Bush offers shifting rationale for war

WASHINGTON – President George W Bush yesterday offered a shifting rationale for the Iraq war — that Saddam Hussein had the capacity to develop unconventional arms if not the actual weapons — and said he did not believe the more than 500 Americans killed in the war died in vain.

Bush subjected himself to an hour-long grilling on NBC’s ‘Meet the Press’ in an attempt to quell the criticism of the Iraq war over the absence of weapons of mass destruction and halt a slide in his job approval ratings that could threaten his re-election next November. Bush conceded to veteran interviewer Tim Russert that it was “correct” that weapons of mass destruction had not been found in Iraq but emphasised a different reason why the war was necessary.”He had the capacity to have a weapon, make a weapon.We thought he had weapons.The international community thought he had weapons.But he had the capacity to make a weapon and then let that weapon fall into the hands of a shadowy terrorist network,” Bush said.With more than 500 Americans killed during the war and its chaotic aftermath, Bush addressed himself to the parents who lost children.”Saddam Hussein was dangerous … He had the ability to make weapons at the very minimum”.Bush and his team had said in the run-up to the war that it necessary to topple Saddam because he had stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons, was trying to build a nuclear weapon and represented a grave and gathering danger in the post-September 11 2001, world.On Friday Bush appointed a bipartisan commission to investigate flaws in intelligence used to justify the war based on former chief weapons hunter David Kay’s fruitless search.Bush argued strenuously that CIA Director George Tenet was doing a good job but he blamed the intelligence for his pre-war convictions that Iraq was a danger.”I expected to find the weapons … I based my decision on the best intelligence possible, intelligence that had been gathered over the years, intelligence that not only our analysts thought was valid but analysts from other countries thought were valid,” he said.Bush also defended his decision to put off a report by a new intelligence commission until well after the November election and said voters will have ample time to assess “whether or not I made the right decision” in invading Iraq.He gave the commission until March 31 2005, to report back, meaning the results will not be known until after November when voters decide whether to give him a second term.Democrats want it sooner.”We didn’t want to be hurried,” Bush said.”And it’s important that this investigation take its time”.Bush said he knew some would say, “‘He’s trying to avoid responsibility’”.”Look we’re in a political season,” he said.Democrats immediately questioned the independence of the panel since its members were handpicked by Bush.Bush had initially been cool to a commission and agreed to it under pressure from Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill.* Meanwhile, just over half of Britons think Prime Minister Tony Blair should resign and 54 per cent believe he lied to the nation about the threat from Iraq, a new poll showed on Saturday.The survey highlights the political damage the Iraq war and its aftermath have done to Blair, US President George W Bush’s staunchest overseas ally.Fifty-one per cent of those questioned by polling firm NOP for the anti-war Independent newspaper said they agreed or strongly agreed that “it is now time for Tony Blair to resign and hand over to someone else”.Thirty-five per cent disagreed or strongly disagreed.The survey also found 54 percent believed Blair had lied about the pre-war threat from Iraq, while 31 per cent did not.- Nampa-Reuters-APBush conceded to veteran interviewer Tim Russert that it was “correct” that weapons of mass destruction had not been found in Iraq but emphasised a different reason why the war was necessary. “He had the capacity to have a weapon, make a weapon. We thought he had weapons. The international community thought he had weapons. But he had the capacity to make a weapon and then let that weapon fall into the hands of a shadowy terrorist network,” Bush said. With more than 500 Americans killed during the war and its chaotic aftermath, Bush addressed himself to the parents who lost children. “Saddam Hussein was dangerous … He had the ability to make weapons at the very minimum”. Bush and his team had said in the run-up to the war that it necessary to topple Saddam because he had stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons, was trying to build a nuclear weapon and represented a grave and gathering danger in the post-September 11 2001, world. On Friday Bush appointed a bipartisan commission to investigate flaws in intelligence used to justify the war based on former chief weapons hunter David Kay’s fruitless search. Bush argued strenuously that CIA Director George Tenet was doing a good job but he blamed the intelligence for his pre-war convictions that Iraq was a danger. “I expected to find the weapons … I based my decision on the best intelligence possible, intelligence that had been gathered over the years, intelligence that not only our analysts thought was valid but analysts from other countries thought were valid,” he said. Bush also defended his decision to put off a report by a new intelligence commission until well after the November election and said voters will have ample time to assess “whether or not I made the right decision” in invading Iraq. He gave the commission until March 31 2005, to report back, meaning the results will not be known until after November when voters decide whether to give him a second term. Democrats want it sooner. “We didn’t want to be hurried,” Bush said. “And it’s important that this investigation take its time”. Bush said he knew some would say, “‘He’s trying to avoid responsibility’”. “Look we’re in a political season,” he said. Democrats immediately questioned the independence of the panel since its members were handpicked by Bush. Bush had initially been cool to a commission and agreed to it under pressure from Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill. * Meanwhile, just over half of Britons think Prime Minister Tony Blair should resign and 54 per cent believe he lied to the nation about the threat from Iraq, a new poll showed on Saturday. The survey highlights the political damage the Iraq war and its aftermath have done to Blair, US President George W Bush’s staunchest overseas ally. Fifty-one per cent of those questioned by polling firm NOP for the anti-war Independent newspaper said they agreed or strongly agreed that “it is now time for Tony Blair to resign and hand over to someone else”. Thirty-five per cent disagreed or strongly disagreed. The survey also found 54 percent believed Blair had lied about the pre-war threat from Iraq, while 31 per cent did not. – Nampa-Reuters-AP