by Mike Isikoff
As the Obama White House vigorously defends its policy of drone strikes killing suspected terrorists—including in some cases American citizens—it invokes the findings of secret intelligence showing the targets pose an “imminent” threat to the U.S.
But there are ample reasons for perennial skepticism about such claims—and perhaps never more so than now as the country approaches a sobering historic moment: the tenth anniversary of President George W. Bush’s invasion of Iraq.
The war that began March 19, 2003 was justified to the country by alarming claims about Iraqi weapons of mass destruction and connections to Al Qaeda terrorists— almost all of which turned out to be completely false. Many of these claims were asserted with absolute confidence by the most senior officials in the U.S. government—when privately, ranking U.S. military officers and intelligence professionals were registering dissents and voicing doubts. Hubris: The Selling of the Iraq War, a documentary special with Rachel Maddow that will air Monday night at 9pm EST on MSNBC and based on a book I co-authored with David Corn, provides new evidence those dissents were even more profound and widespread than anybody has until now known.
In this excerpt from the film, the role of Deputy Secretary of Defense, Paul Wolfowitz in building the case against Saddam Hussein is explored. Hubris: Selling the Iraq War, hosted by Rachel Maddow, airs Monday, Feb 18, 9pm E.T./ 6pm P.T. on MSNBC.
"It was a shock, it was a total shock-- I couldn’t believe the vice president was saying this,” Gen. Anthony Zinni, the former commander of U.S. Central Command, told me in an interview for the documentary. Zinni, who had access to the most sensitive U.S. intelligence on Iraq, had been on the stage in Nashville, Tennessee, receiving an award from the Veteran of Foreign Wars on August 26, 2002 when he heard then Vice President Dick Cheney launch the opening salvo in the Bush administration’s public campaign to generate public support for an invasion. “Simply stated, there is no doubt that Saddam Hussein now has weapons of mass destruction,” Cheney said that day. “There is no doubt he is amassing them to use against our friends, against our allies and against us.” Zinni, sitting right next to Cheney’s lecturn, says he “literally bolted” when the heard the vice president’s comments. “In doing work with the CIA on Iraq WMD [weapons of mass destruction], through all the briefings I heard at Langley, I never saw one piece of credible evidence that there was an ongoing program.” He recounts going to one of those CIA briefings and being struck at how thin the agency’s actual knowledge of Iraq weapons programs were. “What I was hearing [from Bush administration officials) and what I knew did not jive,” Zinni says.
Cheney, like most other senior Bush administration officials, declined to be interviewed for Hubris. But one who did was Douglas Feith, former undersecretary of the defense for policy under Donald Rumsfeld and an ardent defender of the Iraq War. Feith explains the strategic thinking that underlay the administration decision to invade. “The idea was to take actions after 9/11 that would so shock state supporters of terrorism around the world that we might be able to get them to change their policies and regarding support for terrorism and pursuit of weapons of mass destruction,” he says in the film.
Vice President Dick Cheney tells The Veterans of Foreign Wars that there is "no doubt" that Saddam Hussein possesses WMD. Hubris: Selling the Iraq War, hosted by Rachel Maddow, airs Monday, Feb 18, 9pm E.T./ 6pm P.T. on MSNBC.
But documents declassified only in recent years make it clear Bush administration officials were never truly interested in changing Saddam’s policies: They wanted him gone and were determined to go to war to achieve that end. The very afternoon of the 9/11 attack, Rumsfeld met with top aides and asked for the “best info fast—good enough to hit Saddam Hussein,” the notes of that meeting state. By late November, Rumsfeld was meeting with Gen. Tommy Franks, Centcom commander, to plot the “decapitation” of the Iraqi government, according to the now declassified talking points from the session.
But the talking points suggest Rumsfeld and his team were grappling with a tricky issue: “How [to] start?” the war. In other words, what would the pretext be? Various scenarios were outlined according to the talking points: “US discovers Saddam connection to Sept. 11 attack or to anthrax attacks?” reads one of them. Then there is another that would also soon get traction within the Bush administration: “Dispute over WMD inspections?” read the talking points. “Start now thinking about inspection demands.”
Read today, the talking points make it clearer than ever that Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz and others were determined to invade Iraq all along—and were looking for reasons to justify the war to the public and the world. Paul Pillar – then one of the CIA’s top terrorism analysts—says in the documentary that the 9/11 attacks “made it politically possible for the first time to persuade the American people to break a tradition of not launching offensive wars.” But to achieve the goal, secret intelligence was twisted, massaged, and wildly exaggerated. “It wasn't a matter of lying about this or lying about that,” Pillar says at another point. “But rather—through the artistry of speech writers and case presenters—conveying an impression to the American people that certain things were true.” But those things weren't true.
