Reporters count Bush team's falsities before Iraq

John D. and his cohorts can jump on this and tell us about Clinton and defining what "is" means.

Of course that was one time.

They have no problem with Bush and his administration needing lawyers for just about everything they say. How many times have we heard something along the lines of "The world is flat." only to be proven wrong and them coming up with "well that isn't what I mean. If you look at my words flat only should be taken in the context of an uninflated baloon. What I meant is that the world is round."

Soon we will hear from Bruce who will try to slam the messenger. This from the same man who thought Fred Thompson would be the answer to all. Dead on Bruce. What keen insight.
Then we will hear from John D who will looney left, and worst mankind has to offer us to death. He would be the same one claiming how "strong" the economy is. How's that 410K?

This is all in the public domain and perfect evidence for impeachment. Yet the congress does nothing. Apparently the majority are bribed/blackmailed into silence.

Wh-what? Bush lied to us?!

By the way, I think the correct word is "fallacies".

Or is it "falsies"?

What a shock!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The next item on the agenda will be TRICKLE DOWN ECONOMICS.

Works GREAT,doesn't it!!!

I think they forgot to post all those statements by hill and bill and every dem that made the same claim as W. What a bunch of partisan b.s. Keep up the good work there center for lack of integrity.

Who Cares! We haven't been attacked in over SIX YEARS...while under the B.J. Clinton administration we were attacked time after time at home and abroad.
If B.J. would have did his job as commander in chief, 9/11 would never have happened!

Paulo

"935 falsities," that's being kind, how about using the correct word, "lies!"

Rich would have us fire all the people at his work when that business fails instead of holding the "BOSS" accountable.
BRILLIANT !!

I think they forgot to post all those statements by hill and bill and every dem that made the same claim as W. What a bunch of partisan b.s. Keep up the good work there center for lack of integrity.

Posted by: RICH | January 23, 2008 11:24 AM

Your hero, alone, made the decision to start the war, Chump. The Dems were fools and political hacks for not questioning W, but the ultimate decision was not theirs. It was your chickenhawk murderer who made the decision.

Quite ironic for you to spout off about integrity, Rich, when neither you nor your Beloved Murderer have the integrity to admit to being so catastrophically wrong about the war (and that's by far the most charitable way to describe these failings.

RICH,

So what you're saying is that if Bill Clinton was President during the run up to the Iraq War and had made all of these statements, that the Republicans would has just sat back and would never have said anything.

They wouldn't be clamoring for Clinton's head on a platter? Right? (as much sarcasm as can be generated in the written word.)

"Today, the Center is releasing a remarkable report that squarely meets our mission, to produce original investigative journalism about significant public issues to make institutional power more transparent and accountable."

Is there a way we could also do one for Iran I'd like to know how the publics opinion is being galvanized--not in hindsight.

Counting falsities (a check of the dictionary shows it is a word; go figure) seems like kind of a pointless exercise at this late date.

After counting the lives lost and those ruined; the gallons of blood spilled; the limbs shattered... quantifying the precise number of Bush's false statements seems a bit anticlimactic, not to say silly.

The point is simply that the guy lied. More to the point though, is that way too many Americans went along with the lies (blatant tho they were) including supposedly "opposition" politicians and our celebrated "free" press.

Impeachment would have to start with Mr. Cheney first before anyone in Congress would have the bollocks to go after the Liar-in-Chief. No one, and I mean NO ONE, wants to see Mr. Cheney ascend to the oval office.

Now, as much as I despise him , understand that I wish no ill upon our "beloved" VP. That being said, how fast do you think Democrats in Congress would go after Mr. Bush if Cheney had a fatal heart attack in his sleep one night? I think you could time it with an egg timer.

And surprisingly, coming in at #2 on the LIAR list is not Cheney, but rather Colin Powell.

Way to go Super Colon Blow! Your 'reputation' forever tied to Shrub.

