Bush: 'I Was Unprepared For War' (ABC Interview to Air Tonight)

[Hissyspit]

Source: Raw Story/ABC News

Bush: 'I was unprepared for war'

John Byrne
Published: Monday December 1, 2008

Five years after he declared victory in Iraq on the US aircraft carrier USS Lincoln, President George W. Bush says he was "unprepared" for a war in Iraq that has gone on to claim thousands of American lives and tens of thousands of Iraqis.

"I wish the intelligence had been different, I guess," Bush tells ABC's Charlie Gibson in an interview to be broadcast tonight, and said he didn't know if he'd have gone to war if he didn't think there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. "That is a do-over that I can't do," Bush said.

He said incorrect intelligence about Saddam Hussein's arsenal was the "biggest regret of all the presidency." "I think I was unprepared for war," Bush remarked. "In other words, I didn't campaign and say, 'Please vote for me, I'll be able to handle an attack,'" he said. "In other words, I didn't anticipate war. Presidents -- one of the things about the modern presidency is that the unexpected will happen."

But also he tried to spread the blame -- and his credulity -- for bad intelligence on others. "A lot of people put their reputations on the line and said the weapons of mass destruction is a reason to remove Saddam Hussein," Bush said. "It wasn't just people in my administration. A lot of members in Congress, prior to my arrival in Washington, D.C., during the debate on Iraq, a lot of leaders of nations around the world were all looking at the same intelligence."

Read more: http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Bush_I_was_unprepared_for_war_1201.html

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Fucker.

[bigworld]

1. wow, it almost sounds like he finally gets it!

[riqster]

5. Nope. Read the weasel words:

"But also he tried to spread the blame -- and his credulity -- for bad intelligence on others. "A lot of people put their reputations on the line and said the weapons of mass destruction is a reason to remove Saddam Hussein," Bush said. "It wasn't just people in my administration. A lot of members in Congress, prior to my arrival in Washington, D.C., during the debate on Iraq, a lot of leaders of nations around the world were all looking at the same intelligence."

Same shit he's been saying for years.

[SharonAnn]

34. ""I wish the intelligence had been different, ...". Bush's intelligence, that is

should have been different.

But then, he would've been a smarter person and it was obvious beforehand that intelligence was not one of his asetts.

As a matter of fact, his only asset was being a salesman (con-man). That's it. That's been his entire life.

He's gotten through everything in life by being a con-man.

[Rabrrrrrr]

2. Here - let me translate that. "Bush unprepared for everything."

and later:

"I wish my intelligence had been different, I guess, in the sense of, you know, having some."


"I think I was woefully unprepared for being president," Bush remarked.

[GreenPartyVoter]

23. *uber-snarf*

[hobbit709]

3. He wanted a war from day one.

what he was unprepared for was that it wasn't the cakewalk he was told it would be.

[Botany]

9. In 1999 he was talking about a war with Iraq

http://www.counterpunch.org/leupp06202005.html

[Botany]

4. When does he stop lying?

He said incorrect intelligence about Saddam Hussein's arsenal was the
"biggest regret of all the presidency."

White House Iraq Group

Office of Special Plans

935 lies told by bush and his admin to start an unneeded war
http://projects.publicintegrity.org/WarCard/

[Arkansas Granny]

7. He doesn't stop lying. It's what he does best.

[Botany]

16. But he keeps forgetting that we have audio tapes, video, newspapers,

e mails, books, and transcripts that show his lies for what they are
lies.

The CIA told him not to mention the "Uranium from Africa" in 2003 but
he went right ahead and talked about "it."

The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa. Our intelligence sources tell us that he has attempted to purchase high-strength aluminum tubes suitable for nuclear weapons production. Saddam Hussein has not credibly explained these activities. He clearly has much to hide. bush 2003 SOTU

[lunatica]

48. A tale told by an idiot..., signifying nothing

Shakespeare says it best... I'm subtituting the word Bush for Life at the beginning of the excerpt below...

Bush's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more: it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.

[Mark E. Smith]

6. Georgie's post-presidential spin offensive is taking form

And wouldn't you know it, he was a victim.

[SomeGuyInEagan]

19. Must be that personal responsibility thing he was spouting about in 2000 ...

Hightower had him pegged long before the 2000 election, Bush was born on third base and thought he hit a triple.

For all the talk that was spoon-fed to the masses in 2000, he continues to be a spoiled, drunk frat boy who has never and will never be called upon to be responsible in any way, shape or form. He's always had the family connections to bail him out and insulate him in the past and will continue to be protected by the Republican and corporate elite who know that actually holding this idiot and his administration responsible will forever doom their brand and they aren't going to allow that to ever happen.

Sadly, I fear too few Democrats in power will pursue it either. Just another day in America.

[patrice]

8. Liar. He knew the quality of that "Intelligence", otherwise, why the question to Tenet, "Is this all

you've got?" to which Tenet responded that it was "a Slam Dunk."

