Carter savages Blair and Bush: 'Their war was based on lies'

[papau]

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/politics/story.jsp?story=503722

Carter savages Blair and Bush: 'Their war was based on lies'
By Andrew Buncombe in Atlanta
22 March 2004

Jimmy Carter, the former US president, has strongly criticised George Bush and Tony Blair for waging an unnecessary war to oust Saddam Hussein based on "lies or misinterpretations". The 2002 Nobel peace prize winner said Mr Blair had allowed his better judgement to be swayed by Mr Bush's desire to finish a war that his father had started.

In an interview with The Independent on the first anniversary of the American and British invasion of Iraq, Mr Carter, who was president from 1977 to 1981, said the two leaders probably knew that many of the claims being made about Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction were based on imperfect intelligence.

He said: "There was no reason for us to become involved in Iraq recently. That was a war based on lies and misinterpretations from London and from Washington, claiming falsely that Saddam Hussein was responsible for 9/11 attacks, claiming falsely that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. And I think that President Bush and Prime Minister Blair probably knew that many of the allegations were based on uncertain intelligence ... a decision was made to go to war 'Let's find a reason to do so'."<snip>

But in the US and Britain, and elsewhere, there is growing anger among people who believe the war in Iraq was at best a deadly distraction and at worst an impediment to the war against al-Qa'ida - diverting resources and energy from countering those groups responsible for attacks such as the train bombings in Madrid.<snip>

[in_cog_ni_to]

1. I LOVE that man!

A TRUE Humanitarian and Statesman. Thanks Jimmy...for speaking the truth! :bounce:

[WI_DEM]

2. He calls it the way he see's it

too bad Bill Clinton doesn't do more of this.

[hippiegranny]

5. carter is an elder statesman,

several admins removed from the presidency. clinton is the former administration. these men are in different phases of their post presidency. give clinton a break. geez.

[Hieronymus]

3. I saw a clip of President Carter standing next to the Bush boy,

and his expression said volumes about his opinion of the boy. I don't know when it was shot, but it was on a cable station last night.
I applaud President Carter for his statement.:bounce:

[Jacobin]

4. Why is it that when someone tells an obvious, completely

apparent, and widely known truth about another person, that somehow it's defined as "savaging" that person.

I'm completely mystified. :shrug: