Three Iraq Stories, More Conservative Exploding Heads
The life of the American conservative is a perpetual crisis of cognitive dissonance, especially when it comes to the run-up to the Iraq war. So three new stories this week are certain to cause right-wing minds to explode, or at least to seek the safe harbor of denial.
First came word of a new book from Rumsfeld aide Douglas Feith revealing that President Bush declared "war is inevitable" in December 2002, months before UN weapons inspectors produced their report on Iraq's WMD. Later this week, the Pentagon will release the results of its massive study of pre-war intelligence confirming that Saddam and Al Qaeda had no operational relationship. Last, the Senate Intelligence Committee will soon publish its long-delayed critique of the Bush administration's claims in the buildup to war with Iraq.
Little in Feith's upcoming book, War and Decision, appears new. His revelation about Bush's December 18, 2002 ultimatum merely confirmed the President's use of the UN as a PR smokescreen for the conflict to come. Even less surprising is Feith's finger-pointing at others, especially Colin Powell's State Department, the CIA, General Tommy Franks and Iraq viceroy L. Paul Bremer, for the calamity his own manipulation of intelligence helped produce. (After all, Powell aide Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson said of Feith "seldom in my life have I met a dumber man," while Franks deemed him simply "the f**king stupidest guy on the face of the earth.") Given the devastating February 2007 Inspector General's report on undersecretary Feith's "inappropriate" briefings and "unreliable" intelligence regarding the Al Qaeda-Iraq link, his 900 page score-settling tome due next month was inevitable.
And just in case there were any lingering doubts about Feith's fraud on the Saddam-Al Qaeda nexus during his tenure as Donald Rumsfeld's defense policy chief, his former colleagues at the Pentagon lay them to rest this week. As McClatchy detailed yesterday, the DoD study will confirm the findings of the 9/11 Commission:
An exhaustive review of more than 600,000 Iraqi documents that were captured after the 2003 U.S. invasion has found no evidence that Saddam Hussein's regime had any operational links with Osama bin Laden's al Qaida terrorist network.
The Pentagon-sponsored study, scheduled for release later this week, did confirm that Saddam's regime provided some support to other terrorist groups, particularly in the Middle East, U.S. officials told McClatchy. However, his security services were directed primarily against Iraqi exiles, Shiite Muslims, Kurds and others he considered enemies of his regime.
The new study of the Iraqi regime's archives found no documents indicating a "direct operational link" between Hussein's Iraq and al Qaida before the invasion, according to a U.S. official familiar with the report.
Finally, the Senate Intelligence Committee is set to release - at long last - its findings on the administration's manipulation of pre-war intelligence. Held up for four years by former committee chairman Pat Roberts (R-KS), the Senate panel will examine of pre-Iraq war claims by President Bush and his administration intentionally left out of its "Phase I" report released prior to the 2004 election. (Despite the Committee's insistence that an investigation of White House misuses of pre-war intelligence not be part of the scope of Phase I, Roberts joined other GOP watercarriers in continuing to proclaim, "we interviewed over 250 analysts and we specifically asked them: 'Was there any political manipulation or pressure?' Answer: 'No.'")
As the Los Angeles Times reported Sunday, while the upcoming report likely won't go far enough in its assessments for partisans on either the left or the right, the Intel Committee conclusions will present more bad news for the Bush administration and its amen corner:
The long-delayed document catalogs dozens of prewar assertions by President Bush and other administration officials that proved to be wildly inaccurate about Iraq's alleged stockpiles of banned weapons and pursuit of nuclear arms.
But officials say the report reaches a mixed verdict on the key question of whether the White House misused intelligence to make the case for war.
The document criticizes White House officials for making assertions that failed to reflect disagreements or uncertainties in the underlying intelligence on Iraq, officials said. But the report acknowledges that many claims were consistent with intelligence assessments in circulation at the time.
Because of the nuanced nature of the conclusions, one congressional official familiar with the document said: "The left is not going to be happy. The right is not going to be happy. Nobody is going to be happy."
Judging from initial reactions to this latest wave of pre-Iraq war revelations, the discomfort of the right will likely be greater.