BUSH KNEW!

[lumberjack_jeff]

10. Fucker.

"I regret bad intelligence"? Fuck you, asshole. You and yours cherrypicked the intelligence which you used to rationalize your predetermined war choice.

Fucker. He conveniently forgets how he ordered weapons inspectors out of Iraq (who were finding nothing of importance) so that he could scratch that itch.

I'm sure he really believes it... now.

[jimshoes]

11. I'd feel better reading that if he was

in prison orange and behind iron bars in a maximum security prison, somewhere cold and damp and uncomfortable.

[jpak]

12. "I wish the intelligence had been different, I guess," YOU MADE IT ALL UP ASSHOLE

and history will not be kind to your reign

[riverdale]

26. The intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy

Remember the Downing Street memo?

"C reported on his recent talks in Washington. There was a perceptible shift in attitude. Military action was now seen as inevitable. Bush wanted to remove Saddam, through military action, justified by the conjunction of terrorism and WMD. But the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy. The NSC had no patience with the UN route, and no enthusiasm for publishing material on the Iraqi regime's record. There was little discussion in Washington of the aftermath after military action."

[Historic NY]

13. It took thousands of deaths for him to figure that out...asshat.

[tanyev]

14. Yeah, he wishes the intelligence had been different.

He wishes it agreed with the lies they told.

[Aristus]

15. Of course he was unprepared for war. When you invade a country that is no threat to us

in an attempt to rob them of their ONE precious resource, why in the world do you imagine they would fight back? I mean, who DOES that? :sarcasm:

If it was really about taking out Saddam Hussein, you asshole, you wouldn't have sent in an army. It would have been a Delta Force Op. Twelve guys, speaking fluent Arabic and carrying untraceable weapons.

:mad::grr:

[Mad_Dem_X]

17. Lying POS motherf*cker.

January 20th can't come soon enough. I never want to see this asshole's face again, unless he's wearing a prison uniform!

[Arctic Dave]

18. What other people? The PNAC? What a douche nozzle.

The majority of the world said it was a bad idea to invade Iraq. If he would have LISTENED to the intelligence community intstead of TELLING them what he wanted to hear this converstation would not be happening.

It is 7:00am and I think I need a drink after reading this.

[opihimoimoi]

20. A Rude and Crude attempt at cleaning his act....he is a LYING POS

History will look at the Facts...and it looks like shit....for 8 years he did nothing positive for us,,,only Negative crap and selfserving shit...

He is a DISMAL FAILURE and so is the GOP who supported this dude.

Don't feed the SOB....maybe he will go away....

[wtmusic]

21. Snivel all the way to the Hague, asscarrot

4200 servicemembers don't get a "do-over" either.

[rainy]

22. I hope everyone is reading Bugliosi's book. These statements

by Bush could sink him in a court room.

[Cronopio]

33. Sure, if justice actually prevailed in this country.

With "inner ringers" like Pelosi and Reid around handing out exemptions to the rules, I'm not holding my breath.

You're right though. His statements *should* result in a court hearing.

[ArrowMan]

24. Are you ill yet.

"I think I was unprepared for war," Bush remarked. "In other words, I didn't campaign and say, 'Please vote for me, I'll be able to handle an attack,'" he said.


If that doesn't make you sick, nothing will.

[Libertas1776]

25. ...

A Scumbag to the end...
Yeah, he wishes the intelligence had been better blah blah blah so that he could have had a cakewalk of a war that ended squeaky queen, huge oil profits for the US, and left him as an American hero(Shudder)
Unfortunately, Pres. Ass clown, that is not the way things work in the real world!

When you are gone Nixon isn't gonna look so bad anymore :rofl:


January is just around the corner (Thank God) :patriot:

[gratuitous]

27. Wow, Charlie Gibson probably just pounced like a jaguar, huh?

No wait; I was thinking of someone else. Charlie rolled over on his back and piddled on himself.

[Solly Mack]

28. Bullshit

Fucker

[Skidmore]

29. But he wanted to be a "war president," didn't he?

[8 track mind]

30. Idiot son of a rich asshole.

Mr. Olberman is gonna have something to say about this....

[Stuart G]

31. Interesting.....His a ...fucker......What a time to say .. this...asshole....it

is all about him...only him...not the tens of thousands who were killed because of him..

He is worse than a fucker...lowest ring of hell for him........

[Cronopio]

32. Awwww ... Bush gets all emo and philosophical about the Holocaust he created.

"I think I was unprepared for war" == "Out, out, damned spot."

He's got quite a trip in the death bardo ahead of him.

[Ichingcarpenter]

35. Bush: 'I Was Unprepared For Prison at the Hague'

"I wish my intelligence had been different, I guess," Bush tells ABC's Charlie Gibson in an interview to be broadcast tonight, and said he didn't know if he'd have gone to prison if he didn't think there were so many lies about the destruction in Iraq. "That is a do-over that I can't do," Bush said.

