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Born Against
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In case anybody needs to be reminded of the rhetoric on the supreme importance of the war in Iraq for the security of the United States, here’s a little tiptoe through the Lexis wire transcript database:
Quote:
“Iraq is the central front in the war on terror.”
D Cheney, November 21, 2005
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/relea...0051121-2.html
“Iraq is the central front in the war on terror.”
GW Bush, November 14, 2005, Ellendorf Air Force Base
http://www.gop.com/News/Read.aspx?ID=5924
“Iraq is the central front in the war on terror.”
GW Bush, October 25, 2005, Bolling Air Force Base
“Iraq is the central front in the war on terror.”
GW Bush, October 6, 2005, Ronald Reagan Bldg.
“Iraq is the central front in the war on terror.”
GW Bush, June 28, 2005
“Iraq is the central front in the war on terror.”
GW Bush December 1, 2004, Halifax CN
“Iraq is the central front in the war on terror.”
Paul Bremer, October 10, 2004
“Iraq is the central front in the war on terror.”
GW Bush, June 1, 2004, Rose Garden
“Iraq is the central front in the war on terror.”
D Cheney, May 19, 2004, Salem NC
“Iraq is the central front in the war on terror.”
D. Cheney, May 17, 2004
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/relea...040517-14.html
“Iraq is the central front in the war on terror.”
GW Bush, March 18, 2004, Ft Campbell KY
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/relea...0040318-3.html
“Iraq is the central front in the war on terror.”
D Cheney, Feb 27, 2004, Hagerstown, MD
“Iraq is the central front in the war on terror.”
GW Bush Feb 21, 2004, Washington
“Iraq is the central front in the war on terror.”
GW Bush Feb 17, 2004, Fort Polk LA
“Iraq is the central front in the war on terror.”
Condoleeza Rice, Oct 31, 2003, Washington
“Iraq is the central front in the war on terror.”
GW Bush Oct 9, 2003, New Hampshire
“Iraq is the central front in the war on terror.”
Coalition Provisional Authority, October 15, 2003
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/relea.../20031015.html
“Iraq is the central front in the war on terror.”
GW Bush Sep 23, 2003, UN General Assembly Address
“Iraq is the central front in the war on terror.”
GW Bush Sep 12, 2003, Radio address
“Iraq is the central front in the war on terror.”
GW Bush Sep 9, 2003,
“Iraq is the central front in the war on terror.”
GW Bush Sep 7, 2003, Washington
“Now they set their sights on Iraq. Bin Laden has stated the whole world is watching this war and the two adversaries. It's either victory and glory, or misery and humiliation.”
GW Bush, October 6, 2005, Ronald Reagan Bldg.
“Now they set their sights on Iraq. Bin Laden has stated the whole world is watching this war and the two adversaries. It's either victory and glory, or misery and humiliation.”
D Cheney, August 18, 2005, Washington
Some wonder whether Iraq is a central front in the war on terror. Among the terrorists, there is no debate. Hear the words of Osama Bin Laden: "This Third World War ... is raging" in Iraq. "The whole world is watching this war." He says it will end in "victory and glory or misery and humiliation." The terrorists know that the outcome will leave them emboldened, or defeated..
GW Bush, June 28, 2005, Fort Bragg
In Iraq, we are helping the long-suffering people of that country to build a decent and democratic society at the center of the Middle East. Together we are transforming a place of torture chambers and mass graves into a nation of laws and free institutions. This undertaking is difficult and costly -- yet worthy of our country and critical to our security.
GW Bush Sept 7, 2003, Washington
The terrorists want to use the vacuum that would be created by an American retreat to gain control of a country, to build a base from which to launch attacks and conduct their war against America and non-radical Muslim governments. That's what they tell us. That's their stated goal. Over the past few decades, radicals have specifically targeted Egypt and Saudi Arabia and Pakistan and Jordan for potential takeover. And for a time, they achieved their goal in Afghanistan -- until they came face to face with the men and women of the United States Armed Forces. (Applause.)
