pattylou
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kat said:Biden the plagiarist claims that Bolton lied ...but in fact biden is misrepresenting the question that was asked...let's for the sake of argument assume that Biden, based on his history of being a plagiarist isn't a reliable source and trying finding a more reliable one.
He had broad support on the left, not neccesarily on the right. Powell...also is the person who reported to the U.N. about Iraq's WMD's..according to your "historical persepective" was he just a fool and a pawn..or a slimey liar and a crook?
(I haven't heard about this before so please forgive me) Biden a plagiarist... meaning that he claimed someone else's word for his own... I'll grant that plagiarism drives me up the wall but how exactly does it nullify the claim that Bolton lied? (A reference could get me started on this ... Thanks!)
Regarding my view on Powell - My opinion as to whether he was a pawn or a liar is not really germane to the discussion but I'll bite. In my opinion, he was more on the pawn side than on the liar side. Let's be clear about something: We didn'tknow one way or the other about WMD before 2003. None of us. Including Bush and Powell. We (most of us) each formed an opinion based on available evidence.
THe distinction between Powell and Bush is that Powell urged caution and Bush urged pre-emption.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Columnists/Column/0,5673,602905,00.html
This is why the "left" thought Powell was a good man. In fact, had Bush been more cautious, our country could have united behind him.
So it isn't a question of Powell being a pawn, and Rice (for example, or Bolton or Bush or Rumsfeld or Rove or Cheney or ...) being a liar. It's a question of all of them being unsure, with the whole rest of the country right there with them, and Powell saying "Let's be cautious" and everyone else in those circles saying "Let's not be cautious."
When the chips fell the wrong way, Powell resigned. Powell had been wise in suggesting caution. And guess who stayed on, insisting that pre-emption was "still the right thing to do."
I trust the nuances of these events aren't too subtle. I trust you can see that "pawn" and "liar" are a bit limited in their descriptions for the people involved. "Unsure" fits all of them, and it was the way they suggested dealing with those uncertainties that distinguished them.
Hell, if Bush would ever even just own up to Iraq being a colossal mess, instead of promoting it time and again, I'd be a lot less hard on him! The whole left would! We all understand that the situation requires a united country. We simply can't unite behind someone who behaves like a child, taking all the toys for himself, not admitting to his mistakes, and spending all the family's income. Et cetera.
What do you think will happen, now that the people surrounding Bush are all "yes men," and Iran is re-starting nuclear activities?
Think about the ramifications of a conflict with Iran. Think about it in terms of how hard Iraq has been. I'd say there isn't much of a prayer of us *not* going into Iran if Bush wants to. Ironically, it may be Iraq that keeps us from it, as we are so depletred now, and the senate opposes a lot of bush's controversial moves this time around.
I see I am beginning to meander - actually some time ago now. Sorry about that.