It is unfortunate the report merely lists the number of false statements by each individual rather than addressing some deeper issues. Consequently, Colin Powell, who was probably one of the few "honorable" individuals is now tainted by these numbers. Powell was one of the few individuals in the Bush Cabinet trying to talk Bush out of invading Iraq. He was lied to by Tenet who isn't even listed but who knew the information he provided Powell for the UN speech was not "rock solid". I think that is the real danger in this report, we may tarnish the names of "good people" like Powell, who tried to do the right and honorable thing. Meanwhile sleezy characters like Tenet and even Cheney (n=48) who orchestrated this disaster get off as appearing to have made far fewer mistatements.

Ok Loons, I love how this press release does NOT cite ONE alleged falsity.
Anyway, from reports it indicates that a majority of "falsities" pertain to weapons of mass destruction. If so, then does that mean ALL the statements made by President Bill Clinton about Iraq and WMDs were false too? What about the letter sent to Clinton and signed by senators such as Tom Daschle, Ted Kennedy, John Kerry demanding "regime change" in Iraq, largely over WMDs.
Does this mean that the intelligence from Russia about Iraq and WMDs was a lie too? The intelligence from Italy about Iraq and WMDs? The British intelligence about Iraq and WMDs? The UN's own statements about Iraq and WMDs?
I know you Loons on the Left insist that any statement made by a Democrat about Iraq and WMDs was because they were lead astray by the Bush administration, but that would be the largest lie of all. The fact is, the entire world said Iraq had WMDs.
In regard to Al Qaeda, well Al Zarquawi, an Al Qaeda operative and the leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq before he was killed a couple of years ago, sought refuge and treatment in Baghdad after being injured in Afghanistan.
Those are irrefutable facts, whether you Loons like it or not.
And, to be frank, I would take the findings of this "Institute" with a grain of salt.

MJ....You don't feel as though the emotions and 9/11 were played? I feel anger that our patriatism was used against us. Shame on him. After 9/11 he used our need for "payback" and we were played like a fiddle.

Charles Lewis does interviews for things like "liberal oasis," a site that proudly claims "where the left is right and the right is wrong."

Yes, this report has no bias. Sure. Who needs Bruce when you guys have me?

http://www.liberaloasis.com/lewis.htm

Not even Bush supporters will argue how "falsified" the evidence to justify the Iraqi invasion was. They will try to say "Well, the Democrats supported it too!!!"

But this issue is not about partisan bickering and finger-pointing. The point is that the mainstream media was asleep at the wheel. This may have been partially due to the Rovian tactic of calling all voices of opposition "unpatriotic" and biased, and "you're with us or against us". But the bottom line is that the number one job of the media as protectors of democracy was not fulfilled.

Let's hope they've figured out the importance of their job, show some integrity and ask the right questions before we find ourselves in this situation again.

Went to Center for Public Integrety Site, saw this item:

http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_7938030

This is what happens in a "one-party" state where the Tom Delay dream of a permanent majority party already exist. Jazz tickets, anyone?

I am glad to say that I never believed anything Dubya and Company said (i.e. weapons of mass destruction). It simply didn't make sense that Saddam had all these weapons, but weren't using them. Even if one was foolish to think Saddam had them, why wouldn't he have used them when the United States invaded the country? I can remember when a few years had passed since our invasion into Iraq, a fellow college student of mine said she still believed Dubya and that Iraq probably had the weapons hidden in underground tunnels! Needless to say, I was astonished by her thinking.

So, now what happens? Will Pelosi and Reid simply look the other way and not even consider impeachment now? For goodness sake, we impeach a president because he lied about extramarital sex, but we don't even consider impeaching the president and vice president for all the lies that has cost lives and billions of dollars? Gee folks, what is wrong with this picture?

It will be interesting to see what spin--if any--Dubya and Company put on this one. Can't wait to watch Countdown this evening!

re: "More to the point though, is that way too many Americans went along with the lies..."

MJ, the American people did NOT "go along with the lies"!!!!

The American people believed that the President of the United States, the Vice President of the United States, the Sec of Def, the Sec of State, and the NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER wouldn't LIE to them about something as serious as sending our combat troops in WAR.

BUSH lied.
A ton of human beings DIED.

George W. Bush makes every American (except Bush Republicans) GAG.