In Afghanistan, we put the terrorists on the run, we routed them, and now they've set their sights on another country. They're trying to turn Iraq into what Afghanistan was under the Taliban -- a terrorist sanctuary from which they can plan and launch attacks against our people. The terrorists regard Iraq as the central front in their war against humanity.
GW Bush, Nov. 14 2005, Elmendorf AFB.
In Afghanistan, we put the terrorists on the run, and now they've set their sights on another country -- they're trying to turn Iraq into what Afghanistan was under the Taliban, a terrorist sanctuary from which they can plan and launch attacks against our people. The terrorists regard Iraq as the central front in their war against humanity.
GW Bush, Nov 19, 2005
Second, the militant network wants to use the vacuum created by an American retreat to gain control of a country -- a base from which to launch attacks and conduct their war against non-radical Muslim governments. Over the past few decades, radicals have specifically targeted Egypt and Saudi Arabia and Pakistan and Jordan for potential takeover. They achieved their goal, for a time, in Afghanistan. And now they've set their sights on Iraq. In his recent letter, Zawahiri writes that al Qaeda views Iraq as, "the place for the greatest battle." The terrorists regard Iraq as the central front in their war against humanity.
GW Bush, Nov 11, 2005
Second, the militant network wants to use the vacuum created by an American retreat to gain control of a country -- a base from which to launch attacks and to conduct their war against non-radical Muslim governments. Over the past few decades, radicals have specifically targeted Egypt and Saudi Arabia and Pakistan and Jordan for potential takeover. They achieved their goal, for a time, in Afghanistan. And now they have set their sights on Iraq. In his recent letter, Zawahiri writes that al Qaeda views Iraq as, "the place for the greatest battle." The terrorists regard Iraq as the central front in their war against humanity.
GW Bush, Oct 28, 2005
In light of the commitments our country has made, and given the stated intentions of the enemy, those who advocate a sudden withdrawal from Iraq should answer a few simple questions: Would the United States and other free nations be better off, or worse off, with Zarqawi, bin Laden, and Zawahiri in control of Iraq? Would we be safer, or less safe, with Iraq ruled by men intent on the destruction of our country?
It is a dangerous illusion to suppose that another retreat by the civilized world would satisfy the appetite of the terrorists and get them to leave us alone. In fact such a retreat would convince the terrorists that free nations will change our policies, forsake our friends, abandon our interests whenever we are confronted with murder and blackmail. A precipitous withdrawal from Iraq would be a victory for the terrorists, an invitation to further violence against free nations, and a terrible blow to the future security of the United States of America.
D Cheney, November 21, 2005, Washington
“We will never back down, and we will never give in, and we'll never accept anything less than complete victory.”
GW Bush, Nov 19 2005
“We will never back down, and we will never give in, and we'll never accept anything less than complete victory.”
GW Bush, Nov 14 2005, Ellendorf AFB
“We will never back down, and we will never give in, and we'll never accept anything less than complete victory.”
GW Bush, Nov 11 2005, PA Veterans’ day speech
“We will never back down, and we will never give in, and we'll never accept anything less than complete victory.”
GW Bush, Oct 28 2005, Norfolk VA
“We will never back down, and we will never give in, and we'll never accept anything less than complete victory.”
GW Bush, Oct 25 2005, Republican’s Convention Dinner
“We will never back down, and we will never give in, and we'll never accept anything less than complete victory.”
GW Bush, Oct 6 2005, Washington
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So given the announcement of withdrawal of our troops from Iraq by the Pentagon starting in January, I guess that leaves us with two choices. Either (a) we have won the war on terror, or (b) all this rhetoric is, shall we say, a tad inaccurate, and Iraq is not the central do-or-die front of this war, in which we will either be glorious in complete victory or we will die in misery and humiliation, and America will not have surrendered its freedom, security, or way of life.
Gee, I wonder what the right option is? |