The Reporter has published my latest letter, a brief rundown of lie vs. truth in Iraq.
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The truth about Iraq:
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Lie: “Bush lied about WMDs.”
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Truth: 2002’s National Intelligence Estimate concluded “Iraq is continuing … its chemical, biological, nuclear and missile programs.” British, German, French, Russian, Chinese and Israeli intelligence all agreed. The Robb-Silberman Commission found “no evidence of political pressure to influence the intelligence community’s pre-war assessments.” We found 1.77 metric tons of uranium. Polish forces found chemical warheads. Charles Duelfer testified that Hussein intended to restart his programs, and there’s reason to believe WMDs were smuggled to Syria.
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Lie: “Iraq’s unrelated to terrorism.”
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Truth: A few examples to the contrary: We’ve found rolls of jihadists trained in Iraq at places like Salman Pak. We know of repeated meetings between Iraqi and al-Qaeda operatives, including the planning meeting for the USS Cole bombing. Jihadists have found safe haven in Iraq.
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Lie: “U.S. forces terrorize innocent Iraqis.”
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Truth: Almost all troops have fought heroically and humanely. Incidentally, antiwar hero Jesse MacBeth, a supposed Iraq vet who “confessed” to partaking in American atrocities against Iraqi civilians, was recently exposed as a fraud who never once set foot in Iraq.
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Lie: “Iraq’s a civil war.”
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Truth: Writing for Middle East Quarterly, Sgt. David Patten explains: “While the government is weak, there is no political force presenting it with a serious challenge. Iraq is, indeed, an unstable nation, but there is little danger of regime change, the ultimate purpose of a civil war. The armed groups most likely to participate in an eventual civil war lack both the capacity and the will to enter into such a conflict in earnest at the present time…[but] Premature withdrawal could lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy, creating the conditions for a civil war that do not currently exist.”
–
The truth about Iraq:
–
Lie: “Bush lied about WMDs.”
–
Truth: 2002’s National Intelligence Estimate concluded “Iraq is continuing … its chemical, biological, nuclear and missile programs.” British, German, French, Russian, Chinese and Israeli intelligence all agreed. The Robb-Silberman Commission found “no evidence of political pressure to influence the intelligence community’s pre-war assessments.” We found 1.77 metric tons of uranium. Polish forces found chemical warheads. Charles Duelfer testified that Hussein intended to restart his programs, and there’s reason to believe WMDs were smuggled to Syria.
–
Lie: “Iraq’s unrelated to terrorism.”
–
Truth: A few examples to the contrary: We’ve found rolls of jihadists trained in Iraq at places like Salman Pak. We know of repeated meetings between Iraqi and al-Qaeda operatives, including the planning meeting for the USS Cole bombing. Jihadists have found safe haven in Iraq.
–
Lie: “U.S. forces terrorize innocent Iraqis.”
–
Truth: Almost all troops have fought heroically and humanely. Incidentally, antiwar hero Jesse MacBeth, a supposed Iraq vet who “confessed” to partaking in American atrocities against Iraqi civilians, was recently exposed as a fraud who never once set foot in Iraq.
–
Lie: “Iraq’s a civil war.”
–
Truth: Writing for Middle East Quarterly, Sgt. David Patten explains: “While the government is weak, there is no political force presenting it with a serious challenge. Iraq is, indeed, an unstable nation, but there is little danger of regime change, the ultimate purpose of a civil war. The armed groups most likely to participate in an eventual civil war lack both the capacity and the will to enter into such a conflict in earnest at the present time…[but] Premature withdrawal could lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy, creating the conditions for a civil war that do not currently exist.”
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“Without victory, there is no survival.” – Winston Churchill
Conservative Standards 
WMDs: Bush did lie. In fact the line about uranium from africa was taken out of two Bush speeches by the CIA, before it was ultimately included in the 2003 state of the union.Also, many other talking points used to sell the war were disputed by US intelligence agencies.Example: The aluminum tubes (department of energy said they were not suitible for use as centerfuges)Example: Mobile biological weapons labs were nothing of the sort. They were used to make hydrogen. They were found after the war and this was the conclussion reached. The allegation came from a single source (the infamous curveball) whom Germany believed to be a fabricator and who was thought to be a drunk by the single American who observed him. All of this was well known at the time and should have been known by Bush.Yet Bush and co. kept regurgitating these same talking points over and over again.Although a lot of what I’ve said is simply irrelevant because the 2002 NIE was compiled MONTHS after the descision to go to war had been made. Moreover, it was comissioned by congress, NOT the president who later admitted to never even reading the report.Where do you get the idea that “British, German, French, Russian, Chinese and Israeli intelligence all agreed”? Do you have a citation for this? Also for the “1.77” metric tons of uranium? For the claim that WMDs were taken to Syria?
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