Bush is a piece of crap but so are all of the reporters who blithely refused to do their jobs.

Bring on the impeachment proceedings! A lie about sex? Or several lies (935 to be exact) that cost the lives of our soldiers, American treasure, standing in the world, election irregularities (a stolen election), culpability in 9/11,...? What is wrong with this picture? Why is this man and his henchpeople still in office? It just defies logic and decency and democracy.

These lies have been known for a long time, but the corporations who control the media will never allow them to receive the attention they gave the Lewinsky scandal. Lies about war doesn't help ratings, lies about sex does. Plus all the media CEOs owe Bush for their tax cuts.

I beieve a good share of those lies were due to being told false facts by a crummy intelligence system and repeating them.
shab

How is it that it comes as no surprise FOX hasn't weighed in on this report? They must be validating the source, hugh?

Regards Rich:
Isn't it funny that Bush is defended (in the style of Limbaugh and Newt) by ALWAYS diverting attention to Clinton?
But it's not funny that Congress will probably continue to play deaf dumb and blind regardless how many of this administration's lies are exposed, or impeachable offenses committed. I will never vote Republican or Democrat again.

Center for Public Integrity??? LMAO.

Funded by George Soros.

So, I'm supposed to believe that President Bush, in his first year, performed his own investigation on Iraq, found the truth on his own, and decided to twist it to fit his personal goal? All righty then! Only an idiot could believe that! Don't forget - President Bush took over a CIA that was a big mess, left over from the Clinton era. Could you trust any information coming out of those people at that time? Let me think. Okay thinking's over!

US presidents are good in stating EUPHEMISMS.

so what are the euphemisms for the thousands of wounded & 3800+ dead US soldiers & $1.8 trillion dollars spent on the war: PATRIOTISM?

It does seem kind of late to point out those lies now, but there's still time to impeach them...

War Criminals and Mass Murderers is what the headlines should read.

Iraq was not and could not have been a threat to the US in 2003. The invasion was a war crime. The killing was mass murder.

There was no reason for self-defense (the threat was a deliberately invented lie by the war criminals). This was premeditated murder. It is a crime: the crime is aggressive war, codified in the aftermath of WW II as a War Crime.

The citizens of the United States of America are allowing themselves to be governed by war criminals.

So given the Republican support for other lunatic ideas from this administration such as torture being acceptable. Are the Republicans saying, by their lack of outrage, that the end justifies the means and that all of these lies are acceptable?

More to the point. Even if they can't convict Bush, why hasn't Congress initiated impeachment proceedings?

Have we really sunk that low?

I have to ask...is someone forgetting to pull the switch on the posts? I see the count go up but no new ones show up...even after refreshing it.

My Liar, Right or Wrong.

My Liar, Right or Wrong.

All of this would be hilarious if we were discussing Bush making a mistake about what color plates to use to entertain the emperor of Japan. Well Clinton used those plates and it was okay then.

In a nutshell, when Bush and the Republicans took over from Clinton, they felt that EVERYTHING that Clinton had done was WRONG. So if they believed everything Clinton did was wrong, why would they all of a sudden believe that he was RIGHT when it came to Iraq?

More to the point. This administration had PLENTY of time to get adequate information. THEY were the ones pushing for instant action.

On a personal level, Bush/Cheney are two people that I would NEVER want to work for. They take responsibility for NOTHING when it goes wrong, yet take all of the glory when something goes right. Not my kind of boss.

What a national tragedy-- the BUSH administration's 935 lies and their Iraq adventure. God forgive us all for the meaningless killing and maiming of hundreds of thousands of men and women in “CHENEY’S WAR.” Read Republican John Dean''''s book "Worse Than Watergate." This administration has been un-accountable, secretive, deceitful, power-grabbing and arrogant.

It was known in 2002 that Saddam Hussein could be removed using small groups of special forces and other surgical means. But Rumsfeld and Cheney wanted a colossal “Shock and Awe” war project that crushed Iraqi family life and poured un-scrutinized billions of dollars into Haliburton and other defense beneficiaries. Iraq war debt, expected to reach one trillion dollars, may de-stabilize the US economy.

