Cheney and Rumsfeld to Blame for Iraq War
It should come as no surprise to anyone that there are no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and there never were. We marched into Iraq under false pretense and who’s to blame? Cheney and Rumsfeld.
The evidence is overwhelming and if you’ve been believing all of the White House rhetoric on the subject, stop. Everything needed to help you wake up and smell the coffee is contained in James Risen’s book State of War: The Secret History of the CIA and the Bush Administration
Publishers Weekly said the book was “Lucid, balanced and brimming with surprises this is a-to borrow a notorious phrase-slam dunk exposé of the CIA’s recent snafus.” I say the book brims with information sure to make your blood boil and mouth spew with venom for Cheney and Rumsfeld. But how much did Bush himself know about the lack of WMD evidence? Hard to say, the book doesn’t pin much, if any, blame on our President elect. I suspect, however, that in his heart Bush Jr. means well, but was no match for Cheney, Rumsfeld and their puppet CIA Directory George Tenet — the real axises of evil.
If you enjoy getting pissed off, then by all means pick up a copy of State of War: The Secret History of the CIA and the Bush Administration. The book gets bogged down occasionally with “who’s who and who did what when,” but overall the book is a quick read — and that’s coming from someone that isn’t the fastest reader in the world.
on September 10th, 2007 at 9:00 am
I’ve never been one to read for any other purpose than financial necessity. However, even as a 2-election Bush supporter, I will concede that we’ve gotten ourselves in a mess and Bush appears lost in the dark.
We should have taken out Saddam during the Gulf war when we had him and his Royal Guard wetting themselves at our presence. I think the Iraq War was Junior’s way of getting back at Saddam for the uncovered plot to assassinate daddy. Couple that with GW unknowingly surrounding himself with Beltway individuals who had their own agenda at his expense and you’ve got a foul brew.
So, what do we do now that we’ve disturbed a hornet’s nest of religious zealots? My opinion is that a pullout will signal that America can’t finish what it starts and only give a big boost to Islamic radicals that would like to see us obliterated from the globe. Therefore, politicians on both sides of the chamber need to give Petraeus the signal to do WHATEVER is necessary to put these Islamo-fascists out of business in Iraq. It can be done, but not by being politically correct at the same time.
This is war and innocent lives sometimes get caught in the crossfire. Is it right? No, but neither is setting off bombs and then running back behind mommy’s apron or putting on that apron and trying to look innocent. PUT ON A UNIFORM AND FIGHT LIKE A SOLDIER! Bunch of cowards, just like the group that took down commercial planes on 9/11. Where’s Patton when you need him?
on September 10th, 2007 at 11:10 am
For those of you like my brother, who doesn’t like to read, I suggest watching the Bill Moyer PBS special “Buying the War.” You can still watch the show at the PBS web site and, if you are so inclined, can read the transcript.
http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/btw/watch.html
The show was fantastic but did make me feel even worse. If the book “State of War” wasn’t bad enough (i.e. elected officials lied to us to get us to go to war), the Moyers special is the icing on the cake (i.e. reporters failing to do their job).
The press, those people that are supposed to ask the tough questions and keep dishonest politicians honest, were as bad as Cheney and Rumsfeld. The press bought into the WMD argument without a single question. Which leads me to painful question, “If the highest positions in the government abuse their power, and the press looks the other way, what will happen next?”
on September 10th, 2007 at 2:49 pm
After witnessing the Vietnam conflict, initiated by the Pentagon with a pseudo-attack on US warships in the Bay of Tomkin, and now seeing similar Pentagon incompetency in Iraq for the past five years, I know that we’ll never the whole truth about while we’re stuck in this Iraq “conflict” (and it is not a “war” when USA has only 160,000 combat troops fighting 5 million Arabs) - but I can have my suspicions by following the money trail.
There are BILLIONS of dollars to be profited in war. You thought Americans were shedding blood, limbs, and lives so that the Iraqi people could vote and show off their purple thumbs??? In a way I wish that the reason we invaded WAS because George W was upset that Hussein plotted to kill Daddy, but “W” is merely a puppet for Cheney and the corporations (can anyone spell “Halliburton”?). Remember, BILLIONS of dollars . . . pretty powerful motivator.
In the early 1950’s, President Eisenhower (and former boss of General Patton) warned the American public that we need to keep a watchful eye on (what he called) the “military-industrial complex”. Ask yourself, who gains more $$$ and more power in the time of fear. . . the top brass in the Pentagon and corporations that sell them goods and services. I don’t like being so cynical. I would love to believe that this super power did indeed have a strategy for postwar occupation, that it did equip the combat troops with the best armor and the best bullet proof vests, and that it had developed the best military tactics to fight IED’s and Muslim militias.
And without a draft, a small percentage of brave Americans keep being placed in harm’s way on foreign soil, while the public protests and public questioning are slow to build to the crescendo level that finally ended our presence in Vietnam. No one here back home REALLY cares as long as they can continue to take their vacations, go out and dine with friends, drive their SUV’s, get through the airport check points quickly, and watch sports. As long as they don’t have to worry about being drafted into this conflict, or worry about their child being drafted, it’s merely a news item on the 6 o’clock news followed by commercials for corporate America . . . how ironic.
This Iraq military operation is not a war. At least, not int he sense of WWI or WWII. If you feel that when we pull out of Iraq that the rest of the world will become swallowed up by Al Qaeda, I believe you’re as delusional as George W. During Vietnam, there was a similar fearful forecast that if we lost Vietnam, then communism would take over S.E. Asia (called “the Domino Theory”). Thailand remained democratic and the Philippines continued it’s US-supported dictatorship for several years before finally having free elections. The Domino’s never fell.
And now we’re sending business emissaries to Vietnam and to it’s best ally during the Vietnam conflict - China. And they’re killing us with lead paint and poisoned dog food. It would have never happened if we had paid Halliburton to provide us the organic pet food and Kevlar toys.
Thanks for letting me rant.
Uncle Mel
on September 10th, 2007 at 5:32 pm
Ah, very interesting points. All very valid, and sadly, very true. You mention you hate being cynical, but in terms of the war, what choice do we have? There is no exit strategy, the troops don’t have the resources they need, and any tactics the armed forces may have
they are not being allowed to implement to its fullest.
I still can’t understand how anyone could be self-centered (Cheney et al) to let innocent Americans die for their own personal profit. Who does that kind of thing?
on September 11th, 2007 at 11:08 pm
I’ll go as far as to say, if it can ever be proven that anyone purposely misled the American public and got us into a war that wasn’t required for our safety then that person or persons should be shot by the weapons that made their manufacturers rich.
I also feel that at some point, someone has to hand the keys to the Iraqi government and tell them “Congratulations…it’s all yours.” We had to fight our own wars to get where we are at and nobody babysitted. It’s time they learn the same growing pains of Democracy.