"I just don't spend that much time on him, to be honest with you." ~ GWB

[mzmolly]

This is what George "tough on terra" Bush said of Osama Bin Laden just 6 months after 911.

http://www.strike-the-root.com/4/bovard/bovard2.html

Shortly after 9/11, President Bush announced: "So long as anybody's terrorizing established governments, there needs to be a war." The Bush administration quickly organized what Bush labeled a "freedom-loving coalition" -- which included many of the most oppressive governments in the world. But as long as a foreign leader recited Bush's catechism on terrorism, his government was automatically certified as a partner in Bush's crusade against evil.

A week after the 9/11 attacks, Bush proclaimed he wanted Osama bin Laden "dead or alive" and made bin Laden the poster boy for the war on terrorism. Six months later, when asked about Osama at a press conference, Bush groused that bin Laden is "just a person who's now been marginalized" and insisted: "I just don't spend that much time on him, to be honest with you." From the initial targeting of al Qaeda, the enemies list expanded to include Iraq, Iran, North Korea, Syria, Somalia, and Libya, as well as an array of private groups.

The more foreign nations the United States bombs, the more domestic tranquility Americans will presumably enjoy. Bush declared on February 27, 2002: "We owe it to our children and our children's children to rid the world of terror now, so they can grow up in a free society, a society without fear." Bush assumes that there is a fixed sum of terror in the world and all that is necessary is to use enough force to "bring justice" to the culprits. Bush's policies may spawn new terrorists faster than the U.S. military can kill existing terrorists.

Bush proclaimed that "either you're with us, or you're against us in the fight for freedom; either you stand beside this great Nation as part of a coalition that will defend freedom and defend civilization itself, or you're against us." Bush often speaks as if all he need do is pronounce the word "freedom" and all humanity is obliged to obey his commands -- as if he were the World Pope of Freedom and his infallible proclamations are sufficient to justify scourging all slackers.

[usregimechange]

1. In the same press conference he said he was deeply concerned

about Iraq. March 13th.

[mzmolly]

2. Do you have a link?

:shrug: I didn't know the date.

[mzmolly]

3. Link to official press conference:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/03/20020313-8.html

Q But don't you believe that the threat that bin Laden posed won't truly be eliminated until he is found either dead or alive?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, as I say, we haven't heard much from him. And I wouldn't necessarily say he's at the center of any command structure. And, again, I don't know where he is. I -- I'll repeat what I said. I truly am not that concerned about him. I know he is on the run. I was concerned about him, when he had taken over a country. I was concerned about the fact that he was basically running Afghanistan and calling the shots for the Taliban.

But once we set out the policy and started executing the plan, he became -- we shoved him out more and more on the margins. He has no place to train his al Qaeda killers anymore. And if we -- excuse me for a minute -- and if we find a training camp, we'll take care of it. Either we will or our friends will. That's one of the things -- part of the new phase that's becoming apparent to the American people is that we're working closely with other governments to deny sanctuary, or training, or a place to hide, or a place to raise money.

And we've got more work to do. See, that's the thing the American people have got to understand, that we've only been at this six months. This is going to be a long struggle. I keep saying that; I don't know whether you all believe me or not. But time will show you that it's going to take a long time to achieve this objective. And I can assure you, I am not going to blink. And I'm not going to get tired. Because I know what is at stake. And history has called us to action, and I am going to seize this moment for the good of the world, for peace in the world and for freedom.

[CarolynEC]

4. "Bush let bin Laden walk away"

This alone is reason to kick him out of the White House. The filthy murderer responsible for the slaughter of thousands of Americans... was cornered in Tora Bora... and Bush let him walk away.

Unforgivable.

[mzmolly]

5. Yes he did.

:(

[mzmolly]

6. "I truly am not that concerned about him." Bush on Osama Bin Laden

:kick:

Q: But don't you believe that the threat that bin Laden posed won't truly be eliminated until he is found either dead or alive?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, as I say, we haven't heard much from him. And I wouldn't necessarily say he's at the center of any command structure. And, again, I don't know where he is. I -- I'll repeat what I said. I truly am not that concerned about him. I know he is on the run. I was concerned about him, when he had taken over a country. I was concerned about the fact that he was basically running Afghanistan and calling the shots for the Taliban.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

7. What does Bush spend any time on?

Apparently not on reading August 6th PDBs describing Saddam's impending actions either.

Getting re-elected? Reading goat books? Snorting coke off Condi's ass?