|
Here it is all in one place. Bookmark this link, it's footnoted and everything. Here's a sample: A. Statements that Iraq Posed an Urgent Threat On February 5, 2004, Director of Central Intelligence George Tenet categorically stated that the U.S. intelligence community “never said there was an ‘imminent’threat.”7 Yet this was not the impression conveyed by President Bush, Vice President Cheney, Secretary Rumsfeld, Secretary Powell, and National Security Advisor Rice in their public statements on Iraq. In 10 different appearances, these five officials made 11 statements claiming that Iraq posed an urgent threat. For example:
• President Bush stated on October 2, 2002: “the Iraqi regime is a threat of unique urgency. . . . t has developed weapons of mass death.”8 • President Bush stated on November 20, 2002: “Today the world is . . .uniting to answer the unique and urgent threat posed by Iraq.”9 • Vice President Cheney stated on August 26, 2002: “Simply stated, there is no doubt that Saddam Hussein now has weapons of mass destruction. There is no doubt he is amassing them to use against our friends, against our allies, and against us.”10 In one instance, Secretary Rumsfeld said that Iraq could give weapons of mass destruction to al Qaeda in “a week, or a month,” resulting in the deaths of up to 100,000 people. On November 14, 2002, Secretary Rumsfeld stated: Now, transport yourself forward a year, two years, or a week, or a month, and if Saddam Hussein were to take his weapons of mass destruction and transfer them, either use them himself, or transfer them to the Al-Qaeda, and somehow the Al-Qaeda were to engage in an attack on the United States, or an attack on U.S. forces overseas, with a weapon of mass destruction you’re not talking about 300, or 3,000 people potentially being killed, but 30,000, or 100,000 . . . human beings.”11 B. Statements about Iraq’s Nuclear Capabilities In their potential for destruction and their ability to evoke horror, nuclear weapons are in a class by themselves. As Dr. David Kay, former special advisor to the Iraq Survey Group, testified on January 28,2004: “all of us have and would continue to put the nuclear weapons in a different category. It’s a single weapon that can do tremendous damage, as opposed to multiple weapons that can do the same order of damage. . . . I think we should politically treat nuclear as a difference.”12 ______________________________________________________________ 8 White House, President, House Leadership Agree on Iraq Resolution (Oct. 2, 2002). 9 President Bush Speaks to Atlantic Youth Council, CNN (Nov. 20, 2002). 10 White House, Vice President Speaks at VFW 103rd National Convention (Aug. 26, 2002). 11 U.S. Department of Defense, Secretary Rumsfeld Live Interview with Infinity CBS Radio (Nov.14, 2002). 12 Testimony of David Kay, former special advisor to the Iraq Survey Group, before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Hearing on Iraqi Weapons of Mass Destruction and Related Programs (Jan. 28, 2004).And there is so much more! http://www.house.gov/reform/min/features/iraq_on_the_record/
|