Question about Iraq position defense

[BayouBengal07]

What do you say to a Con who points out that many Dems (Clinton, Gore, etc) said that we all know Iraq has WMDs?

[Jacobin]

1. It's how you react to a perceived problem

It's what you do about it, not what everyone perceived the problem to be.

Everyone chose containment and inspections which obviously worked better than invasion and occupation....until Bush came along and started Bush's War.

GHWBush, the Daddy crone, wrote in a book in the late 1990's exactly why he didn't try to conquer and occupy Iraq. The reasons are exactly what is happening now. A never ending mess that the world would not support.

It's more subterfuge from the cons

[BayouBengal07]

2. True.

I'm sure the Democrats who warned of Saddam's "capability" were supportive of containment, not war.

But that still doesn't change the fact that they thought he had capacity. It hurts the "Bush lied" argument. Not in the fact that he might have KNOWINGLY lied, but that many of OUR leaders had the same perception of Iraq.

[Jacobin]

3. That's where you get into the 'cooking the intelligence'

thing spearheaded by Cheney and his Office of Special Plans.

The intelligence was not solid. They suspected things. Cheney, et al set about to make shit up and warp the intelligence reports to justify invasion.

That's what the DSM thingy is all about.

[BayouBengal07]

5. Yeah

the Office of Special Plans always works- it was an effort to get the false, misleading intel AROUND the vetting process at the intel agencies and send it straight to the White House. I bet a Dem wouldn't let that happen.

[Sparkly]

4. They weren't privy to the same info Chimp had.

And when they were in office, they DEALT with it responsibly, weakened the regime, and apparently were successful in getting him to destroy the weapons -- all without the crazy mess we're seeing thanks to Chimp.

[MichiganVote]

6. I say that as long as you have politicians bought and paid for by

corporations, Americans will get exactly what they see, a bunch of worthless, self serving, whining, conniving, gutless assholes. (exceptions, Conyers and Co.)

[oblivious]

7. They are guilty of believing the CIA, DOD and President of the U.S.

How shameful.

How could they know that these three august entities would lie to the democratically elected representatives of the American people.

Will US intelligence ever be trusted again by the elected leaders of the country or indeed the world? I can't see how or why.

Edit:
You can argue that US intel was pressured to lie, that they were used, etc., but if they gave in, they are worthless. They have no credibility now.

Look at how we laugh at them on DU. Every announcement about terrorist captures and nukes is greeted with derision.

[BayouBengal07]

8. Also.

It goes beyond the WMD claims: its what he did with it, AND the LEGALITY of a preemptive war.