White House Retreats From Weapons Claims

[Flagg]

White House Retreats From Weapons Claims

By TERENCE HUNT, AP White House Correspondent

WASHINGTON - The White House retreated Monday from its once-confident claims that Iraq (news - web sites) had weapons of mass destruction, and Democrats swiftly sought to turn the about-face into an election-year issue against President Bush (news - web sites).



The administration's switch came after retired chief U.S. weapons inspector David Kay said he had concluded, after nine months of searching, that Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) did not have stockpiles of forbidden weapons. Asked about Kay's remarks, White House spokesman Scott McClellan refused to repeat oft-stated assertions that prohibited weapons eventually would be found.


McClellan said the inspectors should continue their work "so that they can draw as complete a picture as possible. And then we can learn — it will help us learn the truth."


Kay, meanwhile, was called to appear at a public hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee (news - web sites) on Wednesday and agreed to attend, a Senate aide said.


Sen. John Kerry (news - web sites), seeking the Democratic presidential nomination, said Bush had misled the nation. "When the president of the United States looks at you and tells you something, there should be some trust," Kerry said from the campaign trail in Keene, N.H. "He's broken every one of those promises."


Howard Dean (news - web sites


http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040126/ap_on_re_mi_ea/us_iraq_weapons&cid=514&ncid=514

[proud patriot]

1. Be sure to rate it

:hi:

[arcane1]

2. rating another 5 today

Yahoo is going to be shut down if they continue with this treasonous truth-telling!!

:toast:

[54anickel]

7. Avg Rating: 3.63, 1189 votes Sure is getting a lot of votes.

Looks like someone is at least trying to shutdown this article.

[barbaraann]

8. Yup.

Big time.

[Fridays Child]

3. Dems sought to turn it into an election-year issue...

Turn it into an issue???

The bastard usurper gets our troops maimed and killed for lies and it shouldn't be an issue???

With liberal media like this, who needs a neo-conservative press?

[cprise]

4. Thank you, Howard Dean

For putting this issue on the media map.

(Hats off to Kucinich, too, and the original war protesters.)

[frank frankly]

5. damn straight

thank you forever and always, Dr. Dean and Rep Kucinich.

heroes.

[Born Free]

6. bush lies,soldiers die

We need to keep repeating it until even the most rabid right wing nut acknowledges it.

[DoYouEverWonder]

9. This is why

pre-emptive war is not a good idea. That's what millions of people around the world tried to tell these assholes. But in their smug righteousness, they scoffed at us. Over 500 American troops have died, plus 1000's of casualties, 3000 Americans on 9-11, over 10,000 Iraqi civlians......for what? FOR A BUNCH OF FUCKING LIES.

[bluedog]

10. also on yahoo

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=544&ncid=703&e=6&u=/ap/20040126/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_weapons_glance

********Toast the bush...hes done........

Add White House - AP to My Yahoo!


By The Associated Press

Comments by President Bush (news - web sites) about Iraq (news - web sites)'s alleged weapons of mass destruction:



We are interviewing Iraqi citizens and analyzing records of the old regime to reveal the full extent of its weapons programs and its long campaign of deception. — Sept. 23, 2003, speech to the U.N. General Assembly.


___


Intelligence throughout the decade showed they had a weapons program. I am absolutely convinced with time we'll find out that they did have a weapons program. The credibility of this country is based upon our strong desire to make the world more peaceful, and the world is now more peaceful after our decision. — June 9, 2003, remarks to reporters after Cabinet meeting.


___


snip


The dictator of Iraq has got weapons of mass destruction. He has used weapons of mass destruction. He can't stand America and what we stand for. He can't stand our friends and allies. — Jan. 22, 2003, speech in St. Louis.


___


It's important for our fellow Americans to understand that, when we're talking about Saddam Hussein (news - web sites), we're talking about a man who said he has had no weapons of mass destruction, yet we believe has weapons of mass destruction — a man who has not only had weapons of mass destruction, but he's used weapons of mass destruction. ... He's a threat and he's a danger. — Dec. 3, 2002, speech in New Orleans.


___


Today this regime likely maintains stockpiles of chemical and biological agents, and is improving and expanding facilities capable of producing chemical and biological weapons. Today Saddam Hussein has the scientists and infrastructure for a nuclear weapons program, and has illicitly sought to purchase the equipment needed to enrich uranium for a nuclear weapon. Should his regime acquire fissile material, it would be able to build a nuclear weapon within a year. — Sept. 14, 2002, radio address.

[Amager]

11. I think Cheney is still insisting there are WMD's there

That tyrant won't give up on the lie.

[pinniped]

14. You know what they say...

If a LIE is repeated enough times it becomes the truth.

[0007]

15. It will not be too cool to say such things,

Cheney will soon go into a quiet mode.

[baldguy]

12. Six months from now . . .

they'll be saying "WMDs? What WMDs? We never said Saddam had WMDs!"

And the "news" media will lap it up.

[pinniped]

13. McClusterfck is a moron...

and so is everyone affiliated with the top war criminal in the WH.

"McClellan said the inspectors should continue their work "so that they can draw as complete a picture as possible. And then we can learn — it will help us learn the truth."

We already "know" the truth and so does your POS crook boss.

Weren't the inspectors continuing to do their work before you and your AHOLE boss made them leave so you jerks could bomb them back to 3000 B.C. and steal their oil? Yes.

Those WH war criminal AHOLES made it sound like an Iraqi WMD attack on the US was imminent.

[NickB79]

16. Lol, McClusterfuck

Bout sums it up right there.