Bush bombshell: "Knowing what I know now, I still would have invaded."

He said words to that effect (paraphrasing, I forget what he exactly said) during his press conference this morning. How is THAT not scandalous? Practically EVERYONE ELSE, even if they were originally pro war, realize what a clusterfuck this has been, and qualify their beliefs with the idea that they wouldn't have voted if intelligence didn't indicate there were WMDs. But Bush STILL WOULD HAVE INVADED! He admitted in this press conference that he would have sent almost a thousand of our sons and daughters off to die for alleged WMDs, even though there are dozens of bastard candidates out there, and Saddam's presence was no threat to us! HOW IS THIS NOT A SCANDAL???

This show needs to close.

I mean, look at how many reasons we've had for the invasion, not to mention his changing positions on just about every major issue that's come down the pike the last 3 1/2 years.

BUSH: And the second part of the -- oh, why would this -- listen, let me talk about the intelligence in Iraq. First of all, we all thought we would find stockpiles of weapons. We may still find weapons. We haven't found them yet. Every person standing up here would say, gosh, we thought it was going to be different, as did the Congress, by the way, members of both parties, and the United Nations. But what we do know is that Saddam Hussein had the capability of making weapons.

And let me just say this to you: Knowing what I know today, we still would have gone on into Iraq. We still would have gone to make our country more secure. He had the capability of making weapons. He had terrorist ties. The decision I made was the right decision. The world is better off without Saddam Hussein in power. And I find it interesting, in the political process, that some say, well, I voted for the intelligence, and now they won't say whether or not it was the right decision to take Saddam Hussein out. It's the right decision, and the world is better off for it.

Link last two paragraphs

"We've had no evidence that Saddam Hussein was involved in Sept. 11."

DOING THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AGAIN, BUT EXPECTING DIFFERENT RESULTS

how can a President "not learn" from your mistakes....it's human. Not this psychopath.

He takes route right off a cliff and survives but the patient dies. Shown a map for a quick safe route he quips "knowing what I know for that sick patient I would take the same route!"

When will he ever shut the hell up.

Do you expect him to say he was wrong? I think many here have NO FUCKING CLUE about politics.

Just say something like, "Had I known the intelligence was faulty, I would not have sent us in. But the world is safer, yadda yadda, we have to stay the course, et cetera."

But to admit that he would have taken us to war anyway, even if he knew the intelligence was faulty (But we still might find WMDs!), is fucking insane!

he's a public servant. He, theoretically, works for us, the people. It's about accountabilty, responsibility and honor, it's about honesty.

He's trying to appear forceful and resolute, sort of like the lead lemming on the way to the cliff.

I could have slid off my chair when he said that. My first thought was "Not on your worthless life!"

and it's shocking now. He's an embarrassment.

He knew he was making up all the WMD stuff.

Now if we can just get him to say "occupation".

Of COURSE he would have invaded Iraq if he knew then when what he knows now--HE MADE THE WHOLE THING UP!!!

:headbang:
rocknation

When did we ever believe Bush would be capable of admitting a mistake in any way, shape or form?

" adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines."

tyranies.

"We invaded because we WANTED to."

That's the naked truth. Were they to do that, I might gain a measure of respect for their balls, if nothing else.

And I'd imagine he'd be strung up on the White House lawn, by both the anti-war and PNAC contingents.

How is this not a scandal? Simple. Nobody has the balls to call him on it. Nobody in the WH Press Corps is going to ask the tough questions, especially to the Dim Son himself.

If there must be war, the reason should be self-evident. I smelled the rat as soon as Dim Son and his associates started trumpeting the case for war, using vague pictures of buildings and weather balloon platfoms referred to as 'Winnebagos of Death', and I can't believe that the entire press corps missed a whole half of the public debate on this.

How is this not a scandal? How is this not several scaldals? Starting with the corporate media?

ahead of 9/11 attack - which they saw as God sent opportunity to fullfil their plan. Yes he would have invaded regardless because they are hell bent on inavsion and would have made up any reason to do so whether true or not!

He knows the same things now that he knew then, so he is being consistent. He knew if was all lies then, and he knows it now.

he was asked. Since Bush is incapable of hearing, understanding, and responding to a question that he hasn't been pre-prepared for, when he is asked anything else, he just repeats one of his stock answers.

1) Any other answer would be admitting an error somewhere, and Fnord knows he doesn't DO that...

