via Bush’s Last Press Conference Monday VIDEO.
AP | JENNIFER LOVEN | January 12, 2009
WASHINGTON — In a nostalgic final news conference, President George W. Bush defended his record vigorously and at times sentimentally Monday. He also admitted many mistakes, from the “Mission Accomplished” banner during a 2003 Iraq speech to the discovery that the alleged Iraqi weapons of mass destruction that he used to justify war didn’t exist.
After starting what he called “the ultimate exit interview” with a lengthy and personalized thank-you to the reporters in the room who have covered him over the eight years of his presidency, Bush showed anger at times when presented with some of the main criticisms of his time in office.
He particularly became indignant when asked about America’s bruised image overseas.
“I disagree with this assessment that, you know, that people view America in a dim light,” he said.
Bush said he realizes that some issues such as the prison for suspected terrorists at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, have created controversy at home and around the world. But he defended his actions after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, including approving tough interrogation methods for suspected terrorists and information-gathering efforts at home in the name of protecting the country.
With the Iraq war in its sixth year, he most aggressively defended his decisions on that issue, which will define his presidency like no other. There have been over 4,000 U.S. deaths since the invasion and toppling of Saddam Hussein in 2003.
He said that “not finding weapons of mass destruction was a significant disappointment.” The accusation that Saddam had and was pursuing weapons of mass destruction was Bush’s main initial justification for going to war.
President Bush, a national disgrace
OH! I get it! Since King George disagrees with something, then it magically transforms into something as he sees it! He disagrees that Europe and other countries view the United States negatively. But this is to be expected as he has disagreed with hard evidence throughout his term in office. When every poll during his presidency shows 70% of the world with a negative view of the United States I guess he can just wave his hand and announce it ain’t so. Want to see one? Go here.
Bush says that some issues like the illegal detention of innocent people at Guantanamo Bay have created some controversy. But what the heck? It’s just a mistake. Sort of goes along with the weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Woops! My bad! Sorry about that. And never mind all the death and destruction in their wake.
Well, we’re going to take a second look at some of the “mistakes” Bush made during his term. This is only a partial accounting of his boo-boos so to get a feel of the enormity of them you should read the text of this House Resolution, H. Res. 1258.
TEN BUSH MISTAKES FROM H. Res. 1258
1. Misleading the American People and Members of Congress To Believe Iraq Posed an Imminent Threat to the United States
2. Misleading the American People and Members of Congress To Believe Iraq Possessed Weapons of Mass Destruction, so as To Manufacture a False Case for War
3. Falsely, Systematically, and With Criminal Intent Conflating the Attacks of September 11, 2001 With Misrepresentation of Iraq as an Imminent Security Threat as Part of a Fraudulent Justification for a War of Aggression
4. Invading Iraq, a Sovereign Nation, in Violation of the U.N. Charter and International Criminal Law
5. Initiating a War Against Iraq for Control of That Nation’s Natural Resources
6. Misprision of a Felony, Misuse and Exposure of Classified Information and Obstruction of Justice in the Matter of Valerie Plame Wilson, Clandestine Agent of the Central Intelligence Agency
7. Illegal Detention: Detaining Indefinitely and Without Charge Persons Both U.S. Citizens and Foreign Captives
8. Spying on American Citizens, Without a Court-Ordered Warrant, in Violation of the Law and the Fourth Amendment
9. Katrina: Failure To Plan for the Predicted Disaster of Hurricane Katrina, Failure To Respond to a Civil Emergency
10. Disregarding good intelligence of an impending attack and failure to provide for the common defense on September 11, 2001. [My own]
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