Carpe Datum

Lies with Teeth

From a recent edition of Eric Alterman's blog, Altercation, comes this question from the recent presidential press conference:

Q: ìThank you, Mr. President. Building on that idea, itís impossible to deny that the world is a better place and the region certainly a better place without Saddam Hussein...î
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Ý Ý Ý ÝWell, for most Iraqis, that proposition is arguable at the moment, and it is certainly arguable for the region. Itís far too early to tell what impact the U.S. invasion will have on either. But that aside, why is the reporter apologizing for asking whether the ìU.S. has lost credibility by building the case for Iraq upon sometimes flimsy or, some people have complained, nonexistent evidenceî? Clearly it has.
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Ý Ý Ý ÝEven if you grant the above premises ó and I would like to be able to do that some day ó how is it any more relevant than to say, for instance, ìThank you, Mr. President. Building on that idea, itís impossible to deny that every single American family who lost a son or daughter, and those who will continue to lose their sons and daughters, must be particularly furious at you for sending their children off to die in a war for which you had to deceive the nation in order to get its supportÖ.î Thatís not particularly relevant either, but it is less pathetic. Tony Blair is on the ropes in Britain for a lot less lying than Bush has done.

And this...

Claim:
Ý Ý Ý ÝìHeís trying to acquire nuclear weapons. Nobody ever said that it was going to be the next year.î - Condoleeza Rice in PBS interview, 7/30/03
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Fact:
Ý Ý Ý Ýî[Iraq] could have a nuclear weapon in less than a year.î - George Bush, 10/8/02

Ý Ý Ý ÝìThis regime is seeking a nuclear bomb, and with fissile material could build one within a year.î- George Bush, 9/28/02

Ý Ý Ý ÝìToday Saddam Hussein has the scientists and infrastructure for a nuclear weapons program and has illicitly sought to purchase the equipment needed to enrich uranium for a nuclear weapon. Should his regime acquire fissile material, it would be able to build a nuclear weapon within a year.î - George Bush, National Radio Address, 9/14/02

Ý Ý Ý ÝìShould Iraq acquire fissile material, it would be able to build a nuclear weapon within a year.î - George Bush, speech to U.N., 9/12/02

Ý Ý Ý ÝìThe intelligence community also had high confidence in the judgment that, and I quote, ëIraq could make a nuclear weapon in months to a year once it acquires sufficient weapons-grade fissile material,í end quote.î - Vice President Dick Cheney, 7/23/03

Where's the liberal media on all this stuff?

Posted by Observer at August 7, 2003 09:36 AM