Citizens: contact your congress to support impeachment of VP *** Cheney. The NEO-CONSERVATIVES, thru Cheney, have ruled the US for seven years. Their plan is to deplete the US Treasury and leave the Federal Government unable to do anything for its people but conduct war. Cheney believes we should have stayed in Vietnam even after Sec. of Defense Robert MacNamera in his later years admitted it was a mistake to stay in Vietnam so long. Cheney believes Nixon should not have been impeached!

Blame also goes to the AM Radio “Hotheads,” and some mass media outlets, for the un-challenged war claims and eager war drum beating. Good Lord what these war lies have taken from our proud nation!

Bushes War cost us a recession.
Dumb Republican neocons may be too cowardly to enlist but they will pay with higher interest rates, loss of their jobs and foreclosure.

MJ....You don't feel as though the emotions and 9/11 were played? I feel anger that our patriotism was used against us. Shame on him. After 9/11 he used our need for "payback" and we were played like a fiddle.

Posted by: bill r. | January 23, 2008 12:25 PM

bill r,

I'm not condemning Mr and Mrs Average Citizen for having been duped. Yes our fears and patriotism were exploited.

I am condemning the politicians of both parties who were afraid to seem unpatriotic so they just went along.

Also the Press (with the exception of very few individual columnists) simply reported what the were fed. There were tough questions begging to be asked.

"The fact is, the entire world said Iraq had WMD's"

Johnny Donuts trying to defend Bushco's lies by making them up himself.

The majority of the world not only questioned the existence of WMD's, the IAEA and the weapons inspectors that were there at the time questioned this Administration's claims as well. Not to mention, even after Bushco knew the gig was up on their charade, they continued perpetuating the lies and even creating new ones to support their elective disaster.

Only a true patriot like Dyslin could continue to defend the indefensible.

While the lies are not anything new (we've been dealing with them for nearly 8 years) it certainly is good to have the corruption of this administration documented.

For the people who are still "Pro Bush" - It's time to get off the brainwashing potion you've been drinking. Bush and his administration lied to us in extremely significant ways. You need to accept that truth and the responsibility that goes with it - mainly that Americans are obligated to question their leaders and hold them accountable. To shun this responsibility is to blindly invite the loss of American Freedom.

The Center for Public Integrity hardly is a model for integrity. Its leftist board consists of three persons with NPR attachments, a former NY Times editor, a tort lawyer, and a former Jimmy Carter staffer. This group tilts more than the Tower of Pisa. It would be nice if the Tribune, for once, identified the makeup of the people who draft these partisan comments.

Re Pres. Bush's broken Iraq War promises, I refer you to the following URL ("Pres. Bush Outlines Iraqi Threat," Oct. 7, 2002):

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/10/20021007-8.html

As you can see, Pres. Bush, in selling War in Iraq, emphasized that U.S. security and survival depended on victory in Iraq.

And Pres. Bush promised the American people he would use the "full might" of the American military and use "careful planning" to achieve swift victory. Even Mr. Bush's staunchest supporters have to to confront those boken promises.

As long as two years ago, Conservative leader and writer William F. Buckley, Jr., declared the Iraq War to be "Pres. Bush's failure."

Sen. John McCain has repeatedly stated the war has been "terribly mismanaged."

Conservative Town Hall columnist Dinesh D'Souza has criticized Pres. Bush for surrounding himself with "cronies and sycophants."

And given the fact that, according to Pres. Bush, U.S. security and survival depended on victory in Iraq, Town Hall columnist and National Review Editor Rich Lowry on Oct. 8, 2007 felt compelled to write that:

"THE U.S. GOVERNMENT HAS NEVER BROUGHT TO BEAR ITS RESOURCES IN A TRULY NATIONAL EFFORT TO WIN (THE IRAQ WAR)."

Almost five years into the Iraq War, instead of the swift "victory" Mr. Bush promised us back in 2002, today our Commander-in-Chief is consumed with the "consequences of failure."