2) It's never REALLY been about WMDs or liberating Iraq, either. It's been about JOB 1 for the * Administration: advancing the agendas and filling the pockets of his top supporters -- the neocons and his "base" of "haves and have-mores".

The man is off the wall, looks normal but isn't....

...that doesn't matter to him.

tolerated in the white house, it reflects on all Americans.

If imminent peril from chemical/biological weapons wasn't an issue, if there was no nuke-u-lar program, no drones, no "long-range" missiles and no ties to terrorists who were after the United States, then WHAT WAS THE REAL REASON? He's clearly saying that all of the stated reasons for justifying pre-emptive self-defense aren't important, so what was the real impetus?

As far as I can tell, that only leaves Daddy revenge, the need to crush someone to prove we mean business, saving Israel, finding a cushy place for permanent bases, and all that yummy, yummy oil. Did I miss something?

Someone needs to ask him if he still would have attacked knowing that they were no danger to us and had no intentions of being one.

of course he would have invaded.

and all the reason to support that Bush intended to go to war with Iraq since the day he entered office

Swoon!

Once again, the lie of 'terrorist ties' will go unnoticed by the worthless media.

No way the UN didn't tell him it was unlikely they had WMD. We ALL heard them say it as well as hearing the CIA say the same thing. He DID know all of this.

PNAC plans. The plans started with Iraq if I remember right. That was what they had planned, they just needed to proffer reasons..didn't matter much what just so Joe public and congress would buy the story. After they were in Iraq, it didn't matter at all what the story became.

When you get your marching orders directly from God, it means never having to say you're sorry. Ah, the joys of having a fundie for Prez.

Alternately, to admit he's wrong, would make his whole Presidency a joke. And that would certainly be a scandal. This way he gets to pretend it's a success and it doesn't matter if it's a failure. Why let facts get in the way? It's more important to never change your mind. It's the mantra. Never change your mind.

It's called IDEOLOGY. It sucks. And it always ruins them in the end.

Is that anyone would see this as strength. I'm really curious as to whether those who support him find this reassuring or are just too afraid to switch horses in midstream.

Speaking of which, my father tossed that one at me. I told him that if the horse you're on is drowning, yes it's a damn good idea to switch!

He intended to invade Iraq as soon as he stole office. He looked for an excuse. He found one. He got to invade. Why would he be disappointed?

Why was Iraq invaded?

Because of three things:

1) Iraq being cleared of WMD by the UNMOVIC/UNSCOM meant Desert Storm (when Saddam went off the reservation) was over and sanctions had to be lifted.

2) Iraq had European contracts for their oil.

3) Iraq was going to trade the oil in Euros not petrodollars.

"Remember, Bush/Saud are the same thing. BDM/Vinnel (Carlyle at the time) arm, train, equip man what keeps Saud in power. Saudi crude funds the whole Bush/Saud crew. Iraq suddenly free again to sell its oil, and in Euros not only screws Bush/Saud, but would cripple the US economy along multiple fracture lines.

First and obviously, having the 2nd largest oil reserve of accessible crude come onto the market will drive the value of Saudi crude into the basement. That Iraq would end run the rest of OPEC to make up for a decade of being starved would scatter the cartel members into the winds to fend for themselves. So what is better, to let Iraq crude take out your own operation at the knees or take it over and roll it into the same portfolio.

Second, because Iraq was gonna devalue your own assets in the first place, doing so outside our traditional partner firms and with European (French, Russian, German) firms visions of Chinnese orders means you are not getting a swing at that crude even in the rest of the chain.

Third, and most critical (and actually more "forgivable" in a strange circumpolar way) is that trading in Euros not petrodollars collapse our capital market funding of our debt and deficits, both Governmental budget and general economic. If China (as its demand for oil goes through the roof in the next 10 years) starts trading with Iraq, and the Euro becomes the currency for oil (not to mention it is already on the edge of surpassing the dollar for capital markets anyway base don value as it is) suddenly China has no need to continue to buy our debt. It would get more of a return in Euros, plus it buys oil form Iraq in Euros."

Christian Parenti.

* The real reasons seem to be too complicated for most Americans to grasp so simplistic reasons were offered up. The Neo Fascists presumed that the Iraqis would not put up resistance after the initial invasion therefore no questions of no WMDs would arise. Had there been no insurgency the situation would not have been seen as a failure. The Neo Fascists got a huge unpleasant surprise!