World misled about Iraq war

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,9321540%255E2703,00.html

GEORGE W. Bush is facing new claims he misled the world about his plans for war on Iraq, with a book by legendary reporter Bob Woodward claiming the US President secretly called for a fresh war strategy to oust Saddam Hussein just 72 days after the September 11 attacks on the US in 2001.

In Plan of Attack, the Washington Post reporter says Mr Bush decided in January 2003 that he would launch the war – even though two months later on March 6 he publicly claimed: "I've not made up our mind about military action."

The book, to be released this week, says the Bush war cabinet met repeatedly on a plan to attack Iraq from late 2001, and channelled $US700 million ($950 million) for military preparations in the Persian Gulf in a way that hid the money from the US Congress.

While Mr Bush told reporters that a meeting at his Texas ranch on December 28, 2001, had been about the war in Afghanistan, it was really the first extensive briefing from US commander General Tommy Franks about the Iraq war plan he had been ordered to prepare.

"I'm right now focused on the military operations in Afghanistan," Mr Bush told reporters at a "war update" news conference that day. No mention was made of Iraq.

more

[JoFerret]

1. Glad this whopper story

is getting world attention.

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[onehandle]

5. Newsmax?

Come back when you have actual news.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

6. Not to mention...

They're labeled "AQ WMD." Not "Iraq WMD."

Iow, it's twice-removed bullshit.

[DoYouEverWonder]

10. And they're stamped

made in the USA

[Media_Lies_Daily]

7. Yeah, right. Thanks for playing.

[wryter2000]

9. Welcome to DU

:hi: Cigarskunk

[Piperay]

12. Yeah, right...

NOT, nice try though.

[markses]

15. Aren't you ashamed?

That's the "find"? Jesus. These folks are so in love with the incompetent shitbird in the WH that they can't even think straight. Pathetic, really.

[blondeatlast]

17. Citing decidedly RW media is not cool at DU.

But welcome anyway.

Next time, though, you may want to cite objective or at least mainstream press. NewMax is not gonna cut it with the vast majority of informed DUers.

[blondeatlast]

18. Whew, Moderators! Talk about quick on the draw!

Like citing Newsmax would allow him to stay for awhile; sheesh.

[Political_Junkie]

2. Looks like Woodward just might do it again...

the books not even out yet and it looks pretty damning. He might just bring down another presidency...well, I can hope, can't I?

[Media_Lies_Daily]

8. The only problem is that Woodward is lying to paint the best possible...

...picture of Junior before the elections. The planning for the war on Iraq was already being dome before the NeoCons took control of the country in December 2000.

Woodward also tries to paint Tenet with the worst possible brush, by stating that Tenet tried to sell Junior on flimsy WMD evidence. If I remember correctly, Tenet fought against Junior saying anything about WMDs in his State of the Union Address, and fought against Powell saying anything about WMDs during his UN address. They both ignored Tenet and now they're trying to pass the blame off on him.

[ultramega]

11. Tenet must be the biggest moron.

many people have commented the book doesn't read like geedubya talks, there are too many 2 and 3 syllable words and not enough uhs and duhs.

I agree, from the snippets I've read this book is trying to whitewash Bush by making him seem intelligent, but torn. And it has Tenet looking like a hysterical henny penny "throwing his arms up in the air" blah blah blah. It could really be character assasination on Tenet when compared to what other people have said. I just can't believe he's still in the CIA, and seems to believe he won't ultimately be blamed for this. He needs to write his own book, and Queeeeee-wick.

[GreenGreenLimaBean]

13. Why Tenet still has his job?

I suspect Tenet DID inform bush* about Zacarias Moussaoui before 9/11.
Can it be proven? Only if Tenet admits to it. Unless he has notes
to the effect that he informed bush* about him on such-in-such date.

[Just Me]

23. Kinda makes one wonder, whether Tenet was a "plant",...

,...he is being vigorously defended on one hand (by the Bush regime) and vigorously the "patsy" by ????

Very weird crap.

Talk about a "jihad",...it's happening within and without.

I will celebrate the collapse.

Enough of this game. Time to play something more real and strategic.

[MasonJar]

3. But where is it in US? This is an impeachable offense. Call your

reps now.

[calimary]

14. What you said, MasonJar! Call your reps ASAP - TOLL FREE.

See my sig line for details. First Thing Tomorrow (Monday) Morning, that is.

[Just Me]

16. "World" versus "Bush",....

,...like that wasn't obvious *LOL*!!! The only ones who didn't pay attention were: those in charge or those completely out-of-charge of their own faculties (e.g. emotionally vulnerable).

[daleo]

19. Some fresh Bush lies to add to the collection

The scrap book is getting pretty full, though.

[JoFerret]

20. Going gets tougher for Bush

This is the headline from a Bangladesh paper, The Daily Star

Great summary of BushLies and the Bush Dilemma from a Bangla perspective.
http://www.thedailystar.net/2004/04/19/d40419020334.htm

[rocketdem]

21. Only in an ass-backwards world...

...would this headline count as breaking news.

No, I'm not suggesting that it's been improperly posted. Hardly. I'm only pointing out how pathetic the press is to be just now coming to this obvious conclusion.

[progressivebydesign]

22. I think the biggest issue is the mishandled money!

If we had some balance on Capitol Hill, there would be a REAL investigation of this. He lied and misused funds. Impeachment in the real world.

[rocketdem]

24. That's an excellent point.

That would be kind of like taking out Al Capone based upon being a tax cheat. It's perfectly valid and probably very easily traced.

Damn, I wish that at least one house of Congress wasn't controlled by the criminal GOP.