Given the way the Iraq War was sold to the American people and the shoddy manner in which it has been conducted, how can anyone dispute that Pres. Bush and his team lied to and thus betrayed the American people, on Oct. 7, 2002 and since.

- Dave Futornick

...while under the B.J. Clinton administration we were attacked time after time at home and abroad.
______________________________
Once again, pillow shows his complete lack of understanding argumentation and logic. We HAVE been attacked abroad, many times, under bu$hco, so at best, boy george is as bad as Clinton. But since we've been attacked abroad more often under bu$hco, I consider him even worse. As a matter of fact, he's certainly THE.WORST.VICE.PRESIDENT.IN.THE.HISTORY.OF.THE.UNIVERSE.

The Center for Public Integrity hardly is a model for integrity. Its leftist board consists of three persons with NPR attachments, a former NY Times editor, a tort lawyer, and a former Jimmy Carter staffer. This group tilts more than the Tower of Pisa. It would be nice if the Tribune, for once, identified the makeup of the people who draft these partisan comments.

Posted by: Hansen | January 23, 2008 3:49 PM

It wouldn't be "nice," but it would be novel, if you Bush apologists ever dealt with the substance of a message rather than attack the messenger. The fact that you cannot do so speaks volumes.

Did the Bushies make statements indicating that they knew -- had present knowledge -- that Iraq had WMDs before the war? The answer is absolutely yes.

Did Iraq have WMDS? The answer is absolutely no.

So the Bushies either lied or made statements without regard to their truth, which is the legal equivalent of lying.

Deal with those facts, Hansen, not brain-dead talking points.

BTW: Please do tell us how you fared in Fallujah. I'm sure a tough guy like you was the first to volunteer for such an important cause.

"Who Cares! We haven't been attacked in over SIX YEARS"

That is a complete and utter lie. We've been attacked 3 times in the last month.

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/africa/01/04/sudan.diplomat/

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2004125474_afghan15.html

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/01/15/lebanon.blast/index.html

Paulo, you are shameless.

John D,
"They believed it, too" is not an acceptable defense of the actions of a seated U.S president.

MJ....I agree with you on the media and the rest of congress. But you have to ask who created the atmosphere where they felt it better to not buck the system or ask questions.

3's & 7's
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqUiPtG_Rdw

Bush you can lie, lie to my face,
Tell me it ain't no thing,
That's what I wanna hear.
Take, a lie to the grave,
That's what and old friend told me,
Look at what it did for Reagan.

The truth hurts so bad, wouldn't you say?
So why tell it?
If ignorance is bliss,
Then you're in heaven now.

Run, you'll never escape,
You see you go nowhere (so new you appear),
Broke, laid to waste,
Turn into sweet nothings,
That kiss you goodbye.

The truth hurts so bad, wouldn't you say?
So why tell it?
If ignorance is bliss,
Then I'm in heaven now.

You keep doin' it over and over again,
The neve rending places I never been
I'm catching on Georgie boy, I'm calling your bluff,
The devil made me, only we never met,
Watch you do is say it with a smile boy George,
Makin' us all forget

Response to Post by: Hansen | January 23, 2008 3:49 PM >>>>>
This is typical Bush/Cheney/Rove/Limbaugh/Hannity style discussion. Isn't it sickening to keep hearing this type of dialogue?? They Don't discuss or debate a serious issue that is tearing at the roots of our Democracy. Look, citzen Hansen, the report on 935 lies just rings true. PERIOD.

Today's 935 Lies Report fits a pattern supported by informed sources everywhere. And it is reinforced by everyone including ex-Bush staffers Richard Clarke, Paul O'Neil, Colin Powell, and now former press secretary Scott McClellan. These REPUBLICANS INSIDE the Bush circle have all spoken of events that reinforce today's 935 Lies report.

The conservative movement is being wrecked by Bush and Cheney. And people like Hansen, posted above, need to turn the lights on and take off the Bush Cheney blinders before its too late.

Almost 1 Trillion dollars on Iraq, meanwhile, low income citizens in CUBA have far superior healthcare than those in the US.

