Bush Denies U.S. Plans to Attack Iran (02/22/05) AP

[Lone_Star_Dem]

17 minutes ago

By TOM RAUM, Associated Press Writer

BRUSSELS, Belgium - President Bush (news - web sites) said Tuesday that it is "simply ridiculous" to assume that the United States has plans to attack Iran over its alleged nuclear weapons program.

"This notion that the United States is getting ready to attack Iran is simply ridiculous. Having said that, all options are on the table," Bush said after discussing the issue with European allies.

Bush used his bluntest language yet to give assurance to Iran's leaders. Last week, in a series of pre-trip interviews with European journalists, he also tried to dispel talk of a military attack, an issue that has been raised repeatedly since the United States went to war with Iraq (news - web sites) primarily over its alleged weapons of mass destruction. No such weapons have been found in Iraq.

On Iran, Bush has walked a careful line in expressing support for a European-led approach offering Iran technological, financial and political support in return for scrapping its uranium enrichment program.
more...
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=518&ncid=716&e=5&u=/ap/20050222/ap_on_re_eu/bush

[XanaDUer]

2. He denies it? Then I guess that mean we're going in.

The new Bizarro Bushworld.

[Orsino]

35. If Bush announced that the sky were blue...

I'd run to the window, and on my lips would be a muttered prayer: "My God; what have they done *now*?"

[GHOSTDANCER]

43. Obvious.... fastest response from these clowns since the gay marriage act.

They must of really have/had a plan in motion.

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. Didn't we read something similar in 2002... just

replace Iran for Iraq

[Democrats_win]

5. He meant Iraq this time. We are going to attack Iran

[Lone_Star_Dem]

8. Yes, it's all too familiar.

I made sure to date this in the headline since I'm positive we'll be seeing many more "denials" in the days ahead. We may as well make it easy to keep track.

[Occulus]

18. almost exactly the same thing

Will the US fall for it a second time?

Will the media report the similarities?

Doubts abound. Film at 11.

[cybildisobedience]

19. what he said was that "no plans are on my desk"

and with the useless media we have, no one thought to ask if the war plans to attack Iraq were somewhere else....

[radfringe]

51. both he and Rice

also said that there were no plans to invade IraN

"...that being said - all options are on the table..."

Yeah, I know he said "...no plans on my desk..." referring to the IraQ invasion -- and there probably were no plans on his desk -- they were on Rummy's desk

our resident-bush-supporter(RBS), at work, mentioned the "invade Iran-ridiculous" comment and pointed out how this came directly from bush - so in his mind it was the truth

I asked the RBS if bush*'s lips were moving when he said it -- RBS blinked and looked puzzled -- "Of course"

I smirked and replied - "then he's lying -- because he also said all options are on table -- if all options are on the table - would that also include plans for attacking Iran? He didn't say all options are on the table except for attacking Iran - unless Iran attack plans are not on the table and instead are on his desk....."

To me - it's not a matter of IF we attack Iran - it's when. Another co-worker has a brother-in-law that came back from IraQ about 9 months ago -- he was suppose to retire, they won't let him -- he expects to be called back up in within the next few months and to be shipped to IraN. Another co-worker's nephew arrived home from IraQ this weekend -- his plans are to get affairs in order, get married and he also expects to be sent to IraQ within the next few months.

[chicagojoe]

4. Mark his words,

and then smash his face to a bloody pulp with those words when he invades Iran.

[meganmonkey]

6. Is this total doublespeak?!

"This notion that the United States is getting ready to attack Iran is simply ridiculous. Having said that, all options are on the table," Bush said ...

You're right, it is ridiculous! But it is still on the table? Whaaaa?

:wtf:

[HereSince1628]

12. time for the parsing knife...give me that thing...

this statement can fail on
"notion" its not a notion its a reality
"United States" Israel is going to be our proxy
"getting ready" the US is READY ALREADY
"attack" no this is intervention, or enforcement of nonproliferation

[Viva_La_Revolution]

48. Thank You! Someone else gets it!

Israel has a very large army. Our guys are stretched too thin.
1+1= We're off to war again.

[bemildred]

15. Oh, we might attack Iran, but it will be unplanned, like Iraq. nt

[TahitiNut]

20. Exactly.

"Planning" isn't their forte. Scheming and plotting are more their style.

