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In reply to the discussion: "Always remember?" (GRAPHIC WARNING FOR THOSE WITH SENSITIVE DISPOSITION) [View all]polly7
(20,582 posts)79. Ignoring Romney's Iraq falsehood, Wash. Post called ....
BEGALA: A huge mistake, a gaffe that -- that's, if this were a general election debate, would be a disqualifier. He said -- we just heard the bite -- he said that, if Saddam Hussein had allowed IAEA, International Atomic Energy Agency, inspectors into his country to ascertain whether he'd had weapons, we wouldn't have had this war. He did.
On September 17 of 2002, the Iraqi government, under Saddam Hussein, allowed IAEA weapons inspectors into their country. Over 250 of them went, led by Hans Blix. They searched the whole countryside and found nothing. While they were still searching, on March 17 of 2003, George W. Bush told them to get out 'cause he was starting a war. And, on March 20th, we started the war.
On September 17 of 2002, the Iraqi government, under Saddam Hussein, allowed IAEA weapons inspectors into their country. Over 250 of them went, led by Hans Blix. They searched the whole countryside and found nothing. While they were still searching, on March 17 of 2003, George W. Bush told them to get out 'cause he was starting a war. And, on March 20th, we started the war.
As Begala noted, in September 2002, Saddam agreed to allow UN weapons inspectors into Iraq. The UN Security Council subsequently voted to allow the IAEA and UNMOVIC to travel to Iraq and examine its alleged weapons of mass destruction programs, with the first inspectors arriving in the country in November. The IAEA focused only on Iraq's nuclear weapons capabilities, and on March 7, 2003, IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei reported to the Security Council that, "to date," the IAEA (through its Iraq Nuclear Verification Office) had "found no evidence or plausible indication of the revival of a nuclear weapons programme in Iraq." Just over a month later, on April 14, in another letter to the Security Council, ElBaradei wrote that the IAEA had again concluded that "n the nearly four months during which the IAEA was able to conduct inspections in Iraq, significant progress was made in assessing the status of Iraq's nuclear related capabilities" and that "as of 17 March, 2003, the IAEA had found no evidence or plausible indication of the revival of a nuclear weapons programme in Iraq." Congruent with Begala's claim on Anderson Cooper, ElBaradei noted in his April 14 letter that, "[o]n 17 March 2003, the IAEA ... had to withdraw its staff from Iraq, as part of the decision to withdraw the staff of UNMOVIC and other UN staff, out of concern for their safety following an advisory of upcoming military action."
Similarly, in its May 30, 2003, report to the Security Council, the executive chairman of UNMOVIC wrote: "In the period during which it performed inspection and monitoring in Iraq, UNMOVIC did not find evidence of the continuation or resumption of programmes of weapons of mass destruction or significant quantities of proscribed items from before the adoption of resolution 687 (1991)."
Similarly, in its May 30, 2003, report to the Security Council, the executive chairman of UNMOVIC wrote: "In the period during which it performed inspection and monitoring in Iraq, UNMOVIC did not find evidence of the continuation or resumption of programmes of weapons of mass destruction or significant quantities of proscribed items from before the adoption of resolution 687 (1991)."
http://mediamatters.org/research/2007/06/06/ignoring-romneys-iraq-falsehood-wash-post-calle/139028
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"Always remember?" (GRAPHIC WARNING FOR THOSE WITH SENSITIVE DISPOSITION) [View all]
Pab Sungenis
Sep 2012
OP
I still put the primary blame on the degenerate individuals who flew those planes
slackmaster
Sep 2012
#3
Sorta like us an our 'bunker busters' annihilating entire cities of innocents overseas, yes?
Myrina
Sep 2012
#40
That was more than 60 years ago, so it doesn't count. Please try to stay focused.
slackmaster
Sep 2012
#46
What is the precise and relevant cut-off date? On what objective measure is that date based?
LanternWaste
Sep 2012
#80
Oh, please. You're absolving US foreign policy when it most certainly contributed to the hatred of
tpsbmam
Sep 2012
#163
Or the slaughter of over one million innocent Iraqis who had nothing to do with 9/11.
sabrina 1
Sep 2012
#101
This has gone completely down the rabbit hole into tinfoil hat conspiracy land
slackmaster
Sep 2012
#119
It was not a war, it was a brutal, barbaric invasion and that is how history will record it.
sabrina 1
Sep 2012
#164
I agree with you, to hell with them, but you don't think that any part of the US foreign
truebrit71
Sep 2012
#59
I think it really started with the way the UK partitioned what we now call Iraq in 1920
slackmaster
Sep 2012
#94
The 9/11 attackers were Saudis. What did you mean by "salting their land with a WMD?"
slackmaster
Sep 2012
#118
I will always remember who was the President of the United States and how he did not keep us safe.
jillan
Sep 2012
#4
The NYT article today said that they had at least 80 separate warnings and did nothing....
rfranklin
Sep 2012
#15
Thats speculation Hope. Not saying its impossible though because sure it could be that is
cstanleytech
Sep 2012
#17
Well, perhaps. But they needed a catalyst, planned on it all along, and knew it was coming.
HopeHoops
Sep 2012
#30
Polly I am talking about all the stonewalling he (Saddam) did not what their reports were.
cstanleytech
Sep 2012
#81
Again it wasnt so much that they were allowed in as it was that Saddam made
cstanleytech
Sep 2012
#109
Agree, I think he believed that Bush was bluffing and would backoff or atleast that he wouldnt be
cstanleytech
Sep 2012
#134
Try and get it off course, bring it down in a less-populated area....Something....
truebrit71
Sep 2012
#61
Your ideas intrigue me and I would like to subscribe to your newsletter....
PavePusher
Sep 2012
#148
Remember what George Bush actually said at his 1st presser after the attackes were over.
Old and In the Way
Sep 2012
#43
actually, George*, SUPPOSEDLY no one - except those on the ground - saw the first plane hit.
Raster
Sep 2012
#142
Oh I suspect they would still hate us even if we had had a hands off approach to the entire
cstanleytech
Sep 2012
#72
Sorry but I dont believe they would be all hugs and kisses like some seem to be wanting to
cstanleytech
Sep 2012
#131
Who instituted our laws that put people to death? You speak as if we were so civilized
sabrina 1
Sep 2012
#153
I've been here over 10 years and I'm ignored more than I am interacted with. Lots of people
patrice
Sep 2012
#102
NAILED it! Now, let's all politely prevent real time people from forgetting, please. nt
patrice
Sep 2012
#103
About the same the hundred thousand Iraqi civilians did to those people in the towers.
Hassin Bin Sober
Sep 2012
#166