Watch “Hubris: Selling the Iraq War,” Monday at 9pm EST on MSNBC– and see how it was done.
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Mike Isikoff is National Investigative Correspondent for NBC News and appeared last Sunday on the Meet the Press roundtable to discuss his exclusive story on the Obama administration's use of Drones.
Leave a Comment:
This is what the cost of the wars that Cheney and other fought so hard for
cost of war . com
more than 4 trillion and growing
The part I don't like about this documentary already is that they are speaking as if the American people were tricked and that's why we went to war. That's not correct, the American people never had the opportunity to decide if we were going to war or not, our politicians decided that. Many Americans didn't believe anything coming out of Bush and crew mouths, and thousands of us demonstrated against going to war for years. If there was some vote that the entire country participated in to decide on going to war or not, then many of the statements that frustrate me would be correct. However, I personally don't know a single person who wanted this war and it certainly wasn't American citizen's decision to start it.
riverboy21: you made your decision to accept the way of life in the United States when you became an adult and decided to stay here.
While there is no country in the world that is a pure direct democracy, most being representative governments, Switzerland comes closest. You could move there.
I here they also don't get involved in wars, other than to take money and gold from all sides to avoid getting involved in the world.
So what you're saying is, if Switzerland's politicians decided to go to war against another country after decades of peace, that it would be all the citizens fault? You do realize that the Iraq war was the first UN defined aggressor war for the United States right? We had a clean record until the Iraq war. Some of us do love our country, and I love America, and would rather muster our courage and immerse ourselves in the discussion about the war and how to prevent it from happening again. Of course if running to another country with your tail between your legs is your suggestion, go ahead and heed your own advice.
riverboy, we the people elect the politicians who decide the issues FOR US!... Through our votes we elected the politicians who said YES to the Iraq war.
Moral of the story... GOPers generally neocons... DEMS generally for diplomatic solutions!
Donnay, you twist yourself into knots with your own convoluted logic. For all intents and purposes the vote to go to war was unanimous. The Senate vote, I believe, was 99 to 1 to go to war with Iraq. The moral of your argument is that we the people, both Dems and Repubs, through the electoral process, voted for the war.
what really pisses me of is thats BUSH and his cronies are war criminals and nonthing is being done about it. Those bastards got rich off of the blood of american soldiers, but the media doesnt seem to care. all they care about is what a great story it will make. stand up for whats right media and go after these politicians before we loose thousands of american lives.
The truly frightening thing about this is that despite the trillions of dollars lost, despite the 5000 dead soldeirs, despite the 13000+ more who were maimed for life, despite the many who are mentally scarred, this country STILL elects republicans. AND none of them have been prosecuted!
LMAO, a fair and balanced look brought to you by Omsnbc, isikoff and madcow,
It don't get any better than this, again LMAO!!!
Facts are facts Garyboy. No way around it.
Gary - do you support the Iraq war and the results that have been achieved? If so just say so.
Gary, reading your comments it's clear you get your news & talking points from FOX or Rushbo's ASS... keep it up you're showing everyone how stupid you are... but then you're a member of the 'stupid party'!
It boggles the mind how dumb your remarks are!
Wow the Bush/Cheney Admin were looking for reasons to go to war huh?
How about orchestrating an attack on our own soil. Perhaps targeting major U.S. buildings? Hmmmm?
That would get public sentiment on our side for a war wouldnt it?
Hmmmm?
Johnny are you implying that Cheney orchestrated the 9/11 attack?If so just say it. If not shut up.
Were pelosi and reid out of the country???
Nope they were in the House and Senate respectively. Neither had a leadership position. Why do you ask?
Yes Im saying it loud and firm!
Ooh shut up?
Easy to be tough on the interweb aint it?
I sure hope this documentary includes Colin Powell's lies and BS he fed the country.
Maybe it will include MI-6 involvement also but I doubt it???
What committee was pelosi the head of, reminded me???
When? At the time of the invasion the republican controlled the house. Hastert the bastert was speaker. Delay was the majority leader. Don't you remember? So Pelosi was not the head of any committee. You see Gary, in order to be a committee chairman you party must control the house. Civics 101.
A few short months later and two days after the invasion of Iraq, Pelosi (now the House Minority Leader) voted in favor of and rallied support for a resolution that stated "unequivocal support and appreciation of the Nation to the President as Commander-in-Chief for his firm leadership and decisive action in the conduct of military operations in Iraq as part of the on-going Global War on Terrorism." Such fawning legislation, which passed the House by a resounding 392 to 11 vote,
source:
Ximena Ortiz
|
May 21, 2009
The invasion was in early March 2003. It was a resolution not a law. It was after the fact. She was just one of many who signed it. This is typical after a war starts to convey to the rest of the world support for the troops. This had nothing to do with the lying of American into the war. How did Nancy Pelosi vote on the war resolution? You truly are clueless Gary.