[Supersedeas]

22. Keeping the ridiculous on the table--it's the Bush way!!

[Skittles]

49. gawd he is such a moron

such a f***ing moron

[Crunchy Frog]

7. I wonder if that's similar to his denial

that he had "any plans on his desk" to invade Iraq? Actually, since everything that comes out of his mouth is a lie, can we now pretty much assume that an invasion of Iran is in the offing?

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. Yes and that is a lovely immage

by the way

[indepat]

10. The proof is always in the pudding

[BOSSHOG]

11. Pissing off his base with such a statement

The life loving Christians who love to kill non christians; who want to go to war with Iran as long as someone else's sons do the fighting. BadAss Chickenshit chickenhawks will be rallying around the flag in June when we launch another preemptive attack, selling more car magnets and shouting hateful invectives at liberals.

[nadinbrzezinski]

14. I can't wait for their engraved invitation to go

to Baghdad or tehran or points West arrives in the mail

(Draft Notice)

[jswordy]

13. He denies it, yet we fly regularly with drones over the country...

...a practice widely known to be a surveillance run-up to war.

The ONLY thing keeping GWB from military involvement in Iran is that he has such a large contingent pinned down in Iraq. That is why the Iranians finance the insurgents.

Oh yeah, for the record: The Iranian government Bush despises so was elected by a democratic vote. So if we do go in, we will overthrow a democracy.

[peterh]

16. It’s about credibility….

And the emperor has no clothes….

[Delphinus]

17. "Simply ridiculous"?

That doesn't sound like anything that would come out of his mouth. Don't think he could pronounce the word ridiculous.

And if it's so ridiculous, how come he's got his Secy of State going around threatening them?

At any rate, the rest of the world, all but the 53% here in this country, knows he's a g.d. liar.

[Megahurtz]

21. "Having said that, all options are on the table"????

LOL!!!:nuke:

[GiovanniC]

24. It's Ridiculous To Think I Would Hit You In The Face

But I wouldn't rule it out.

[daleo]

28. All options are on the table, even the "ridiculous" ones. n/t

[isthisamerica]

23. I believe him

It's not like he has ever lied before!

/Sarcasm off

[Junkdrawer]

25. "About as ridiculous as the US invading Iraq"...

(mummers from behind. Bush leans back to hear correction...)

"About as ridiculous as the US invading Iraq for reasons other than self-defense"...

(more mummers from behind. Bush leans back to hear further prompts...)

"About as ridiculous as the US invading Iraq for reasons other than promoting democracy in the region"...

Bush stops talking and smirks with self-satisfaction.

[cthrumatrix]

26. Rove trying to "put out the Scott Ritter" Iran war fire

[cliss]

27. Something has happened.

There's something brewing that's not being told. Combine this with the butt-kissing trip to Europe last week, and you've got something major.

I'm willing to bet that Europe got together and told Bush that if the US invades Iran, Europe will become a new USSR with Russia, or China, or something to that effect.

This was obviously enough to scare The Stupid One, so he scrambled over there to fix things. Combine this with the DENIAL that they're going to invade Iran.

While Iran is getting ready for war.

Can anybody be so stupid?

[Dave Reynolds]

29. Yes, yes he can be that stupid.

Just my opinion.

The US seems to be the odd man out lately, and with good reason.

[EBK]

36. Hasn`t it always been about Iran??

He has invaded Afghanistan on one side, Iraq on the other(not going as planned). Two of the best places to put bases to target Israel`s biggest threat.

just my opinion.

[not fooled]

46. makes sense...

..."I'm willing to bet that Europe got together and told Bush that if the US invades Iran, Europe will become a new USSR with Russia, or China, or something to that effect.
This was obviously enough to scare The Stupid One..."

Your explanation is more plausible than the idea that * wasn't itchin' to bomb the Eye-raynians ASAP :eyes:


But, I think * will still be a'bombing there at some point.

[acmavm]

30. I'm confused. First the idea is ridiculous but 'having said that' all

options are on the table. What? This is one of those either/or things. Either it's ridiculous and we aren't going to do it, or all options are on the table meaning that they gotta think up a catchy name for when we murder another bunch of civilians. Shock and Awe worked so well the first time, then Operation Iraqi Freedom, wonder what the PR Dept. will come up with next?

