Wednesday, July 16, 2003
As you can tell by reading the below, I'm in a strange mood today. Responding to an email, I have come to the conclusion we are at a crossroads in America:
Yes, the evidence that the CIA had was retracted...that's why the President said, "British intelligence" instead. Perhaps it shouldn't have been included in the SOTU address...but to believe that it was "false" as the media continues to report, I believe is wrong. Tony Blair STILL says he considers it accurate (funny how no American newspaper has since written a story containing this information is a little strange). They must all be lying. Yeah, Tony Blair went against the vast majority of his constituents (opposition in the UK was upwards of 70-percent) to back a conservative "cowboy" in the States after sucking up so long to Clinton and the liberals in America.
The basic misunderstanding people have about intelligence services is what they do. They offer information and some analysis...they do not offer hard, concrete, irrefutable, solid facts...only in extreme cases. Perhaps our intelligence service isn't perfect. But when has it ever? Nothing is perfect, even in our justice system...there are probably people who are in jail that are innocent, does that mean we let them all out and never trust a jury again? No. We make decisions all the time based on limited information. I, for one, trust the motives of GWB more than some people. I do not believe he would put lives in danger for some political "bump in the polls" in a non-election year (2003) only to risk it all falling apart by the time Nov 2004 rolls around. I did not believe that about the previous occupant. People have seen too many James Bond movies.
If, as you seem to believe, he did it for the election...he must be the dumbest person in the world because all he had to do was wait another 10 months or so to start it up in January of 2004 to guarantee re-election.
The point I'm trying to make is the fact that Bush DID NOT go to war based only on those 16 words...he went into Iraq based on more than 12-years of evidence from the UN, UK, UNSCUM inspectors, and our own intelligence. The very same evidence that was used by the previous administration to launch Tomahawk attacks in 1996, 1998, and required the maintenance of the "no fly zones" in Iraq.
Strangely, I find myself in agreement for the first time with former NYC mayor Ed Koch (http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2003/7/15/215614.shtml)
I often think about the statement, "What if I'm wrong"...and it's true, I worry that I might be wrong. My faith in the leadership of our system of government is hanging in the balance. Not the system...but the people. It has stood the test of many a scandal...irresponsible spending, questionable motives, bad decisions, and even criminal offenses...if GWB doesn't meet this test, I predict the end of this great experiment after a mere 227 years. Goodbye USA...you were a cool idea.
G
Yes, the evidence that the CIA had was retracted...that's why the President said, "British intelligence" instead. Perhaps it shouldn't have been included in the SOTU address...but to believe that it was "false" as the media continues to report, I believe is wrong. Tony Blair STILL says he considers it accurate (funny how no American newspaper has since written a story containing this information is a little strange). They must all be lying. Yeah, Tony Blair went against the vast majority of his constituents (opposition in the UK was upwards of 70-percent) to back a conservative "cowboy" in the States after sucking up so long to Clinton and the liberals in America.
The basic misunderstanding people have about intelligence services is what they do. They offer information and some analysis...they do not offer hard, concrete, irrefutable, solid facts...only in extreme cases. Perhaps our intelligence service isn't perfect. But when has it ever? Nothing is perfect, even in our justice system...there are probably people who are in jail that are innocent, does that mean we let them all out and never trust a jury again? No. We make decisions all the time based on limited information. I, for one, trust the motives of GWB more than some people. I do not believe he would put lives in danger for some political "bump in the polls" in a non-election year (2003) only to risk it all falling apart by the time Nov 2004 rolls around. I did not believe that about the previous occupant. People have seen too many James Bond movies.
If, as you seem to believe, he did it for the election...he must be the dumbest person in the world because all he had to do was wait another 10 months or so to start it up in January of 2004 to guarantee re-election.
The point I'm trying to make is the fact that Bush DID NOT go to war based only on those 16 words...he went into Iraq based on more than 12-years of evidence from the UN, UK, UNSCUM inspectors, and our own intelligence. The very same evidence that was used by the previous administration to launch Tomahawk attacks in 1996, 1998, and required the maintenance of the "no fly zones" in Iraq.
Strangely, I find myself in agreement for the first time with former NYC mayor Ed Koch (http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2003/7/15/215614.shtml)
I often think about the statement, "What if I'm wrong"...and it's true, I worry that I might be wrong. My faith in the leadership of our system of government is hanging in the balance. Not the system...but the people. It has stood the test of many a scandal...irresponsible spending, questionable motives, bad decisions, and even criminal offenses...if GWB doesn't meet this test, I predict the end of this great experiment after a mere 227 years. Goodbye USA...you were a cool idea.
G
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