I hope this is what he really meant.

[hunter]

36. Give that SOB a dark lonely room and an unlimited supply of Jack Daniels.

Boo hoo.

[peacetalksforall]

37. George WAR Bush. George wimp Bush. George WHACK Bush.

WHIG - the White House I LIE Group

[riderinthestorm]

38. I guess he conveniently forgets the weapons inspectors he yanked

who were actually getting REAL intelligence, intelligence that was quickly demonstrating that the bullshit BFEE, PNAC and the other neocon criminals was cooking up, was all LIES.

Oh no, he yanked the experts outta there cause he'd been itching for a fight since 1999!!

I can't believe the MSM is now going to fellate him as he goes on a magical revisionist historical tour similar to the lying express he and Darth Vader rode in 2001. In fact it IS 2001 all over again as the MSM rolls over again and allows him to get away with these lies! Unfuckingbelievable!! I am so pissed off.

This is just bringing up all the bad memories, bad blood pressure, bad days. I feel physically sick to my stomach.

[hendo]

39. He was right about one thing

"A lot of people put their reputations on the line and said the weapons of mass destruction is a reason to remove Saddam Hussein," Bush said. "It wasn't just people in my administration. A lot of members in Congress, prior to my arrival in Washington, D.C., during the debate on Iraq, a lot of leaders of nations around the world were all looking at the same intelligence."

Even HRC was convinced we Iraq had WMDs before Bush even made that case. Bill was convinced as well.

[Javaman]

40. more of the same: blame others for ones lack of "intelligence".

his legacy can be summed up this way: It's not my fault!!

[truthisfreedom]

41. "I didn't campaign and say, 'Please vote for me, I'll be able to handle an attack..." STILL LYING

about the connection between 9-11 and Iraq? This man should go to jail TODAY. Every moment suffering under this oppressive, propagandist regime is one moment too many.

[Gato Moteado]

42. kind of an out-of-character admission from the chimp

is rawstory a reliable source? we'll have to see this interview to see if he really said that. if there's video footage of him saying that he was unprepared for a war and that he now thinks its a mistake, i would think a shitstorm will follow.

[spanone]

43. he remains unprepared for life

[acmavm]

44. Either this guy is the dumbest son of a bitch on Earth, or the

biggest liar.

[lutefisk]

45. He could very well be both. . . n/t

[bdamomma]

46. could he be arrested now for saying something like that.

he wasn't prepared for war? how about all the people that have died because of this sociopath/psychopath.

[AlCzervik]

47. it's nice though how he still takes no responsibility. It's all Curve balls fault

and Chalabi, instead of actually investigating the claims you went to war.

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

49. The self-declared War President made a boo boo.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3470139.stm

[lunatica]

50. Poor widdle Bush is just a victim of circumstances

:cry:

[Neshanic]

51. Someone was. That "mission" banner was quite nicely done. Also the photo op of him flying in.

[ChickMagic]

52. Poor baby.

He's such a victim. Oh, and an

[Greyhound]

53. So the liar thinks he can lie his way out of disgrace in addition to getting

away with mass murder and plundering the treasury.
:kick:

[stubtoe]

54. Oh here we go with the "Legacy" crap.

Hang on, the rewriting of history is going to shift into high gear between now and January.

[Capt. America]

55. "mistakes were made" --go straight to hell you liar. Cheney cooked the books in the White House and

the "formerly respected" Sec. of State Powell went along with them. Bush makes it sound like the "W" movie, that everyone in the White House was "duped" by outside sources. These war pigs were chomping at the bit to attack Iraq BEFORE they took office (see PNAC). I think the shrub realizes that he will go down in history as a steaming pile of shit and he is trying to make himself sound better for the historians ("see, he did apologise, so that means that he was duped as well").

Please Obama, let your attorney general send the FBI after these guys on January 21.

[cboy4]

56. JANUARY 20, 2009

[Captain Nemo]

57. Sociopathic Inability to Accept Responsibility or Understand Consequences

Bush got exactly the intelligence he, Wolfowitz, Feith, Rumsfeld, Cheney and the rest of the PNAC cabal wanted from their Office of Special Plans.

Now he wishes he'd gone to war based on the facts, not on the twisted, hand-picked nonsense his minions gave him?

He not only has no brains, he has no shame...

[City Lights]

58. So says the Liar-in-Chief.

You had plans to topple Saddam before 9-11. You had a score to settle on behalf of your daddy, remember?

Cheney you, george. You're dripping with the blood of the dead.

[Mari333]

59. yay! Not owning a television pays off again n/t

[KamaAina]

60. KamaAina: You were unprepared for peace, too

:dunce: :dunce: :dunce:

[trayfoot]

61. W was unprepared for EVERYTHING!