Curveball has finally admitted that he made the entire thing up. If you recall, we went to war in Iraq based on the claim that Saddam Hussein had developed biological weapons. That account was based on the statements of Rafid Ahmed Alwan al-Janabi, who our foreign allies warned was unreliable and clearly lying. However, President Bush and his aides were set upon invading Iraqi and relied on Curveball before the United Nations. He has now come out publicly to admit he fabricated the entire thing and could not believe the Americans relied upon his stories to launch a major war.
The interview was published on the eighth anniversary of Colin Powell’s speech to the United Nations
He says that foreign intelligence officials were so keen on confirming biological weapons that they gave him a copy of Perry’s Chemical Engineering Handbook to help communicate. He still has the book, which he used to fabricate the stories. However, he admitted to making up the stories in mid-2000.
Of course, President Obama has continued to expend treasure and lives in Iraq in the ultimate example of the economic theory of “path dependence.” We continue to fight a war based on a fabricated story because our leaders cannot risk the political repercussions to pulling out from that country. There is also no known punishment for the officials, including high-ranking CIA and Administration officials, who perpetuated this lie. At best this was an act of willful blindness and at worst knowing falsification to justify going to war.
Our intelligence officials appear to continue to accept a good fabricated story over bad facts. Recently, they paid an enormous amount of money to an imposter who pretended to be the head of Taliban in Afghanistan, here. American officials even flew the imposter to meet with Karzai before finding out that he was lying.
Source: Guardian
Today:
How the Bush administration sold the war – and we bought it
We knew WMD intelligence was flawed, but there was a larger failure of officials, media and public to halt the neocon juggernaut
by Valerie Plame Wilson and Joe Wilson
Wednesday 27 February 2013 03.30 EST
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/feb/27/bush-administration-sold-iraq-war
Yesterday:
Overthrowing Saddam Hussein was the right move for the US and its allies
Opponents of the Iraq war continue to spread myths. The reality is the US achieved many of its goals in the war
by John Bolton
Tuesday 26 February 2013
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/feb/26/iraq-war-was-justified
God equates Justice, Tootie?
I don’t think so. I believe I can get away with killing millions of people, and not get “sent” to lake of fire.
How? By accepting Christ in my heart and asking for God’s forgiveness right before dying, either of natural cause or execution, Bam! I’m in heaven.
So how are we to know that other people that you have despised (Hitler, Mao, Stalin, etc) haven’t done the afforementioned loophole of not being served the justice that you think they should receive?
Oh, one more thing… Your God has a funny sense of Justice. What happens to people who “steals” to feed their poor and starving family? They end up in lake of fire among with mass murderers?
Wow, what a good sense of Justice, God really does treat everyone the same (unless we invoke the famous loophole of accepting Christ and asking for forgiveness).
Ok, I’m going to watch Dogma again and have good laughs about how sensible your ol’ God is…
raff,
I was speaking more to the way the movie was shot. As someone who had both a moment of doubt and a Mrs. Robinson moment? I will have to say the story is timeless.
Taliban Tootie:
I didn’t read of your above posts. Too long, too boring, totally illogical. But, I’m 99.9% sure it’s nothing but self-aggrandizing psycho-babble with a little bit of the “I’m the victim!” thrown in there for good measure. I love when you accuse others of doing exactly what you do – project much? Too funny!
I am concerned about you, though. You really should see a doctor about your diarrhea of the mouth. It’s very unhealthy and can cause a myriad of other health problems.
calling if ok
Yes I am CE.
Buddah,
Are you still awake???
Right you are Buddha. It is still “current” even though it is made for my old generation!
raff,
It’s a movie that while certainly clothed in the style of the generation in which it was made holds up surprisingly well.
Tootie-
Too long.
Too boring.
Too often.
Too bad.
Buddha,
You have to love the Graduate clip! Just one word…Plastics!
I just saw the movie again the other night and it is just as wonderful as the first time I saw it.
TootieBy,
Yeah, yeah, yeah … whatever … so what … your words speak for themselves and no amount of backtracking or excuse mongering will ever erase:
“Tootie
1, February 16, 2011 at 4:44 pm
Buddha:
You could breed with Stam. The off-scouring of it wouldn’t be human. Then a human could breed with it and not be breeding with a relative.
Gosh. Problem solved.”
Ugly stuff from an ugly mind written by an ugly hand and so I echo HenMan’s words:
“HenMan
1, February 16, 2011 at 7:49 pm
Tootie-
Go to hell. No particular reason this time. Just go to hell.”
W=c,
lol 🙂
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAnyIk0BVio&w=480&h=390]
🙂
And again . . . the magic word is “plastics”.
Maybe a visit from this guy . . .
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiFQsxGUQOI&w=480&h=390]
Oh, you mistake disdain and mockery for retrograde fundamentalist primitiveness, a careless disregard for your fellow man if they aren’t white and a distortionist view of the law as hatred, Tootles. I don’t hate you. I think your a fool and a hypocrite and treat you accordingly, but I don’t hate you. I hate the ideas you represent. However, to you the person, I am largely indifferent.
And as far as vicious goes?
Your point is? What exactly? To complement me?
I take it as a badge of honor you would think I’m vicious.
If you think I hate you, it’s because you sow hatred and division yourself with your homophobia, zealotry and politically partisan demagoguery. If I were inhumane, I’d hate you in response. But I don’t hate you, Tootles. You’re simply not that important as hatred is actual work and reserved for real criminals against humanity like Dick Cheney.
The idea that you’re a defender of the Constitution is laughable too considering you seem to think you have the right to impose your version of Christianities values upon the law. Defend the Constitution? You don’t even understand the Constitution. This has been demonstrated time and again on topics ranging from the 1st Amendment to States Rights.
But please, continue to paint yourself the martyr.
I need a good laugh.