Reacting to the McClatchy story, the conservative Gateway Pundit experienced a complete a cognitive shutdown. In denial over the Pentagon story confirming the absence of an Iraq-Al Qaeda link before the war, this blogger in the last throes of cognitive dissonance could only pretend instead that McClatchy was denying the presence of Al Qaeda in Iraq today:
"Just when you thought that the mainstream media had hit rock bottom...McClatchy Newspapers reported today that there is no Al-Qaeda in Iraq..."
The vast cottage industry of right-wing politicians, pundits and authors, too, will have to confront facts completely at odds with their unshakable (and irredeemably wrong) narratives. Saddam-9/11 conspiracy theorist and Paul Wolfowitz favorite Laurie Mylroie will have to reconsider her entire body of work (for example, here and here). And 9/11-Iraq fabulist and Cheney biographer Stephen F. Hayes, author of the thoroughly discredited screed, The Connection: How al Qaeda's Collaboration with Saddam Hussein Has Endangered America, might want to take another look at his notes.
In Hayes' case, unfortunately, those notes are the source of the problem. As ThinkProgress detailed, Hayes' thesis relied on Feith's invented Al Qaeda-Saddam connection, fabrications rejected by the Pentagon at the time - and ever since:
In 2003, Hayes declared "case closed" in an article purporting to show the links between bin Laden and Saddam Hussein. Cheney recommeneded it to the Rocky Mountain news as the premier source of information on the issue. ("[Y]ou ought to go look is an article that Stephen Hayes did in the Weekly Standard here a few weeks ago...That's your best source of information.") Hayes relied on a classified Defense Department memo produced by Douglas Feith. The Defense Department shot down Hayes' article, stating the Feith memo was "not an analysis of the substantive issue of the relationship between Iraq and al Qaeda, and it drew no conclusions."
It's no wonder hardcover copies of Hayes' book are available at Amazon for the eminently affordable price of 1 cent.
In 2006, Stephen Colbert famously summed up the conservative intellectual dilemma in what might be deemed Colbert's Law: "Reality has a well-known liberal bias." Confronted with a flood of inconvenient facts, the right-wing instead resorts (as the endless Cheney-Hayes-Feith loop above illustrates) to its own brand of circular logic.
With the torrent of pre-Iraq retrospective stories, expect another public bout of conservative cognitive dissonance.
UPDATE 1: Here's a look back at President Bush's false statements on the Al Qaeda-Iraq connection.
UPDATE 2: ABC News on Wednesday morning reported that the Bush administration is in essence censoring the Pentagon report on the nonexistent Saddam - Al Qaeda link:
This morning, the Pentagon cancelled plans to send out a press release announcing the report's release and will no longer make the report available online...The report was to be posted on the Joint Forces Command website this afternoon, followed by a background briefing with the authors. No more. The report will be made available only to those who ask for it, and it will be sent via U.S. mail from Joint Forces Command in Norfolk, Virginia.
An executive summary is available here.
Please explain to me how a report that is not going to be on a website but made available on request censorship?
Plus:
How? If anything, it's probably more of a Democrat cover-up of its own failure to do...you know...oversight. When the 2002 AUMF came out, the Democrats had the majority in the Senate, meaning they had the committee chairs in all Senate committees, including the one for intelligence. The chairman was the now-retired Bob Graham of Florida. But since this is going to be a new Senate report, chaired by another Democrat, Jay Rockefeller (who was on that committee at the same time), nothing will be mentioned about this. Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle didn't even have a cloture vote on the bill that would become the 2002 AUMF; just the final vote to authorize. Harry Reid was the Majority Whip, and he got 29 of the 50 Democrats to vote for it.
Whitewash by the Democrats on the committee. That's what this is, and what they've been doing for the last 5 years. Taking no responsibility whatsoever.
Bush the Manchurian candidate has deliberately laid the country low.