[hezekkia]

31. Bush Dismisses Idea of U.S. Plan to Attack Iran

BRUSSELS, Feb. 22 -- President Bush on Tuesday dismissed as "simply ridiculous" the idea that United States was preparing to attack Iran, but he warned that he was keeping all his options open as his administration tries to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

Concerns about Iran were among the issues Bush discussed Tuesday in meetings with NATO and European Union officials during the first foreign trip of his second term. Bush also expressed unease about an EU proposal to lift a ban on arms sales to China.
...

Europe would like the United States to get involved in ongoing talks with Tehran by offering the Iranian government security and economic guarantees in exchange for abandoning its nuclear ambitions -- an overture the White House has flatly opposed.

The U.S. posture has led to growing concern in Europe that Bush is considering military action against Iran. Bush has repeatedly said he wants diplomacy to work in Iran, even while saying he hasn't ruled out the military option.

"This notion that the United States is getting ready to attack Iran is simply ridiculous," Bush said during a news conference Tuesday evening. "And having said that, all options are on the table."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A43199-2005Feb22.html

[hezekkia]

32. gotta love the last quote in particular

:scared:

[rockedthevoteinMA]

33. But what does this mean?

"And having said that, all options are on the table."

This guy is certifiable. And he has his finger on the button. Oh how comfortable I feel. :eyes:

[banana republican]

34. Ya shure you betcha

Visualize Ballard

[buddysmellgood]

37. Fuck Bush.

[buddysmellgood]

38. That was my 1000th post.

:)

[daleo]

44. And always a good sentiment for a milestone. n/t

[Melynn]

39. This is so transparent, it's pathetic

When Bush does attack Iran, he will say, "We had no plans to attack Iran but they wouldn't go along with inspections so they left us no other option."

You watch. I bet that's exactly what Bush says when he orders the attack on Iran.

[Rex]

40. HA!

He verified it the other day, now he denies it. Sounds like something is already planned or maybe going on right now in Iran.

[Duer 157099]

41. When I heard that quote my first thought was:

he deliberately used the phrase "getting ready" because he could always turn around and say that we were "already ready" and thus were not actively getting ready. not as though he's usually a careful grammatician (is that a word?)

[GetTheRightVote]

42. He lies again, are we surprised, no way..........

http://www.ufppc.org/content/view/2295

copied from Ritter thread

:kick:

[SodoffBush]

45. Bush says he hasn't ruled out war with Iran

That translates to, he HAS ruled out peace. You can't have it both ways, Sonny.

[not fooled]

47. here's a thought...

...maybe the tortured lie is that ISRAEL will do the initial attack. Then, the US will get involved.

[BreweryYardRat]

50. Well, shit...

He can deny it all he wants-doesn't mean he won't cook up some bullshit reason and go in anyway.

[dbt]

52. Let's see: the Israeli air force is "ready to go,"

according to a piece that was quickly moved off LBN early on 2.22. Then there are the reports that the US is negotiating with insurgents in IraQ. Now, bu$hler denies plans for an IraN attack.

WHAT'S THAT SMELL LIKE FISH, OH BABY?

:freak:
dbt

[Tsiyu]

53. Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: Bush scoffs at Iran attack

Bush scoffs at Iran attack

By Michael A. Fletcher and Keith B. Richburg
The Washington Post
Wednesday, February 23, 2005


BRUSSELS, Belgium -- President Bush on Tuesday dismissed as "simply ridiculous" the idea that United States was preparing to attack Iran, but warned he was keeping all options open as his administration tries to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
Concerns about Iran were among the issues Bush discussed yesterday in meetings with NATO and European Union officials during the first foreign trip of his second term. Bush also expressed unease about an EU proposal to lift a ban on arms sales to China.


more:

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/national/s_306577.html

also:

http://news.google.com/nwshp?hl=en&gl=us ( scroll down)

[Festivito]

Hmmm... Iran is simply ridiculous, perhaps Syria is complexly serious.

Actually, his notion of it being rediculous is itself so rediculous that his statement works like code. Code telling PNACers that Iran will be attacked, while inferring to non-believers to quit looking.

[DulceDecorum]

54. In other news

Asked this afternoon about reports that he was scheduled to appear on the Anderson Cooper's CNN show tonight, he denied it strongly. One hour later, a CNN spokesman told E&P, "He's taping it right now."
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000808726

But I digress.
Iran has been having having qute a few problems lately......

[Tsiyu]

1. Typical

Wassatch speak with forked tongue