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Gidney N Cloyd

(19,781 posts)
Thu Jun 19, 2014, 10:05 AM Jun 2014

"F**k it. We're going in."

http://eriklundegaard.com/item/fk-it-we-re-going-in
"F**k it. We're going in."

Sometimes you come across a disconnect so profound it almost gives you whiplash.

The cover story in this morning’s New York Times Magazine, by Peter Baker, presumably an excerpt from his upcoming book, concerns Bush’s final days in office, and the beginning of the article focuses on the McCain campaign’s attempt to distance itself from this most unpopular president. At the end of the first section, Mark Salter, McCain’s campaign advisor, says this about the President: “You feel bad for the guy if you think about it.” This leads to the first line of the second section:

George Bush does not want anyone feeling bad for him.

Allow me to back up for a second. Yesterday I came across the money portion of Ron Suskind’s The Way of the World. Suskind is writing about all the end-arounds the Bush administration performed in the lead-up to the Iraq war: ignoring George Tenet and the CIA to get the 16 words into the State of the Union address; using the CIA chief of station for Germany to muzzle German fears about the unreliability of Rafid Ahmed, or “Curveball,” who was feeding the administration misinformation about Saddam’s biological weapons operation; and, finally, not just ignoring but actually reversing the findings of the CIA Paris chief, who was told, in a clandestine meeting with Naji Sabri, Saddam’s last foreign minister, that Saddam didn’t possess WMD.

Then Suskind gets to the big one. In a casual conversation with an American intelligence officer in a Washington restaurant, and subsequently confirmed in face-to-face meetings with the former director and current assistant director of MI6, Suskind discovers that the Bush administration knew Saddam didn’t possess WMD before they went to war. They didn’t suspect. They knew.

In the months before the war, it seems a British agent, Michael Shipster, met with the head of Iraqi intelligence, Tahir Jalil Habbush, who confirmed everything we subsequently found to be true: Not just that Saddam didn’t have WMD but why he was unwilling to say so publicly. And it all made sense. Here’s Suskind talking with the unnamed American intelligence officer:

I ask if the intelligence was passed to CIA and the White House.
“Of course. Passed instantly, at the very highest levels.”
“And what did we say,” I ask. “Or, I guess, what did Bush say?”
“He said, Fuck it. We’re going in.”

Don’t know if that’s a direct quote or not. Either way, it’s probably a good thing George Bush doesn’t want anyone feeling bad for him.
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misterhighwasted

(9,148 posts)
1. and Dick Cheney knew it also yet here he is dragged up & dusted off, shifting the blame.
Thu Jun 19, 2014, 10:20 AM
Jun 2014

Dick Cheney has to be the most hated man in the world.
This story does need to be told.
Thanks for posting.

Gidney N Cloyd

(19,781 posts)
3. Worst is that while Cheney takes the hit right now, the Bremers and Boltons making the rounds...
Thu Jun 19, 2014, 10:35 AM
Jun 2014

...are taken a little more seriously when in fact the entire bunch should be eliminated from the current discussion over Iraq by virtue of being so wrong before and never admitting to it.

 

JayhawkSD

(3,163 posts)
4. This happened eleven years ago.
Thu Jun 19, 2014, 10:51 AM
Jun 2014

It's been known for at least eight years or so. It's ancient history. What is the point of bringing it up again?

Are we simply making sure everyone knows that what is happening now in Iraq is not Obama's fault? That is the behavior of ten-year-olds. "Sammy did it, it's not my fault." Adults focus on how to deal with problems.

And this is, in any case, a discussion with fellow Democrats. We already know whose fault it was. You are singing to the choir. Is that what passes for discussion today? That we all say the same thing and agree with other so that we can all feel good? We won't win many elections doing that.

Gidney N Cloyd

(19,781 posts)
6. I am providing ammunition for those confronted by GOP lies about the lead-up to war.
Thu Jun 19, 2014, 11:38 AM
Jun 2014

It's all over the talk shows the last few days and the facts get pounded into the dust by both the relentless twisting of history by the repubs and our sides' tendency to bend over backwards being 'fair.'

Uncle Joe

(58,112 posts)
7. Lurkers and trolls are exposed to this as well, not to mention when it comes to history
Thu Jun 19, 2014, 01:07 PM
Jun 2014

8 eight years is nothing, certainly not ancient, and some people here may not be aware of this either, being too young or just not paying attention at the time.

Today the Republicans; Cheney, Beck et al are trying to re-frame the argument regarding Iraq, if we let them get away with it, without constant rebuttal, their talking points will take hold and history will repeat itself as Republicans come back to power based on the same lies which led us to Iraq in the first place.

sunnystarr

(2,638 posts)
8. I REALLY WANT TO SCREAM ...
Thu Jun 19, 2014, 02:08 PM
Jun 2014

But I'll respond in normal text. Ancient history???? What is the point???? We already know???? We all say the same thing and agree... so like what's the point????

WOW!!!

Between a third and almost half of our country still believes that the 9/11 terrorists came from Iraq and that Saddam Hussein was responsible. Still believes that there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Have no idea how many lies were told to Americans and those around the world. Are ignorant of the piss poor planning at every stage and the loss of our treasure both in the lives of our troops and our dollars. The loss of anywhere between the reported 100K to half a million Iraqis - depending on who is reporting. The untold number of the physically and mentally maimed and tortured whose lives will never be the same. The disaster is of such mind bogging enormity that it's hard to wrap our minds around it.

But hey .... faggetaboutit ... right?

We now have a new generation of people who were too young to remember. Who need to know the enormity of the crimes committed by those fucktards. The names of those responsible should be etched on a wall of shame in perpetuity.

I don't care if this is preaching to the choir. We need to bring it up again and again and share it with whoever we know periodically so that it never leaves the American psyche.

If we don't it will happen again. "Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it."

 

RobertEarl

(13,685 posts)
13. Can you believe that crap?
Sat Jun 28, 2014, 02:14 AM
Jun 2014

I wonder what Jay has been thinking? Thinking bush should be let off the hook for his crimes? Sure seems that way. Good post taking it to Jay.

 

blkmusclmachine

(16,149 posts)
9. We still need to find out what Cheney/GWB knew on 9/10/2001,
Thu Jun 19, 2014, 07:07 PM
Jun 2014

in regards to 9/11/2001, because there certainly was a pre-existing Agenda in that Administration to go to war with Iraq. All Cheney/GWB needed was...an excuse.

Gidney N Cloyd

(19,781 posts)
10. We don't need to solve 9/11 to nail them on Iraq.
Thu Jun 19, 2014, 08:12 PM
Jun 2014

What they did re Iraq was sloppy and ham-handed. It was greed laid bare.
The clues on Iraq are right out in the open for anyone to string together. Anyone who wants to.

yurbud

(39,405 posts)
12. there is no sin FOR the rich so big it should be punished, and no sin AGAINST the rich so small it
Thu Jun 26, 2014, 08:56 PM
Jun 2014

should go unpunished.

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