Bush delivered a one two punch. First he sold out our energy
independence to Saudi Arabia. Second he got us in to a protracted
and costly and needless war which necessitated our selling debt
to China. On top of all tha Bush created the largest entitlement
program in history. He has been pissing away our money, our
freedoms and our sovereignty. Oh and by the way, haven't we learned what happens
when the government fails to regulate the banking, thrift and
credit industies? We have seen this movie before
when conservatives got caught with their hands in the cookie
jar on the Savings and Loan scandal. Yes even the home mortgage crisis
can be laid at the feet of Bush/Cheney mismanagement. Moreover, even though we were attacked
on Sept 11th by Saudis, Osama is Saudi, and the homicide bombers
in Iraq are Saudis, Bush's only response is to get on his
knees and beg the Saudi princes to have mercy. And now that
China is brutalizing Tibet, Bush who was so quick to
criticize a worthless dictator in Iraq and begin a war
over things such has Hussein's civil right record, is
scared crapless to say "boo" to China. Why? Well the
fall of Bear Stearns nearly toppled the economy. If we threatened
to boycott the Olympics over Tibet, China could threaten to
call in all their markers on our debt. There would
literally be a run on the bank as other nations followed the
Chinese lead, and we would have the great depression. In
my personal opinion Bush and Cheney can assert Mission
Accomplished in two areas. One: their oil and corporate
buddies have record profits. Two: the foreign masters
who have purchased Bush and Cheney's souls have the US on the brink
of ruin. Heckuva job Dubya. In my opinion.
I have personally questioned many christians as to why they have turned against George Bush as well as the Iraq war when normally they would support conservative causes. The unpopularity of the president and the war have affected christian conservative support. Why? These christians have been greatly influenced by the "Left Behind" books and popular movies which most christians have witnessed on CD, DVD, or have read the books. Today, there has never been anything larger in the christian market than the "Left Behind series" which interprets biblical prophecy and demonizes Iraq as the location for the city of Babylon being raised as the last evil empire.
The premise of the book is built around the idea that Iraq and ancient Babylon are literally the seat of the coming anti christ and will soon become headquarters for the United nations. The obvious clue is that America is therefore assisting anti christ by helping Iraq grow into an industrialized political power.
Some christians wrongly conclude that our soldiers are currently dying for the anti christ and not for future freedom.
The worst conclusion possible is that American blood with tax payer support are secretly supporting the anti christ and his future throne. Like it or not there are many christians wondering if this is true prophecy. This christian publication is just as anti american as any terrorist production and even more dangerous to our national unity because it pretends to have a biblical foundation.
No wonder Obama is working hard to capture christian support during this election! If "Left Behind" truly represents Bible prophecy then Obama must be doing Gods will by declaring the war a major mistake. His support of Gay marriage and abortion or his promise to stack liberal judges on the courts are easily over looked if he can stop America from supporting the anti christ... I appeal to your patriotism by helping me to make this information known!
This biblical spin is a serious problem christians who are benefiting refuse to face up to because it is a New York times best seller.
We cannot as christians put our bottom line above our christian principals?
Please Help me overturn this "Left behind" deception! Why?
This coming election is far too important! The 2006 election demonstrates
what happens when conservatives are divided by ideology and theological
differences. We lost both the house and the senate and may lose white
house.
Are you not tired of hearing christians lump Bush and Iraq into some wild new
world order plot? Such ideologies make the conservatives the bad guys and not the liberals.
Christian belief in such false ideologies may soon hand the democrats
a supreme court willing to go to war against christians and take away our liberties in
ways we cannot yet imagine!
Christian bookstores are hurting American unity during war time by selling books of biblical fiction that are dangerous because they may be turning voting Christians against our troops in Iraq. "Left Behind" is a fictional book. This book fosters Christian division and discourages support for our troops in Iraq. Compounding such confusing information we thre are large numbers of christians becoming the audience for the 9/11 conspiracies which teach that our government caused the attacks on 9/11.
Recently published biblical books supporting the Iraq war experience great difficulty to even be heard against the lies that are spread in the media and most Christian bookstores.
There is a new book, "Bible Prophecies of 9 - 11," that is actually based on the entire Bible context, which will expose Obama, or anyone who opposes the war in Iraq. The premise supporting this book's thesis are actual Bible verses which reveal God's latter-day promises to Nebuchadnezzar. Your own Bible predicts Iraq is to become a free nation through the assistance of (America's) eagle's wings in the latter days. (see Daniel chapter 4) Obama and others are exposed by such knowledge because they oppose America's good will and support our enemies who also declare that the war in Iraq was a big mistake. The terrorists also want America out of Iraq and openly and publically favor Obama for president. "Bible Prophecies of 9 - 11" refutes the propaganda and the damage being done to our country by books like "Left Behind."
