Others have dealth with some of the typically ridiculous and inaccurate parts of this post, but allow me to emphasize: This is coming from direct access to documents and moreover interviews with the principals such as Bush, and isn't even contradicted by them. That's the point. Chris Matthews yesterday asked Rumsfeld whether he had been asked by the President if we should go to war, and his response was that Matthews need not ask it, as it was already on record. The record he was referring to? Woodward''s book, wherein the President stated that he had not asked Rumsfeld. Rummy asked Matthews why he was asking a question he already knew the answer to, as he had it "from the horse's mouth", the horse in question being Bush. Get it, T_J? Even the administration is acknowledging the veracity of Woodward's reports, which is good, since he has recorded the interviews. This isn't the first time we've seen Bush supporters deny truths that even the Bush administration has acknowledged, but it still boggles the mind.
my problem with woodward's book lies not in what's in it, but rather the breathless reaction of opponents of bush to it's "revelations." is there really anything in here we didn't already know, except perhaps the quote i posted above that thoroughly gives the lie to the claims of the "bush lied!" crowd re WMD? this is the real news, yet no one here has even discussed it, preferring instead to allow the thread to devolve into yet another T_J bash. BLINDERS
basso, blinders shminders. You surely recognize that T_J brings all this bashing upon himself in myriad ways. I too wish we could tone it down, because it's too easy and it basically compounds the T_J effect, which tends to sap political threads of meaning, utility, and insight. I do, however, like his financial thread contributions at times, and I like all of his relationship advice posts. The true revelation of the book for me (and I'm reading it currently) is this disturbing picture of a president who really does see himself as an messenger of God, fighting, well, a sort of crusade. True, he thinks it's for freedom and the greater good, but he seems oblivious to both the lack of rational thought, the human costs involved, and the implications of his words and themes to muslims the world over.
Interesting interview with Zinni that bears on a number of threads... ____________ http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20040425/news_mz1e25zinni.html
That we already didn't know? So you concede the veracity of the factual allegations by Clarke, and Paul O'Neill, and Rand Beers, and Wayne Downing, and etc, etc etc? Didn't you invest signficant portions of server space detailing shadowy plots involving Clarke, 60 minutes, and Viacom? And you were a willing participant in the character assassination of O'Neill as well... This reminds of your recent Bob Kerrey reversal.....your flip flopping makes me doubt whether or not you have the fortitude to be president.
It's a possible explanation for Cheney's seemingly remarkable metamorphisis, bit many, including Powell etc. have characterized his attitude towards Iraq/Saddam as " an obsession." I would find it a little hard to believe, though not impossible, that a man as pragmatic as Cheney formerly was, and in your theory still is, would put his eggs in one basket to such an extent merely for the sake of potential profit. In addition to anything else, surely there could be other opportunities for reaping material gain than Iraq? As I said, possible...but I am pretty much thinking Cheney either always was or became much more of an idealaogogue than we ever thought possible. About Bush there seems little doubt. A man believing he is on a mission from God makes for a nice tragic hero, but a terrifying President.
Yes there are definitely other possibilities for material gain. In my opinion I think Cheney saw Iraq as something possible, and something that would lessen our need to deal with many other countries which may or may not be subject to their own political troubles, or face embargos and sanctions with the U.S. It's also possible that this part of some larger plan that I have no idea about. I also admit that I could be wrong.
