The Young Turks

Wow...where to start? So many to choose from!

Our intelligence officials estimate that Saddam Hussein had the materials to produce as much as 500 tons of sarin, mustard and VX nerve agent.”State of the Union Address – 1/28/2003

Found: 0 Evidence: None

"U.S. intelligence indicates that Saddam Hussein had upwards of 30,000 munitions capable  of delivering chemical agents.State of the Union Address – 1/28/2003

Found: 0 Evidence: None

“We have also discovered through intelligence that Iraq has a growing fleet of manned and unmanned aerial vehicles that could be used to disperse chemical or biological weapons across broad areas."
State of the Union Address – 1/28/2003

 Found: 0 Evidence: None

Evidence from intelligence sources, secret communications and statements by people now in custody reveal that Saddam Hussein aids and protects terrorists, including members of Al Qaida."
State of the Union Address – 1/28/2003

 Found: 0 Evidence: None

 Found: 0 Evidence: None The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as well as dozens of leading scientists declared said tubes unsuitable for nuclear weapons production -- months before the war.

"Satellite photographs reveal that Iraq is rebuilding facilities at [past nuclear] sites."Bush speech to the nation – 10/7/2002

 Found: 0 Evidence: None Two months of inspections at these former Iraqi nuclear sites found zero evidence of prohibited nuclear activities there

IAEA report to UN Security Council – 1/27/2003

"The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa."State of the Union Address – 1/28/2003

The documents implied were known at the time by Bush to be forged and not credible.

 

"We know he's been absolutely devoted to trying to acquire nuclear weapons, and we believe he has, in fact, reconstituted nuclear weapons."VP Dick Cheney – “Meet the Press” 3/16/2003

“The IAEA had found no evidence or plausible indication of the revival of a nuclear weapons program in Iraq."

IAEA report to UN Security Council – 3/7/2003

"We gave him a chance to allow the inspectors in, and he wouldn't let them in."Bush Press Conference 7/14/2003

UN inspectors went into Iraq to search for possible weapons violations from December 2002 into March 2003

The Bush administration repeatedly has constantly tried to link Iraq to the September 11th attacks. Bush submitted the  certification of such a link to Congress to authorize the use of force against Iraq.

Both the Senate Intelligence Committee and the 9-11 Commission found “no credible evidence of a collaborative relationship between Iraq and Al Qaeda.” The Commission stressed that “it had access to the same information [that Vice President Cheney] has seen regarding contacts between Al Qaeda and Iraq prior to the 9/11 attacks.”

 

Defense Donald Rumsfeld claimed that the number of troops in Iraq is not a decision I make. This is a decision that's made by the military commanders.

Rumsfeld reportedly squelched requests from military commanders -- as well as L. Paul Bremer III, who headed the U.S.-led Coalition Provisional Authority until the transfer of sovereignty to Iraq in June 2004 -- for more troops. 

 "President determined it was necessary following September 11 to create an early warning detection system. FISA could not have provided the speed and agility required for the early warning detection system."  Department of Justice 12/22/05 letter to House and Senate Intelligence Committees.

The program was not established on or after 9/11 but rather on Day 11 of the Bush Administration - 7 months before 9/11.  The NSA has assembled "the largest database in the world" containing detailed records of all calls made by customers of AT&T and participating carriers.

“We’re in a position now, clearly, especially when we look at Iran, where it’s very, very important we succeed in our efforts, our national security efforts, to discourage the Iranians from enriching uranium and producing nuclear weapons.” [Cheney, 11/9/07]

 The National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) released in December 2007 concluded that “in fall 2003, Tehran halted its nuclear weapons program.” It adds that “Tehran had not restarted its nuclear weapons program as of mid-2007,” and the country is “less determined to develop nuclear weapons than we have been judging since 2005.”

 

 Dr. Rice admitted privately to the 9-11 panel that she had “misspoken” when she said there were no prior warnings, but then proceeded to repeat this claim in public. 

 

We are finding terrorists and bringing them to justice. We are gathering information about where the terrorists may be hiding. We are trying to disrupt their plots and plans. Anything we do ... to that end in this effort, any activity we conduct, is within the law. We do not torture."  - President Bush (Nov. 7, 2005).

No need to post a link here... 

 I don't think anybody anticipated the breach of the levees.  President Bush (09/01/05)

Two Days Warning.  The White House situation room received a report at 1:47 a.m. the day Katrina hit, predicting that Katrina would likely lead to severe flooding and/or levee breaching.  Two days before Katrina hit FEMA predicted that Hurricane Katrina could be worse than Hurricane Pam. [MSNBC 1/24/06]

"Thirteen years from now, in 2018, Social Security will be paying out more than it takes in. And every year afterward will bring a new shortfall, bigger than the year before. For example, in the year 2027, the government will somehow have to come up with an extra $200 billion to keep the system afloat -- and by 2033, the annual shortfall would be more than $300 billion. By the year 2042, the entire system would be exhausted and bankrupt. If steps are not taken to avert that outcome, the only solutions would be dramatically higher taxes, massive new borrowing, or sudden and severe cuts in Social Security benefits or other government programs."
-- 2005 State of the Union Address

This passage contains three statements worth scrutiny. First, the statement that starting in 2018 the government "will somehow have to come up with" extra billions to stay afloat ignores the fact that there exists a substantial trust fund now invested in US treasury bonds and will make up the shortfall for several decades.

Second, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has projected the trust fund will be exhausted in 2052; the year 2042 is an older figure that came from the Social Security Trustees, who used a different set of economic assumptions.

Finally, even after 2052, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities has noted the system could still pay out 80 percent of normal benefits without new taxes or borrowing.” In addition, the head of the non-partisan General Accounting Office testified before Congress that Social Security “does not face an immediate crisis”. Source: Savage, Boston Globe (02/03/05), Associated Press, Los Angeles Times (03/10/05)

 

 "Most of the tax cuts went to low and middle income Americans, and now the tax code is more fair, 20 percent of the upper income people pay about 80 percent of the taxes in America today because of how we structured the tax cuts." Bush in 2004 stump speech.

The top 1/5^th of earners receive 2/3rds of all benefits and the bill excluded extending the child tax credit to 4 million low income families who do not qualify.  Middle class earners will receive an average cut of $162 in 2005.

The Bush administration claims it has imposed “stringent new rules on power plant emissions”

The new Bush rules gutted Clean Air Act restrictions to allow utilities to avoid having to install expensive new anti-pollution equipment when they modernize their plants.  The EPA’s civil enforcement chief resigned in protest, while another senior EPA lawyer wrote to Christie Whitman that the administration “seems determined to weaken the rules we are trying to enforce.   A study commissioned by the administration demonstrated that current policies on power plant emissions led to the death of 24,000 people each year.

Quotes and data From Various sources

I'm still compling....I'll get back with PLENTY more..... 

...I have no fondness for Hillary. That said, I'd vote for her 100 times before any goddamned Republican. Enough is enough!

Not that it matters, since Barack Obama WILL be the candidate.