I believe that these "Left Behind" books and DVD's make it easier for Obama to turn Christians against the positive efforts of our military achievements in Iraq. Obama is currently working hard to get the Christian vote by flip flopping on issues and capitalizing on a lack of Christian unity over Iraq. Ficticious renditions like "Left Behind" teach Christians that America is setting up modern Babylon so the anti Christ can rule the world directly from the ancient city of Babylon in Iraq. Such false and unfounded interpretations of prophecy seem to identify America as supporting this great evil that Christians must certainly oppose! They forget that God cursed Babylon through the prophet Isaiah, that it should never again rise to a world power! (see Isaiah 13:19) Babylon today is a universal term for ungodly activity not central to Iraq alone. Unfortunately the econemy and the Iraq war are today the number one issues within this critical election year.
If America is helping to prepare Iraq for the seat of the anti Christ then Obama appears to represent Gods opposition to such evil. This means we must support a future supreme court which supports Gay marriage, abortion, and christian persecution increasing in America. Is "Left Behind" teachings about Babylon in Iraq Gods will or Satans false doctrine?
Such biblical deception does not happen you say? Remember Y2K prophecy books which turned out to be a terrible loss for millions on new years day when nothing happened! We all remember our Christian friends who spent their life savings because they believed all of the Christian leaders publications were true prophecy. "Left Behind" is THE LATEST false alarm spreading unfounded prophecies.
Why do honest Christians not challenge such bogus information which spreads such blatantly unbiblical doctrines? These "Left Behind" books are currently selling in dollar stores because Christians are losing interest in the same old negative conspiracy song which fosters darkness and hides the light. But the damage has already been done!
A new and more accurate biblical understanding is available which supports America and refutes the false theories which support America's enemies. Check out this news and confirm the information and get it to believers before the coming election! If you own a Christian bookstore the patriotic thing to promote is America's success in Iraq, and not its failure. You do not want to be spreading the notion that our soldiers representing all races and religions in America have given their lives for the anti christ. Inform all Christian Book Stores that by selling "Left Behind" books they are supporting Obama and aiding our enemies. http://www.eternaltruth.net
About the new book... People of faith, please stop your life for a moment and witness an amazing faith promoting youtube videos which take believers on a spiritual journey, far beyond anything they have yet seen. There are no possible words to express the spiritual impact of this video. The truth and clarity of this message will send chills down your back! This is the closest thing to witnessing the opening of the Red Sea, or watching 9 - 11 happen from one block away. This is real prophecy from the King James' Bible.
When you watch this video be sure to shut off every distraction you might have turning off your cell phones and locking all of your doors so that you can fully comprehend each important detail. The dark side of spiritual forces will do anything to distract you from viewing this biblical discovery and hearing its message!
The first part of the video is a little bit slow because you do not realize what all of the clues are leading up too. There are four short videos in part 1,2,3,4. about nine minutes or so. Do not skip any of the four segments or you may forget the clues first given and later forget their applications in videos 2,3,4.
You are about to be enlightened far beyond anything you have imagined! click on "Bible prophecies of 9 - 11" @ http://www.eternaltruth.net
I have personally questioned many christians as to why they have turned against George Bush as well as the Iraq war when normally they would support conservative causes. The unpopularity of the president and the war have affected christian conservative support. Why? These christians have been greatly influenced by the "Left Behind" books and popular movies which most christians have witnessed on CD, DVD, or have read the books. Today, there has never been anything bigger in the christian market than the "Left Behind series" which interprets biblical prophecy and demonizes Iraq today as the location for the city of Babylon now being raised as the last evil empire.
The premise of the book is built around the idea that Iraq and ancient Babylon are literally the seat of the coming anti christ and will sonn become headquarters for the United nations. The obvious clue is that America is therefore helping anti christ by assisting Iraq to grow into an industrialized and political power.
