan.
Bomb it????
March 25th, 2008 at 12:57 pmOf course he knows of no one who would say such a thing. McSame is a Republic, and they are well known for their disdain of dissenting voices.
Some evolutionary biologists have speculated that, in an evolutionary adaptation, they dell y6142 battery,dell inspiron 300m battery developed the ability to not hear dissenting voices at all, thus saving the effort of actively ignoring them.
October 15th, 2008 at 4:53 am