Why is there even a debate? There's CLEAR PROOF that the Bush admin LIED.

So much so, in fact, that I'm surprised Bush had the guts to get up and say what he did on Veteran's Day.

On just the aluminum tubes alone (quoting David Corn's recent article, but this info can be found in numerous places):
"In 2002, Dick Cheney said the tubes were 'irrefutable evidence', and Condoleezza Rice said they were 'only really suited for nuclear weapons programs'. But a year earlier, as The New York Times reported in 2004, "Rice's staff had been told that the government's foremost nuclear expert (DOE) seriously doubted that the tubes were for nuclear weapons."
http://news.yahoo.com/s/thenation/20051114/cm_thenation/336405;_ylt=A86.I1kZw3hDKeYAkwL9wxIF;_ylu=X3oDMTBjMHVqMTQ4BHNlYwN5bnN1YmNhdA--

Not to mention the fact that the world's foremost nuclear expert, the I.A.E.A., was repeatedly and publicly stating (before the war) that these tubes were not likely suitable for such a use.

"Irrefutable evidence"? "Only suitable for"? Those two statements alone prove that Bush's Veteran's Day denial that they "manipulated intelligence and misled the American people about why we went to war" was nothing more than a hollow, bald-faced LIE.

We don't even need to get into Niger-yellowcake (and pre-war CIA reports). We don't even need to get into UAVs (and pre-war Air Force reports). We don't even need to get into links to Al Qaeda (and pre-war CIA and DIA reports). We don't even need to get into numerous pre-war reports by U.N. Inspectors on the ground in Iraq that directly contradicted Bush administration claims.

But we can, George, we can.

Regarding each one of those points, and many others, it is just as easily demonstrable that Bush and others in his administration lied and knowingly misrepresented intelligence.

They didn't just mislead. They lied.
Definition of a lie:
1) A false statement deliberately presented as being true; a falsehood.
2) Something meant to deceive or give a wrong impression

THEY LIED.
CASE CLOSED.

among those who have actually taken the time to look at and understand the evidence, there is no debate but there is a small vocal contingency that will not believe the evidence no matter how often they encounter it.

They will accept bushes version on faith alone.

:patriot:

they pushed back when their lies were in danger of being exposed.

Case Closed