Some christians wrongly conclude that our soldiers are currently dieing for the anti christ and not for anyone's future freedom. The worst conclusion possible is that American blood and tax payer support are secretly raising
the anti christ and his future throne. Like it or not there are many christians wondering if this is true prophecy.
No wonder Obama is working hard to capture christian support during this election! If "Left Behind" truly represents Bible prophecy then Obama must be doing Gods will by declaring the war a major mistake. His support of Gay marriage and abortion or stacking liberal judges on the courts are easily over looked if he can stop America from supporting the anti christ... I appeal to your patriotism!
This is a serious problem christians who are benefiting refuse to face.
We cannot as christians put our bottom line above a christian principal?
Please Help me overturn this "Left behind" deception!
This election is too important!
Christian bookstores are hurting American unity during war time by selling books of biblical fiction that are dangerous because they may be turning voting Christians against our troops in Iraq. "Left Behind" is a fictional book. This book fosters Christian division and discourages support for our troops in Iraq. Compounding such confusing information we thre are large numbers of christians becoming the audience for the 9/11 conspiracies which teach them that our government caused the attaks on 9/11.
Recently published biblical books supporting the Iraq war experience great difficulty to even be heard against the lies that are spread in the media and most Christian bookstores.
There is a new book, "Bible Prophecies of 9 - 11," that is actually based on the entire Bible context, which will expose Obama, or anyone who opposes the war in Iraq. The premise supporting this book's thesis are actual Bible verses which reveal God's latter-day promises to Nebuchadnezzar. Your own Bible predicts Iraq is to become a free nation through the assistance of (America's) eagle's wings in the latter days. (see Daniel chapter 4) Obama and others are exposed by such knowledge because they oppose America's good will and support our enemies who also declare that the war in Iraq was a big mistake. The terrorists also want America out of Iraq and openly and publically favor Obama for president. "Bible Prophecies of 9 - 11" refutes the propaganda and the damage being done to our country by books like "Left Behind."
I believe that these "Left Behind" books and DVD's make it easier for Obama to turn Christians against the positive efforts of our military achievements in Iraq. Obama is currently working hard to get the Christian vote by flip flopping on issues and capitalizing on a lack of Christian unity over Iraq. Ficticious renditions like "Left Behind" teach Christians that America is setting up modern Babylon so the anti Christ can rule the world directly from the ancient city of Babylon in Iraq. Such false and unfounded interpretations of prophecy seem to identify America as supporting this great evil that Christians must certainly oppose! They forget that God cursed Babylon through the prophet Isaiah, that it should never again rise to a world power! (see Isaiah 13:19) Babylon today is a universal term for ungodly activity not central to Iraq alone. Unfortunately the econemy and the Iraq war are today the number one issues within this critical election year.
If America is helping to prepare Iraq for the seat of the anti Christ then Obama appears to represent Gods opposition to such evil. This means we must support a future supreme court which supports Gay marriage, abortion, and christian persecution increasing in America. Is "Left Behind" teachings about Babylon in Iraq Gods will or Satans false doctrine?
Such biblical deception does not happen you say? Remember Y2K prophecy books which turned out to be a terrible loss for millions on new years day when nothing happened! We all remember our Christian friends who spent their life savings because they believed all of the Christian leaders publications were true prophecy. "Left Behind" is THE LATEST false alarm spreading unfounded prophecies.
Why do honest Christians not challenge such bogus information which spreads such blatantly unbiblical doctrines? These "Left Behind" books are currently selling in dollar stores because Christians are losing interest in the same old negative conspiracy song which fosters darkness and hides the light. But the damage has already been done!
A new and more accurate biblical understanding is available which supports America and refutes the false theories which support America's enemies. Check out this news and confirm the information and get it to believers before the coming election! If you own a Christian bookstore the patriotic thing to promote is America's success in Iraq, and not its failure. You do not want to be spreading the notion that our soldiers representing all races and religions in America have given their lives for the anti christ. Inform all Christian Book Stores that by selling "Left Behind" books they are supporting Obama and aiding our enemies. http://www.eternaltruth.net
About the new book... People of faith, please stop your life for a moment and witness an amazing faith promoting youtube videos which take believers on a spiritual journey, far beyond anything they have yet seen. There are no possible words to express the spiritual impact of this video. The truth and clarity of this message will send chills down your back! This is the closest thing to witnessing the opening of the Red Sea, or watching 9 - 11 happen from one block away. This is real prophecy from the King James' Bible.
