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[ron thigpen <ron AT fuzzsonic.com>]

Tony Spencer wrote:

> So the congressmen weren't capable of seeing through the 'Bush lies'?

Perhaps, and perhaps not.  If they had doubts, they found themselves in 
an environment where standing up and voicing those doubts was unpopular 
in the extreme.  That and the simple fact that it's hard to believe that 
 a deception so brash would even be attempted.

> How about these quotes prior to Bush taking office?  Was he calling up these
> folks on the phone and lying to them as well?

None of those quotes speak of an imminent threat that justifies an 
invasion force to topple the regime.  They recognized, rightly, that the 
Iraqi regime was up to no good and the action was called for.  But it's 
a long stretch from there to "we must invade" and again from there to 
"we must invade right now!".

We went from a situation where a known pest was pretty well contained to 
one of great uncertainty and instability.  And we have done so at a high 
cost in human life and health, in dollars spent, in goodwill squandered 
and in opportunities missed.  That ongoing action was required is not in 
doubt.  What is in doubt is the wisdom of this particular action.  And 
the fact that this action was sold to us in the way that is was is 
unconscionable.

--rt