LMAO, pelosi was so stupid, President Bush was able to pull the wool over her eyes, similarily to what comrade obama has done to you???
So your admitting that Bush lied us into a war?
Not in the least!!!
Are you admitting that you have parked your head up comrade obama's A ss???
Obama has nothing to do with this documentary or with the Iraq War. He was not even in the Senate when the Iraq war vote took place Oct. 2002). You re a disburbed individual.
Gary,
Bush and the GOP own the Iraq war a plurality of Democrats in the House voted AGAINST THE RESOLUTION INCLUDING NANCY PELOSI. The House democratic vote was 81-121-1. The Senate was 29-21 for the resolution hardly a mandate. Even being given entirely false information on the threat of Iraqi nuclear and biological weapons systems a majority of Democratic legislators voted against the War. People such as yourself and the neocons are attempting to rewrite US history to a degree that Stalin would have appreciated.
jkh
I have beleived for some time this war was a war of choice that Bush, Cheney et al lied us into. There is a good reason some think they are war criminals who have escaped accounting for their deeds. Perhaps this show will finally tie all the lies together to show a concerted conspiracy to accomplish this goal. I have no doubt that for some Americans no amount of facts will ever convince them that we had such folks in charge, but I do not think and fervently hope that history will not be so naive or gullible.
Thousands of Americans paid with their lives and health while thinking they were protecting their country from a threat that never existed. As a Viet Nam vet I certainly feel a kinship for these patriots whose sacrifice, as in the war in Viet Nam cost us so much and really accomplished little of any value.
One trick the war supporters like to do is deflect blame by pointing out the minimal involvement of others and to place large amounts of blame on others. For example, after lying about everything ,including mobile nuclear laboratories, some politicians believed the lies and voted for the war (Hillary Clinton). Now the neocons will scream, it is just as much her fault. No it is not. George Bush, he alone was the Commander - in- Chief and he alone ordered up the invasion.
According to comrade holder, what you percieve to be facts are baseless!!!
Some should watch the show and dare to come out of their bubble. Some who are blaming those that were fooled by Bushie, Cheney et al miss the point. The criminals are the ones who lied and tricked us into a war. Those falling for those lies are victims of these liars, not the perpetrators of this useless war that killed so many young Americans and cost us trillions in treasure, not to mention the damage to our reputation as peace loving people who do not believe in wars of aggression.
So are you aying its Cheneys fault? Do it or STFU!
Clinton voted for the war due to the lies & fabricated documents, (Plame was outed to shut her husband up who was going to expose everything) handed to congress & senate. She voted on the information presented and has since stated that had she known the truth she would have voted NO.
Bush, Cheney, Condi, Rumsfeld, & Powell spun a web of lies so tight everyone
thought we would soon see a mushroom cloud. BUT then again the GOP really knows how to spin lies....
Johnny,
Cheyney bears a great deal of the responsibility but the entire National Security apparatus was co-opted into duplicity. Opposing voices were drowned out by attacks on their patriotism and motivation. Outside voices such as Joe Wilson's were attacked through the Vice President's office and the extremist in the Media like Limbaugh or the FOX collection of uneducated and uninformed talking heads. Cheyney established an Iraq working group running parallel to other intelligence agencies and was the driving force putting forth Ahmed Chalabi as a primary source on Iraq and as a potential replacement for Saddam. Try not to forget the tens of millions Cheyney was getting by advancing Halliburton of which he had been CEO during which time they did business with Iran and Iraq ignoring US sanctions. There is plenty of blame to go around from Rice to Rumsfeld to the network of conservative organizations such as The Heritage Foundation, American Enterprise and Cato all of which sent their minions out to the talk show circuit to provide a faux intellectual veneer to terribly flawed conclusions as to the danger that Iraq presented. Almost the entire world opposed our invasion unlike the previous Gulf War and our attack of Afghanistan.
jkh
Donnay,
Well said. One must view the support of Democrats with some degree of reality as to the political position they were faced with. The Bush Administration was doing all they could to forge some link between 9/11 and Iraq and much of the American public was more than ready to exact vengeance where they could find it. Democrats especially those with future presidential ambitions could not afford to be seen as weak on National defense and were willing to accept the Bush administrations justifications more easily than they should have.
jkh
The only thing al Queda and Iraq had in common was the "Q".
I'm looking forward to this doc; and, high time. Every one was not swept up in the lies of the Bush/Cheney Crime Family; millions of us did not have blood in our mouths, mindless nationalism.
Naturally,Fox and its Lemmings will denied this..
