Bush's WMD Fraud Finally An Issue

The Bush Administration has reached a new low over the past ten days.

Back up three years. Bush, Cheney, Rice and Rumsfeld take reasonable suspicions and concerns over Saddam Hussein and weapons of mass destruction and exaggerate them into “a growing and gathering threat.” Mobile biological weapons labs, unmanned drones capable of spreading them over the US, and a reconstituted nuclear weapons program were described in great detail in speeches and Sunday morning programs. These statements were prefaced with phrases like “We know for a fact that..” or “We have confirmed...”

In fact, these intelligence reports with neither known for a fact nor were they confirmed. They were based on unreliable informants, forged documents, assumptions based on past behavior, and vague information such as satellite photos given the most alarming interpretation possible. Non-sequitor references to the 9/11 terrorist attacks were thrown in so that those not listening too closely would believe there was a connection. There is no doubt that Congress and the public were mislead into supporting an war as part of an agenda that was not being articulated.

Now, three years later, the Bush Administration is being called on their words and feels compelled to respond. Unable to answer these charges other than by admitting “the intelligence was wrong, they resort to name calling and nonsensical accusations.

“They’re trying to re-write history!” No, you’re trying to rewrite history by claiming that you didn’t mislead us!

“They’re supporting the terrorists” So dissent or discussing the truth means supporting the enemy?

“We’re going to throw (the critic’s) words back in their face.” Pointing out that democrats erred by believing Cheney was telling the truth certainly doesn’t absolve him. During the pre-war period, many democrats were afraid of becoming a 21s Century version of Neville Chamberlain, the British political figure infamous for appeasing the Nazis in the 1930s. They may have had doubts about Iraqi WMDs, but didn’t want to minimize the threat in case the threat turned out to be real.

Finally, when Vietnam veteran and 30-year Marine Rep. John Murtha called for the withdraw of US troops from Iraq, he’s called a coward in Congress and Scott McClellen accused him of adopting the policies of Michael Moore.

This presidency is certainly the most dishonest, disingenuous presidency in my lifetime, and possibly the history of the country, and polls show that people are finally starting to notice.

But for those of us paying attention, this is all old news. Why the hell was the official disinformation campaign no more than a background issue during last years election?