XPost: alt.politics.obama, soc.culture.usa, alt.society.liberalism   
   XPost: alt.politics.conservative   
   From: rio@gran.dey   
      
   On 6/17/2014 2:10 PM, Dänk 42Ø wrote:   
   > I'm getting pretty sick of all these rightarded armchair generals who   
   > are saying Chairman Obama made a mistake withdrawing U.S. troops from   
   > Iraq too soon.   
      
   Well fuck you for being such a partisan shitbag anyway.   
      
   > Perhaps he did, but then there was no indication that   
   > the country would ever be stable enough to end the occupation.   
      
   "Ever"?   
      
   Or maybe just not right away.   
      
   > Most   
   > importantly, there would be no troops to withdraw had his mentally   
   > retarded predecessor not started the war, and on false pretenses.   
      
   The same ones these Dems begged for us to pay attention to?   
      
   “[W]e urge you, after consulting with Congress, and consistent with the   
   U.S. Constitution and laws, to take necessary actions (including, if   
   appropriate, air and missile strikes on suspect Iraqi sites) to respond   
   effectively to the threat posed by Iraq’s refusal to end its weapons of   
   mass destruction programs.” — From a letter signed by Joe Lieberman,   
   Dianne Feinstein, Barbara A. Milulski, Tom Daschle, & John Kerry among   
   others on October 9, 1998   
      
   “This December will mark three years since United Nations inspectors   
   last visited Iraq. There is no doubt that since that time, Saddam   
   Hussein has reinvigorated his weapons programs. Reports indicate that   
   biological, chemical and nuclear programs continue apace and may be back   
   to pre-Gulf War status. In addition, Saddam continues to refine delivery   
   systems and is doubtless using the cover of a licit missile program to   
   develop longer- range missiles that will threaten the United States and   
   our allies.” — From a December 6, 2001 letter signed by Bob Graham, Joe   
   Lieberman, Harold Ford, & Tom Lantos among others   
      
   “Whereas Iraq has consistently breached its cease-fire agreement between   
   Iraq and the United States, entered into on March 3, 1991, by failing to   
   dismantle its weapons of mass destruction program, and refusing to   
   permit monitoring and verification by United Nations inspections;   
   Whereas Iraq has developed weapons of mass destruction, including   
   chemical and biological capabilities, and has made positive progress   
   toward developing nuclear weapons capabilities” — From a joint   
   resolution submitted by Tom Harkin and Arlen Specter on July 18, 2002   
      
   “Saddam’s goal … is to achieve the lifting of U.N. sanctions while   
   retaining and enhancing Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction programs. We   
   cannot, we must not and we will not let him succeed.” — Madeline   
   Albright, 1998   
      
   “(Saddam) will rebuild his arsenal of weapons of mass destruction and   
   some day, some way, I am certain he will use that arsenal again, as he   
   has 10 times since 1983″ — National Security Adviser Sandy Berger, Feb   
   18, 1998   
      
   “Iraq made commitments after the Gulf War to completely dismantle all   
   weapons of mass destruction, and unfortunately, Iraq has not lived up to   
   its agreement.” — Barbara Boxer, November 8, 2002   
      
   “The last UN weapons inspectors left Iraq in October of 1998. We are   
   confident that Saddam Hussein retained some stockpiles of chemical and   
   biological weapons, and that he has since embarked on a crash course to   
   build up his chemical and biological warfare capability. Intelligence   
   reports also indicate that he is seeking nuclear weapons, but has not   
   yet achieved nuclear capability.” — Robert Byrd, October 2002   
      
   “There’s no question that Saddam Hussein is a threat… Yes, he has   
   chemical and biological weapons. He’s had those for a long time. But the   
   United States right now is on a very much different defensive posture   
   than we were before September 11th of 2001… He is, as far as we know,   
   actively pursuing nuclear capabilities, though he doesn’t have nuclear   
   warheads yet. If he were to acquire nuclear weapons, I think our friends   
   in the region would face greatly increased risks as would we.” — Wesley   
   Clark on September 26, 2002   
      
   “The community of nations may see more and more of the very kind of   
   threat Iraq poses now: a rogue state with weapons of mass destruction,   
   ready to use them or provide them to terrorists. If we fail to respond   
   today, Saddam and all those who would follow in his footsteps will be   
   emboldened tomorrow.” — Bill Clinton in 1998   
      
   “In the four years since the inspectors left, intelligence reports show   
   that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological   
   weapons stock, his missile delivery capability, and his nuclear program.   
   He has also given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to terrorists, including   
   Al Qaeda members, though there is apparently no evidence of his   
   involvement in the terrible events of September 11, 2001. It is clear,   
   however, that if left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to   
   increase his capacity to wage biological and chemical warfare, and will   
   keep trying to develop nuclear weapons. Should he succeed in that   
   endeavor, he could alter the political and security landscape of the   
   Middle East, which as we know all too well affects American security.” —   
   Hillary Clinton, October 10, 2002   
      
   “I am absolutely convinced that there are weapons…I saw evidence back in   
   1998 when we would see the inspectors being barred from gaining entry   
   into a warehouse for three hours with trucks rolling up and then moving   
   those trucks out.” — Clinton’s Secretary of Defense William Cohen in   
   April of 2003   
      
   “Iraq is not the only nation in the world to possess weapons of mass   
   destruction, but it is the only nation with a leader who has used them   
   against his own people.” — Tom Daschle in 1998   
      
   “Saddam Hussein’s regime represents a grave threat to America and our   
   allies, including our vital ally, Israel. For more than two decades,   
   Saddam Hussein has sought weapons of mass destruction through every   
   available means. We know that he has chemical and biological weapons. He   
   has already used them against his neighbors and his own people, and is   
   trying to build more. We know that he is doing everything he can to   
   build nuclear weapons, and we know that each day he gets closer to   
   achieving that goal.” — John Edwards, Oct 10, 2002   
      
   “The debate over Iraq is not about politics. It is about national   
   security. It should be clear that our national security requires   
   Congress to send a clear message to Iraq and the world: America is   
   united in its determination to eliminate forever the threat of Iraq’s   
   weapons of mass destruction.” — John Edwards, Oct 10, 2002   
      
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
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