State of Alabama secondary Archives: on War & Peace

Eric Shinseki: 2003: Undercut for disagreeing with White House on Iraq

Unfortunately, the Pentagon was forced to discard many of thee lessons during its preparations for invading Iraq. For example, the size of the US invasion force, we now know, was far smaller than military experts had recommended. In February 2003, before the war began, Army Chief of Staff General Eric Shinseki told Congress that the occupation could require several hundred thousand troops, but the White House had already decided that a much smaller force was adequate. Rather than engaging in a reasoned debate on the question, they undercut Shinseki for disagreeing with their preconceived notion--even though he was an expert and they were not.

The other generals and admirals got the message and stopped expressing disagreement with the White House. Shinseki had been right, of course.

George W. Bush: 9/11: Persisted in seeking Iraq link to terrorist attacks

The day after the attack, the president did not ask about Osama bin Laden. He did not ask Mr. Clarke about al-Qaeda. He did not ask about Saudi Arabia or any country other than Iraq. When Clarke responded to that first question by saying that Iraq was not responsible for the attack and that al-Qaeda was, the president persisted in focusing on Iraq.

Al Gore: Bush engaged in mass deception of the US public about Iraq

It is important to understand how such a horrible set of mistakes could have been made in a great democracy. And it is already obvious that the administration’s abnormal and un-American approach to secrecy, censorship, and massive systematic deception is the principal explanation for how America embraced this catastrophe.

Five years after Pres. Bush first made his case for an invasion of Iraq, it is now clear that virtually all of the arguments he made were based on falsehoods. We were told by the president that war was his last choice. But it is now clear that it was always his first preference.

Al Franken: We build barriers in Iraq, but should rebuild infrastructure

A Bremer wall is a 12-foot-high, 5-ton reinforced concrete barrier that proved to be an innovative solution to the biggest problem in postwar Iraq: explosions.

The Bremer walls represented Bremer's legacy in many ways. Instead of providing security for all Iraqis, Bremer walls provided security for people lucky enough to live inside the Bremer walls--people like Paul Bremer. They reinforced the Iraqi's perception that our mission was not to protect them, but to protect ourselves FROM them. This is what reconstruction in Iraq has become. Building barriers instead of building Iraq's infrastructure.

Al Franken: Muslims hate our policies; they don't hate our freedom

Muslims aren't crazy to think that the conduct of the global war on terror has devolved into a self-serving political exercise. You can't trust Cheney and Rumsfeld to give you straight information. You can't trust them not to believe their own propaganda. You can't trust them. Period.

Colin Powell: 1991: Leave Saddam enough power to threaten Iran

Dick Cheney: 2001: Success in Iraq would be a blow to 9/11 terrorists

Donald Rumsfeld: 1983: friendly talks with Saddam during his war with Iran

Rumsfeld was right. In the years afterward, the Reagan and HW Bush administrations authorized the sale to Iraq of precursors to chemical and biological weapons, including anthrax and bubonic plague, as well as conventional weapons such as Chilean cluster bombs.

But all of that came to an abrupt end when, on August 2, 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait. That put Saddam Hussein in control of 20% of the world's crude oil reserves. The love affair between the Republican right and the Baathist ultraright was over.

George Bush Sr.: Sold Saddam precursors for chemical weapons before Kuwait

Rumsfeld was right. In the years afterward, the Reagan and HW Bush administrations authorized the sale to Iraq of precursors to chemical and biological weapons, including anthrax and bubonic plague, as well as conventional weapons such as Chilean cluster bombs.

The 1988 gassing of thousands of Kurds hardly dimmed the enthusiasm of the two Republican administrations. In fact, US military intelligence actually expanded its contributions to the Butcher of Baghdad after the gas attack. But all of that came to an abrupt end when, on August 2, 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait. That put Saddam Hussein in control of 20% of the world's crude oil reserves. The love affair between the Republican right and the Baathist ultraright was over.

George W. Bush: 2002: Keep the peace by authorizing use of force in Iraq

It sounds counterintuitive that Bush would want an authorization to use force in order to avoid war. But Bush claimed that that's what this was all about. Here's an exchange between Bush and a reporter from September 19, 2002, just before the vote in Congress:

Reporter: Mr. President, how important is it that that resolution give you an authorization of the use of force?

Bush: That will be part of the resolution, the authorization to use force. If you want to keep the peace, you've got to have the authorization to use force. This is a chance for Congress to indicate support. It's a chance for Congress to say, "We support the administration's ability to keep the peace." That's what this is all about.

Ronald Reagan: 1983: sold Saddam precursors for chemical weapons

Rumsfeld was right. In the years afterward, the Reagan and HW Bush administrations authorized the sale to Iraq of precursors to chemical and biological weapons, including anthrax and bubonic plague, as well as conventional weapons such as Chilean cluster bombs.

The 1988 gassing of thousands of Kurds hardly dimmed the enthusiasm of the two Republican administrations. In fact, US military intelligence actually expanded its contributions to the Butcher of Baghdad after the gas attack. But all of that came to an abrupt end when, on August 2, 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait. That put Saddam Hussein in control of 20% of the world's crude oil reserves. The love affair between the Republican right and the Baathist ultraright was over.