I clearly remember those who went to Iragu never found IUDs and reportd it to President Bush, however I also recall on the INSISTANCE by Dick Chaney pushing to go to war just the same, while Bush also pushed the same agenda.
Today Chuck Hagel is being criticised for disagreeinghe surge in Iragu because Chaney and Bush were pushing the war. Hagel was right! This man had the guts to tell the truth, while the present reublicans in Washington are chastising him. Especially Senators Grahm and McCain, whose using senate and house republicans lip service to serve their lies to ruin Hagels character, reputation, and dedication this patriot, who earned two Purple Hearts with boots on the ground during Viet Nams bruttle war.
John McCain of all people should have kept his mouth shut. Would he NOT become a prisioner of that war if he should have zigged instead zagged flying his plane. With no boots on the ground, McCain should have known better then anyone else what the brutality would be brought on any american caught and made a prisioner. Therefor, once McCain learned of the lie sending us into war, which made him a prisioner, which thousands of americans gave their lives, including the terrible experience Chuck Hagel endured during that war, Senator McCain should be the first to stand up and give Hagel yes vote for confirmation for Secretary of Defense.
Republicans don't want us americans to remember those two wars were unfunded by congress. Not just the war, but the "No Child Left Behind" project Bush and his wife Laura clearly pushed. The the unfunded perscription program added to the extreemly high debt we suffer today. ONE SENATOR IN CONGRESS STATED ON PUBLICN TV, THE FUNDS TO PAY FOR THE WAR WAS TAKEN FROM SOCIAL SECURITY FUNDS PAID FOR B HARD WORKING PEOPLE TOWARDS THEIR RETIREMENT!
All the States were harnassed with finding funds to inact the "No Child Left Behind". I know this as I worked for a school district learing and hearing the complaints from teachers.
T
I stand to be corrected. Inspectors found NO WEAPONS OF DERSTRUCTION IN IRAGU. The IUD stastement was not right.
Where was Kelley Ayotte, Sen. of New Hampshire 10 years ago when the Iragu War was self-inflicted by her rupublican party? She is hurting her candidacy by being used for lip service for John McCain!
God, Joanie, I just can't help myself. PLEASE take the time when giving a tirade to look up the proper spelling of words!! It numbs the mind that you are so uneducated. Takes all the credibility out of your statements.
Joanie, I'm with suemac47, but don't agree that you're uneducated. However, your egregious spelling errors do make you look like the poster child for a public education gone wrong. Take that extra time to spell-check & correct errors before posting if you want people to understand your good points.
Was the war in Iraq legal? It looks like Cheney and Rumsfeld manufactured proof that didn't exist! If that is so, then they should be brought up on chatges. Why isn't the house or congress jumping on this even one tenth of how they jumped all over Benghazi? To me this is way more important than trying to fix blame over Benghazi, don't get me wrong, we need to find out what went wrong and fix it but quit trying to find blame, however a whole international war over lies is different, heads should roll.
This country has had a long history of correcting its wrongs.... and it needs to correct this wrong by indicting George. W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Condeleeza Rice, and Paul Wolfowitz as war criminals and murderers and turning them over to the Geneva war crimes tribunal for prosecution.
At least (5) European Countries with Switzerland leading the charge have issued advisories to Bush and Cheney that if they ever stick one foot on their countries soil ever again...that is exactly what will happen to them.
If it is found to be nearly 100% certain that the admin knew they were lying to start the war, then the next most important thing to find out - what was their motivation? If it was more than just thinking Iraq must be invaded and Saddam removed for safety / stabilizing the region, in other words saving more innocent lives in the future if we invaded now, then the whole world needs to know the motivation. If it was to set up a fascist state by Bush and Cheney so they could mingle Haliburton, Blackwater and other private companies into controlling US policy, that needs to be known.
Go to: www.prosecution2012.com
Renowned former Charles Manson prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi's book "The Prosecution of George W Bush for Murder" has been made into a movie entitled:
"The Prosecution of an American President"
This website has the movie trailer and other relevant info regarding the lies Bush, et al, told us and Congress to take our nation to war with Iraq.
We just need ONE brave sitting prosecutor with enough guts to convene a grand jury in any county or parish in the U.S. where a service man or woman from his/her district was unlawfully killed in George W Bush's Iraq war.
Maybe you know or you are that brave prosecutor. If so, please take action, as Bush will soon be 70 years old and he must be prosecuted.
This documentary is timely in light of a concerted effort to disparage former Senator Chuck Hagel as the new SecDef by Senators who didn't put up this much fuss when asked to wage war against Iraq with a tax cut. Those raising most of the fuss haven't traded their hubris for humility even after years of costly war & trillions of debt! Just wish more networks would air it.