On December 14, 2005 Bush gave a speech concerning the situation we are facing in Iraq. Recently, public support for the war has plummeted (the latest CBS news poll shows that 60% of Americans support decreasing our troop levels or bringing our troops home now) and the President has endured record low approval ratings. Finally the country is beginning to vocalize their anger and disapproval for the dishonest leadership of President Bush and his administration. In an effort to salvage any political capitol he can, Bush set out to convince the American public that the war in Iraq was not only necessary, but that we are close to victory in our efforts to spread democracy in the Middle East. Being that both these sentiments are far from truthful, I was not surprised by the number of falsehoods and half truths that pervaded his speech. I wanted to highlight some of them since many of the major media outlets have failed to do so.

Bush’s Lie:
At any point along the way, Saddam Hussein could have avoided war by complying with the just demands of the international community. The United States did not choose war. The choice was Saddam Hussein’s.

Truth:
Iraq maintained that they had destroyed their stockpiles of illicit weapons. During UN investigations, Iraq handed over to inspectors 12,000 pages and several compact discs that describe the country’s arms programs and its elimination before and after 1990. The US claimed that they had translation problems because of the length of the material. It is hard to believe that a county as developed as the United States can not find an accurate translator. In order to avert going to war with the United States, Saddam permitted US troops and experts to do a thorough search of Iraq. However, it was the Bush Administration that was determined to wage a war with Iraq regardless of the lack of evidence presented to them.

Bush’s Lie:
“In the war on terror, Iraq is now the central front.”

Truth:
Iraq and Saddam were not responsible for 9/11. Al Qaeda, headquartered in Afghanistan and led by Osama bin Laden, masterminded and carried out the biggest terrorist attack in US history. Thirteen of the fifteen hijackers were from Saudi Arabia. Since the United States invaded Iraq under false pretenses over 2 years ago, the Administration has created a terrorist breeding ground that will have serious implications on our national security in the future.

Bush’s Lie:
“When a unanimous Security Council gave [Saddam] one final chance to disclose and disarm or face serious consequences, he refused to comply with that final opportunity.”

Truth:
UN inspectors, headed first by David Kay and later by Charles Duelfer, and head of Atomic Energy Agency, Mohamed ElBaradei reported that they could not find stockpiles of chemical or biological weapons in Iraq after months and months of searching. The inspectors, along with other members of the international community, asked for more time to investigate, but the Administration indicated they were not willing to wait for the evidence. The Administration prematurely pulled UN inspectors out because they were determined to invade Iraq and nothing was going to stop them.

Bush’s Lie:
“September 11 also changed the way I viewed threats like Saddam HusseinaWe cannot allow the world’s most dangerous men to get their hands on the world’s most dangerous weaponsaIn an age of terrorism and weapons of mass destruction, if we wait for threats to fully materialize, we will have waited too long.”

Truth:
As the United States continues to have its attention and resources concentrated on winning the war in Iraq, North Korea and Iran have developed their nuclear and biological weapons programs. Many scholars feel that North Korea poses the greatest potential and actual threat to the United States. Some experts believe that Iran’s nuclear weapons program has now become operational as well.

The Administration has failed in its non-proliferation efforts around the world. And by not preventing North Korea and Iran from strengthening their nuclear positions, they have undermined America’s national security.

Bush’s Lie:
“Iraqis will go to the polls to choose a government that will be the only constitutional democracy in the Arab world. Yet we need to remember that these elections are also a vital part of a broader strategy for protecting the American people against the threat of terrorism.”

Truth:
Although the Administration has put their support toward Ayad Allawi and the formation of a secular government in Iraq, the chances of that occurring are slim. Many scholars of the Middle East believe that the Shiite religious majority will ultimately do very well in the election and probably continue to suppress the voice of the Sunni and Kurd minorities. American officials are hoping for a significant display of support for Allawi as a secular leader in order to avoid the creation of a theocratic government, which could mean fewer rights for women and a more fundamentalist Islamic society than before. We will see how this plays out.

Bush’s Lie:
“Today, many cities like Mosul and Najaf are coming back to life, and Iraq’s economy is growing.”

Truth:
In direct contrast to Bush’s statement, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times reported that both Mosul and Najaf still face continued security issues as well as religious and ethnic tensions. The Post stated that in “Najaf militia fighters of the two rival religious parties that control the Shiite holy city recently clashed in street battles. This month, former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi was attacked during a visit by an angry, rock-throwing mob that some Iraqis charge was backed by a militia. In Mosul, police are still heavily backed by American firepower and Sunni police are sharply at odds with the Kurd-dominated Iraqi Army in the north.

I have brought attention to just a few of the lies and inaccuracies I caught while listening to the President’s final attempt at convincing the public that the Administration has a strategy for victory in Iraq. The only parcel of truth I felt the President conveyed that morning to Americans was that much of the intelligence he used to make a case for the war turned out to be wrong and that he is responsible for the decision to go into Iraq. Unfortunately, he is 2 1/2 years too late in accepting the blame.