June 17, 2004

Why does anyone believe these guys?

If these were my results, I'd be damned embarrassed.

Banned biological and chemical weapons: none yet found. Percentage of Iraqis who view American-led forces as liberators: 2, according to a poll commissioned last month by the Coalition Provisional Authority. Number of possible Al Qaeda associates known to have been in Iraq in recent years: one, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, whose links to the terrorist group and Mr. Hussein's government remain sketchy.

One devoutly hopes the rest of the electorate will feel as angry as I do about this. The Administration's credibility should be at or near zero, if measured only by its false claims about Iraq and its ineptitude in planning for the postwar period for that country.

As for Iraq, the commission's staff said its investigation showed that the government of Mr. Hussein had rebuffed or ignored requests from Qaeda leaders for help in the 1990's, a conclusion that directly contradicts a series of public statements President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney made before and after last year's invasion of Iraq in justifying the war.

As the NYT says in its lead editorial today:

Mr. Bush is right when he says he cannot be blamed for everything that happened on or before Sept. 11, 2001. But he is responsible for the administration's actions since then. That includes, inexcusably, selling the false Iraq-Qaeda claim to Americans. There are two unpleasant alternatives: either Mr. Bush knew he was not telling the truth, or he has a capacity for politically motivated self-deception that is terrifying in the post-9/11 world.

To which I'll add, he doesn't deserve to be in office either way.

Posted by Linkmeister at June 17, 2004 12:01 AM
Comments

this breaks my heart.

i'll vote (ABB) for all the good it will do.

Posted by: shelley (not so cynical) at June 17, 2004 03:22 AM

Yeah, I agree, Shelley...

Posted by: toxiclabrat at June 17, 2004 03:39 AM