A new book shows Saddam did support al Qaeda and the Taliban:

'Both In One Trench: Saddam's Secret Terror Documents'

http://www.bothinonetrench.com

"The Center for Public Integrity hardly is a model for integrity. Its leftist board consists of three persons with NPR attachments, a former NY Times editor, a tort lawyer, and a former Jimmy Carter staffer. This group tilts more than the Tower of Pisa. It would be nice if the Tribune, for once, identified the makeup of the people who draft these partisan comments.

Posted by: Hansen
___________________________

You are so right! (Sarcasm) Yep, once again the messanger takes it in the groin from the Neo-Cons defending their naked emperor. Pust asside the fact that the "liberal" individuals who work there ARE CORRECT, and instead attack the some abstract.

Damn, isn't truth a bitch?

Hansen,

Whats the matter bruce, forgot your post name? You whiners are a broken record, NPR and PBS are the most objective news sources out there. Any semblance of truth is met with chants of "leftist" from you sheeple. BTW, brucebot, the Tower of Pisa leans right. This is an informal blog, moron, if you want propaganda go chat with your freeper friends.

This is just the tip of of the iceberg, America.

It's gonna take a decade just to figure out what these slime bags have be gaslighting during their 8 years of unrestricted power.

All the EO's, interpretations, signing statements. 'secret speech', etc. It's going to get worse before it gets better.

Don't forget, this was the administration which came to power promising to "usher in a new era of personal responsibility."

Try and get an answer ffrom a right-winger on the purpose of the Office of Special Plans run by Doug Feith before the war.
They dodge every time because the function of the OSP was to present discredited reports as finished, analyzed intelligence.
When we break down the rationales offered,
* the aluminum tubes,
* the al Qaeda connection,
* the UAVs that were going to spray us with anthrax,
* the mobile bio-weapons labs,
* the uranium from Niger,
* the reconstituted nuke program,
* the 45-minute launch window,
* the threat Saddam would give terrorists WMD,
and examine each one separately we see the house of cards they built.

THEY LIED OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND NOW RIGHT-WINGERS ARE OUT THERE EXCUSING IT WHERE LITTLE KIDS CAN SEE!

The time is long overdue that this bunch of liars is held accountable for their words and actions.

IMPEACH NOW!

"I am condemning the politicians of both parties who were afraid to seem unpatriotic so they just went along."

MJ,

I don't disagree with everything you say in this post, but without a doubt, the Republican congress and the Republican president were behind the wheel on this.

They cannot escape the lions share of the blame.

The truth was out there; In '99 many people knew GWB was toxic.

http://www.liberaloasis.com/lewis.htm

Posted by: Jeff | January 23, 2008 12:30 PM

What a great site. Thank you for sharing.

The "Center for Public Integrity" is to accuracy what Bill Clinton is to marital fidelity.

dt

"The Tower of Pisa leans right". Really? I think it would depend on where you are standing.

I hope your profeesion had nothing to do w/ building design.

MJ,

I don't disagree with everything you say in this post, but without a doubt, the Republican congress and the Republican president were behind the wheel on this.

They cannot escape the lions share of the blame.

The truth was out there; In '99 many people knew GWB was toxic.

Posted by: C.Morris | January 23, 2008 6:53 PM

C.Morris,

I don't entirely disagree or agree with you here.

Yes, it's the Republicans' war and i don't suggest that they should escape blame.

But where was the "loyal opposition", the Democrats? As a party they pretty much caved in, didn't they?

"The truth was out there; In '99 many people knew GWB was toxic."

I know. Just not enough people. Or the right people.

Arrogance and hubris are the only ways to describe this presidency. Never in the history of America have a President and Vice President been hated all over the world and by so many Americans, and yet wallowed in that hate by continuing to make decisions that cost the lives of other people's children, spouses, and innocent civilians. GWB and VP and the neo-cons were nothing more than the residents of Pandemonium (Hell's White House).