Rudy Giuliani: OpEd: Gave false impression that Iraq was involved in 9/11

"It was here in 2001 in lower Manhattan that President George W. Bush stood amid the fallen towers of the World Trade Center and said to barbaric terrorists who attacked us, 'They will hear from us.'
• "They have heard from us! They heard from us in Afghanistan & we removed the Taliban.
• "They heard from us in Iraq and we ended Saddam Hussein's reign of terror.
• "They heard from us in Libya and without firing a shot Gadhafi abandoned weapons of mass destruction.
• "They are hearing from us in nations that are now more reluctant to sponsor terrorists."

Condoleezza Rice: Goal is steady progress toward Israel-Palestine peace

A: Our goal has been to make certain that we make steady progress toward getting back into the Mitchell plan. It is also important that we work with other Arab leaders. The President does imagine a Palestinian state as a part of his vision for the future.

Q: Would East Jerusalem be the capital of such a state?

A: We understand the importance of Jerusalem to the great religions of the world, and we believe that this is something that must be settled in final status negotiations.

A: Should people in the Arab world look forward to a US plan for the Middle East to be announced?

A: We are constantly evaluating how we can best push the process of Middle East peace forward. I wouldn’t put any time line on what the US might do next. We really do believe right now that our best strategy is to work with the parties to get into the Mitchell Process.

Condoleezza Rice: War on Terror is not a war against Islam

A: We have very good relations with a number of governments in the Middle East. But we care very much also about the people of the Middle East. We think that the US is a place in which religious tolerance and a belief that all people should live together in peace is a message that would resonate with populations in the region. We’re trying to do a better job in getting that message out to people We want it to be very clear that the war on terrorism is not a war against Islam. Islam is a religion that respects innocent human life. So we cannot believe that Islam would countenance the kind of destruction that we saw on September 11th.

We are concerned about the economic opportunity for people in the Middle East. We believe that the policies that the US is pursuing are good for the Middle East as a whole-populations that are Arab, as well as the population of Israel.

Condoleezza Rice: Monitor Iraq & take action if Saddam threatens US interests

A: Iraq has been a problem not just for US policy, but for policy in the region, as well. This is a country that has threatened its neighbors, that has been harmful to its own people. And we believe that our policies toward Iraq simply are to protect the region and to protect Iraq’s people and neighbors.

Q: Is there military action awaiting as a second stage of this war on terrorism?

A: Pres. Bush has made very clear that the war on terrorism is a broad war on terrorism. You can’t be for terrorism in one part of the world and against it in another part of the world. There’s a reason Saddam doesn’t want UN inspectors-because he intends to acquire weapons of mass destruction. But for now, Bush has said that his goal is to watch and monitor Iraq; and the US will act if Iraq threatens its interests.

Condoleezza Rice: Syria must decide: either for terrorism or against it

A: We do not believe that Syria can be against al Qaeda, but in favor of other terrorist groups. But we have had some discussions with Syria. President Bush invites countries to stop the practice of harboring terrorism.

Q: So if Syria does not cooperate against people who are from Jihad or Hamas, they should be targeted also?

A: We have ruled out at this point issues that draw distinctions between types of terrorism. We just don’t think that’s the right thing to do. You can’t say there are good terrorists and there are bad terrorists. But the means that we use with different countries to get them to stop harboring terrorists may be very broad. And there are many means at our disposal.

There are not a lot of discussions with Syria, but we have had discussions with Syria that suggest: get out of the business of sponsoring terrorism. We’re asking that of every state of the world. You cannot be neutral in this fight; you either are for terrorism or against it.

Condoleezza Rice: Blocking bin Laden’s propaganda tapes is not censorship

A: The network have been very responsible, because they understood that having a 15-minute or 20-minute tape that was pre-taped, prerecorded, that sat there and did nothing but incite hatred and, ultimately, attacks against innocent Americans was not a matter of news, it was a matter of propaganda, and it was inciting attacks against Americans. Now, I understand that Al Jazeera has guidelines of its own on how to handle a tape like this, and we applaud that you would have guidelines of this kind, because what we do not need is to have a kind of free rein to sit and use the airwaves to incite attacks on innocent people.

Q: Overall, how do you perceive Al Jazeera as a credible or independent media?

A: If I did not have respect for Al Jazeera, I would not be doing this interview.

Al Gore: Supported early action in Bosnia; no “Vietnam syndrome”

Al Gore: Committed to the survival & security of Israel

Al Gore: Supported Gulf War; costs of war less than alternative

On the Senate floor in 1991, Gore said, “I have struggled to confront this issue. [and] to strike a balance. The risks of war are horrendous. The real costs of war are also horrendous. But what are the costs and risks if the alternative policy does not work? I think they are larger, greater, more costly.” Gore joined 9other Democrats who broke ranks on a 52-47 vote to authorize the use of force in the Persian Gulf.