When you watch this video be sure to shut off every distraction you might have turning off your cell phones and locking all of your doors so that you can fully comprehend each important detail. The dark side of spiritual forces will do anything to distract you from viewing this biblical discovery and hearing its message!
The first part of the video is a little bit slow because you do not realize what all of the clues are leading up too. There are four short videos in part 1,2,3,4. about nine minutes or so. Do not skip any of the four segments or you may forget the clues first given and later forget their applications in videos 2,3,4.
You are about to be enlightened far beyond anything you have imagined! click on "Bible prophecies of 9 - 11" @ http://www.eternaltruth.net
I am sorry, but this guy has under-stated the power of this Bible discovery! You must see this youtube on his sight if it is the last thing on earth you do! Our husbands in Iraq and our wounded vets need
to hear about this new Bible discovery.
Suppose it could be documented that this Bible
prophecy was verified to have been fulfilled in our
day predicting the war in Iraq?
Thousands of people are entering this web sight...
http://www.eternaltruth.net
Critics have sought to rip this biblical discovery a
part in order to disprove it.
Such attempts continue to fail as ambitious Bible
critics seek to expose it as another hoax.
Critics eventually fade as the people who see
value in this fulfilled prophecy are moved to
inform others of this possible miracle arriving in
our day!
Could God have revealed an actual Bible prophecy
supporting America going into Iraq? Everyone is
invited to prove or disprove this newly discovered
prophecy.
If you can demonstrate a way to disprove this claim
you may become a guest on Glenn Becks show or
Shaun Hannity. If you can bring a case forward
which supports this prophecy as being true you
may also become a guest.
This Bible discovery was mentioned on the Rush
Limbaugh show as millions heard of this web sight.
If you can find any evidence disputing this claim
or any evidence confirming it true, please contact
Shaun at...
"Media track" dogtrack88hotmail.com
Or contact Glenn Beck and make your case
to him on line. glennbeck.com You may contact
Rush Limbaugh if possible?
For additional information
concerning this matter contact
Ed Cook at ecdistibutions or
[email protected] or 208 251 3519
You could receive national recognition for worthy evidence
if your information is convincing. Why?
If no one can dispute this biblical claim this discovery
can be submitted in the media as an actual fulfillment of
biblical prophecy. If not, you may be the one exposing as
a hoax.
The new President of the united states may be determined
by the condition of our economy and the war in Iraq.
What could a Bible prophecy depicting America as
the biblical eagle bringing freedom to Iraq have upon
this presidential election?
Could it perhaps reveal the presidential election from a new
spiritual perspective?
This biblical prophecy could unite our American resolve
for supporting the Iraq war and help our troops.
A subsidiary of Salem communications has already
declared this work to be a monumental discovery of
"biblical proportions" in their recent national press release.
To confirm this national press release go to the Salem
Xulon press release at- http://www.eternaltruth.net or enter
their Salem web sight.
There has been no theological criticism having any
teeth which has demonstrated convincing red flags
which cast doubt upon this claim. The Bible can be spun
by people who often take things out of proper context.
Today modern writers cleverly manufacture their own
evidences from the Bible and years later we then discover
such insights were false.
This means that the specific criteria for documenting
a fulfilled Bible prophecy is even more difficult to accomplish
than many secular discoveries which also require high
standards from sound research.
We need a consensus from several credible Christians
who can collaberate a consistency of legitamate insights
which identify key prophetic types and shadows clearly
identifying the cyclic nature of true prophecy within
Bible history.
Such an insight for understanding true Bible prophecy
should not require a degree in theology. We welcome
either.
We welcome the critics who aspire to prove this wrong.
No credable evidence has been presented showing
any confirmed manipulation of the biblical text nor its
context.
Watch the you tube video as it takes you through
specific Bible scriptures which reveal the
great modern eagle (America)l transforming Iraq
into a free nation in the end times..
Locate now..
"Bible prophecies of 9-11
http://www.eternaltruth.net
sincerely,
Bet Patterson
ecdistribution
.
.