‘Choice’ had nothing to do with it

January 24, 2006

A standard presidential talking point in defense of the war in Iraq is that it wasn’t Bush’s fault he launched an invasion. He frequently asserts, as he did in an address to the nation last month, that Saddam Hussein “was given an ultimatum — and he made his choice for war.”

Bush repeats all the time. In Kansas yesterday, the president said, “Saddam Hussein was given a choice. He chose war.”

I hate to be nit-picky, but I seem to recall events unfolding in 2002 and 2003 slightly differently. The “choice” Saddam was given was to give up his arsenal of weapons of mass destruction and allow U.N. weapons inspectors into his country or face an invasion. If memory serves, inspectors were in Iraq until Bush asked them to leave, and Saddam had no WMD to give up.

This oft-repeated claim seems to be the president avoiding full responsibility for the invasion. In the grand scheme of things, it’s probably one of Bush’s less-consequential falsehoods, but it’s just annoying.

it’s probably one of Bush’s less-consequential falsehoods, but it’s just annoying.

Actually, I would still list this as one of his more consequential falsehoods. But you are right, it is annoying.

  • Actually, I would still list this as one of his more consequential falsehoods.

    Good point; maybe I should clarify. The fact that Bush is wrong about Saddam’s “choice” now is inconsequential. The fact that Bush was wrong about it in 2003 is extremely consequential.

  • Her’s another case of the press not doing their job, that is to debunk outright lies, or at least bring up the facts.
    There have been a couple of instances where Bush has claimed that Saddam would not re-admit the weapons inspectors. This was either a mistake or a lie, but in either case no one brought out the facts.
    We are in real trouble as long as the mainstream media does not do even the minimum necessary to keep it’s credibility.

  • Sounds a little bit like a gollum, my precious. It was my birthday, the ring showed up on my birthday, ergo it was a birthday present (even if I had to kill someone to get it).

    What a pyscho

  • I believe the ultimatum that the president is referring to was when he gave Saddam 48 hours to leave Iraq. Personally, I wish Saddam had left, since, with all the build-up to war, I can’t imagine Bush just walking away. I bet he would have invaded, just the same.

  • This always reminds me of Ed-209 from Robocop. ‘You have 10 seconds to drop your weapon.’ The robot then shoots even though the guy drops the gun.

  • Sigh. See what I said a few posts earlier, when Bush took questions from university students.

    “And yes, it is also sad that the news networks and papers no longer think it’s worthwhile to hold the President accountable when he lies in public and don’t even correct him anymore.”

  • Oh, and Shadow, recall that Bush didn’t even give Saddam the opportunity to leave that he promised. So much for some mythic western honor ideal, or whatever Bush might have been trying to evoke. Before the 48 hours were up, he tried to drop a bomb on Saddam. He had no intention of letting Saddam get away.

  • “Annoying” dramatically understates the situ. It is at minimun contemptuous, he makes such fools of the citizenry.

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