Since this Congress doesn't have the "balls" to impeach the Pres. and VP, I would ask that parents and the spouses of any military person lost in Iraq to step forward and SUE the living daylights out of this administration and all those responsible for the deaths of so many heroic, true patriots. I call on all Americans who have lost loved ones in Iraq or who have loved ones who have been maimed by this unjustifiable war to sue Bush, Cheney, Rove, Wolfowitz, Rumsfeld and the others who committed pre-mediated murders of young Americans in order to line their pockets and those of their military/industrial/oil buddies.

Terry,

Your right leg is shorter than your left.

No matter what the topic or where you're standing.

Terry,
I hope your profeesion (sic) had nothing to do with teaching. Just kidding, Ter, I hate spelling/grammar trolls. Actually, I had 2 years of Architecture and 2 years of Urban planning. And, LTOP does lean right (or left), depending on your perspective, just like the media.

The "Center for Public Integrity" is to accuracy what Bill Clinton is to marital fidelity.

Posted by: J. Flowers | January 23, 2008 7:15 PM

bruce,

How many variations do you have of the same stupid joke? A one-hit wonder while commenting on a serious topic, a one-hit wonder while trying to be funny. Stuck on stupid, eh?

I did a search (just "weapons" over the entire time period). Read the first seven. My observations:

There were no lies in the ones I read. The quotes were all either
(a) qualified ("there is evidence suggesting");
(b) patently true (gas is a weapon of mass destruction, so to say "After all, he gassed his own people. We know he's been developing weapons of mass destruction" (Bush) or "He has, of course, tried to develop weapons of mass destruction" (Powell)--these are difficult to call lies; or
c) were quotes which, to the contrary, made a POINT of the uncertainty of the information ("the case for links between Iraq and Al Qaeda was weak," (Rice) and "no 'compelling case' that Iraq had either planned or perpetrated the attacks" (Powell)

In one of these first few "lies" Rumsfeld was asked directly if Iraq was one of the nations which had active biological or chemical programs. His only response was to refer to the fact that he had used them on the Kurds. Where's the lie?

It's not a lie to say Iraq had such a program--it's a known fact attested to by the graves of the Kurds. Who knows whether Saddam used them all (unlikely), hid them, or destroyed them? Maybe the pressure of the inspections ended their programs. There's no doubt if Saddam had continued to allow inspections per the treaty he signed he would still be in power--there would have been no war. No one with any grasp of reality can deny that Iraq did develop chemical gas weapons.

Even the section which discusses "Key False Statements" (presented as their key "lies") seems to be a list of statements that turned out not to be provable (later), or points which are still debatable. The old adage about proving something DIDN'T occur is valid for a good reason. Mistakes are mistakes. Lies are intentional lies. There's a difference.

A quote from the Center For Public Integrity website “It is now beyond dispute that Iraq did not possess any weapons of mass destruction” is obviously untrue in the general past sense. Without saying at what point in time this (apparently) became true, the statement is itself a lie (gas).

I have no inside knowledge such that I can say Bush and the others didn't lie, but I can say that the evidence that they knowingly lied is nonexistent, and that the database and articles like this belong in the old Russian Pravda (Truth). Journalism is going down the tubes.

No wonder this country is so divided. You can hardly take any news article at face value. I'm beginning to think that modern journalism students must have spent their college years smoking dope and arguing politics, because learning what it takes to be a credible and professional journalist was obviously left out. Where is the objective evaluation of this "database of lies" character assassination?

So maybe the number of actual lies is only 928 or less, since the first 7 articles I looked at didn't contain any, but based on the odds that the first 7 I looked at were not lies, I'm guessing that the actual number of unqualified lies is significantly less.

Do you think overstating their case says anything about the credibility for the Center for Public Integrity?

Apparently, the Center for Public Integrity just uttered a blatant, unqualified lie in stating that their database contains 935 falsehoods; and if they wanted to create a database of statements that turned out to be wrong or were not provable after the fact (or COULD have been lies), they should describe the database that way. They didn't even have the balls to use the word "lie," preferring "falsehoods" and "false statements" but it doesn't change their intent. Lie is a synonym for falsehood and reporters like the one who wrote this article will usually use the shorter word.

"The Tower of Pisa leans right". Really? I think it would depend on where you are standing.

