RSS

Tag Archives: Weapons of Mass Destruction

Mittens Says ‘We Would Not Have Gone In’ If We Knew There Were No Weapons of Mass Destruction?

Huffington Post is reporting Republican Tea Party (GOTP) presidential bridesmaid Mittens Romney, speaking to NBC News’ Chuck Todd, seemed to shift positions on the Iraq War.

As highlighted by New York Magazine‘s Jonathan Chait, Mittens attempted to explain to Todd, “If we knew at the time of our entry into Iraq that there were no weapons of mass destruction, if somehow we had been given that information, obviously we would not have gone in.”

“You don’t think we would have gone in?” asked Todd.

“Well of course not,” Mittens mewed in response. “The president went in based upon intelligence that they had weapons of mass destruction. Had he known that that was not the case; the U.N. would not have put forward resolutions authorizing this type of action. The president would not have been pursuing that course. But we did not know that. Based upon what we knew at the time, we were very much under the impression as a nation, our president was under the impression, that they had weapons of mass destruction that Saddam Hussein was intent on potentially using those weapons, and so he took action based upon what he knew. But to go back and say, well knowing what we know now would we have gone in? Well, knowing what we know now, they did not have weapons of mass destruction; there would have been no effort on the part of our president or others to take military action.”

Of course when Mittens was running for the GOTP nomination in 2008 he took a much different position on the conflict; The New York Times, moderator Tim Russert asked Romney during a 2008 presidential debate if the Iraq War was “a good idea worth the cost in blood and treasure we have spent.” Romney answered, “It was the right decision to go into Iraq. I supported it at the time; I support it now.” As Chait explains, Romney’s debate answer came at a time when it was already clear that Iraq possessed no weapons of mass destruction.

Huffington reports Mittens’ latest comments come only a few days after the U.S. marked the end of the nearly nine year conflict. The GOTP wannabe hasn’t been shy in his criticism of President Obama’s handling of the troop withdrawal. Recently, BBC News reported Romney said, “I think we’re going to find that this president, by not putting in place a status-of-forces agreement with the Iraqi leadership, has pulled our troops out in a precipitous way and we should have left 10-, 20-, 30,000 personnel there to help transition to the Iraqis’ own military capabilities.”

Mittens thinks he can say whatever he wants to whomever he wants and that there’re no consequences; in today’s media savvy electronic world that’s simply not the case and it’s going to bite him in the butt. Romney’s a flip-flopper of the highest order and that demonstrates a level of untrustworthiness that should concern all Americans because the last thing this country needs is a President who has no moral compass and flies by the seat of his pants on every issue.

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on December 22, 2011 in 2012 Election

 

Tags: , , , , , , ,

U.S. Troops to Leave Iraq by Year’s End?

The New York Times is reporting President Obama has announced that the last American soldier would leave Iraq by the end of the year, bringing to an end the nearly nine-year Bush/Cheney pre-emptive war which has cost the country 4,479 dead, 32,200 wounded and approximately $1 trillion. The presumptive cause for invading nearly a decade ago was the threat Iraq was developing Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) – no evidence was ever found to support the claim.

The President said as of 1 Jan 12, the United States and Iraq would begin “a normal relationship between two sovereign nations, and equal partnership based on mutual interest and mutual respect.”

During a videoconference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, the President told him of the administration’s decision, which grows out of an inability of the United States and Iraq to come to an agreement on leaving a few thousand military trainers in the country.

Reportedly, the United States had earlier agreed to exit Iraq by the end of the year and leave 3,000 to 5,000 troops in Iraq as trainers, with some members of Congress advocating for retaining a reduced fighting force as well. But after Iraq’s Parliament refused an American demand to give soldiers immunity from legal prosecution, the Pentagon changed its plans in recent weeks, scaling back even that meager number.

President Obama said, “As I told Prime Minister Maliki, we will continue discussions on how we might help Iraq train and equip its forces — again, just as we offer training and assistance to countries around the world.  After all, there will be some difficult days ahead for Iraq, and the United States will continue to have an interest in an Iraq that is stable, secure and self-reliant.”

The President’s announcement fulfills a pledge he made during the 2008 campaign to wind down the war.

“After nearly nine years, America’s war in Iraq will be over,” he declared in the White House briefing room. “Over the next two months, our troops in Iraq, tens of thousands of them, will pack up their gear and board convoys for the journey home.” They will be joining approximately 100,000 others, he added, who have already been withdrawn from the country.

“The last American soldiers will cross the border out of Iraq with their heads held high, proud of their success and knowing that the American people stand united in their support for our troops,” the President said. “That is how America’s military efforts in Iraq will end.”

“Here at home, the coming months will be another season of homecoming,” Mr. Obama said. “Across America, our servicemen and women will be reunited with their families. Today, I can say our troops in Iraq will definitely be home for the holidays.”

Following such a long anticipated announcement there’s really nothing else to say, except, “Thank you Mr. President”.

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on October 21, 2011 in Iraq

 

Tags: , , , ,