I hope your profeesion had nothing to do w/ building design.

Posted by: Terry | January 23, 2008 7:31 PM

Look everyone, Terry told a funny and I'm clapping with one hand.

TrickleTerry Surrogate Osama Clock:
It's been 2,314 days since President Doofus declared he would catch the al Qaeda leader "dead or alive." So, Mr. Bush..."Where's Osama?"

http://static.flickr.com/25/62208985_b20c3c35ac.jpg

C Mo,

Don't bother with playing troll boy Leo T Juanito's little games.

George Bush and his government are also
lying about Iran. iran has stated they want Nuclear power for electricity and not for weapons, The Nuclear inspector has said the nuclear advancement in Iran is no where near the stage of nuclear weapons.
I suggest Bush and his adminstration want to have military power in Iran to control the oil there. They are lying again to us about weapons. Thank you for your web site.

The great Colin Powell. I remember reading an interview after he resigned where he explained his actions, in part, by saying Cheney "was my boss." And this is the guy who used to be Chairman of the JCs. Is there ANYONE in the federal government who follows their oath of office and acknowledges that The Constitution is their "boss?"

Who Cares! We haven't been attacked in over SIX YEARS...while under the B.J. Clinton administration we were attacked time after time at home and abroad.
If B.J. would have did his job as commander in chief, 9/11 would never have happened!
Posted by: Paulo | January 23, 2008 11:26 AM

Who cares? How about the families who have lost their loved ones (both here and in Iraq)? 9-11 happened on Bush's watch because he was too busy vacationing on the job and ignored intelligence PUT IN FRONT OF HIS FACE that attack was imminent. And, this might be a shock to you, but none of the 9-11 attackers were Iraqi.

If you want to blame Clinton, maybe that can only be done because he had to sit and waste time answering personal questions from sexually frustrated, sexually obsessed Republicans.

Hey dt, we already have a one party state! It's called the city of chicago.

Some of you conspiracy guys are needed over at the Ron Paul thread. Don't forget your tin foil hats!

"I am condemning the politicians of both parties who were afraid to seem unpatriotic so they just went along."

MJ,

I don't disagree with everything you say in this post, but without a doubt, the Republican congress and the Republican president were behind the wheel on this.

They cannot escape the lions share of the blame.

The truth was out there; In '99 many people knew GWB was toxic.

Posted by: C.Morris | January 23, 2008 6:53 PM

C. morris,

I responded to this once already and it never posted.

Anyway, I'm not trying to suggest that this isn't Bush's and the Republicans war. Yes, they get the lions share of the blame.

But again, where were the Democrats? As a Party they pretty much folded.

And where was the Press?

"In '99 many people knew GWB was toxic."

Right. But not enough people. Or the right people.

The "Center for Public Integrity" is to accuracy what Bill Clinton is to marital fidelity.

Posted by: J. Flowers | January 23, 2008 7:15 PM

Either point out specific inaccuracies or have the integrity to admit that your hero lied, JF. I won't hold my breath on either score, coward.

You lefties in here seem unable to use reasoned thought. This story is much to do about nothing - Bush and the rest of the Western world all thought there were WMD's, so how does that constitue lying? If you added the same statements by the Clintons, Kerry, Edwards, Albright, etc, according to this report they all lied? Is it any wonder that the group who published the study is backed by Soros and the Bush hating clan? Come on, if you want to argue about the war, do it in an intellectually honest way instead of having to rely on junk reports like this to make your point, its a bit embarassing. I would challenge any single poster here to name one Govt, Intelligence Agency, or Dem who "knew" there were no WMD's in Iraq? Please give me the link to the speech, article, or book?

WHY PRESIDENT BUSH BE NOT CHARGED FOR KILLING MILLIONS OF PEOPLE IN IRAQ?
AS PRESIDENT SADAM HUSSAIN WAS HANGED JUST FOR PRESSING REVOLT AGAINST COUNTRY , HE WAS SENTENCED TO DEATH , WHY PRES BUSH NOT BE PUNISHED FOR MASACARE.