Analysis of Public Statements made by President George Bush
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| The Bush Administration's Public Statements on Iraq |
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| President George W. Bush on Al-Qaeda: |
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| "The liberation of Iraq is a crucial advance in the campaign against terror. We've removed an ally of al Qaeda, and cut off a source of terrorist funding. And this much is certain: No terrorist network will gain weapons of mass destruction from the Iraqi regime, because the regime is no more." |
| Source: President Bush Announces Major Combat Operations in Iraq Have Ended, White House (5/1/2003). |
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Explanation This statement was misleading because it suggested that Iraq was linked to al Qaeda. In fact, the U.S. intelligence community had conflicting evidence on this issue and was divided regarding whether there was an operational relationship. | | |
| The Bush Administration's Public Statements on Iraq |
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| President George W. Bush on Al-Qaeda: |
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| "The regime . . . has aided, trained and harbored terrorists, including operatives of al Qaeda. The danger is clear: using chemical, biological or, one day, nuclear weapons, obtained with the help of Iraq, the terrorists could fulfill their stated ambitions and kill thousands or hundreds of thousands of innocent people in our country, or any other." |
| Source: President Says Saddam Hussein Must Leave Iraq Within 48 Hours, White House (3/17/2003). |
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Explanation This statement was misleading because it suggested that Iraq was providing support to al Qaeda. In fact, the U.S. intelligence community had conflicting evidence on this issue and was divided regarding whether there was an operational relationship. This statement also was misleading because it evoked the threat of Iraq providing al Qaeda with weapons of mass destruction. According to the National Intelligence Estimate, the intelligence community had "low confidence" in that scenario. | | |
| The Bush Administration's Public Statements on Iraq |
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| President George W. Bush on Al-Qaeda: |
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| "He has trained and financed al Qaeda-type organizations before, al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations." |
| Source: President George Bush Discusses Iraq in National Press Conference, White House (3/6/2003). |
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Explanation This statement was misleading because it suggested that Iraq was providing support to al Qaeda. In fact, the U.S. intelligence community had conflicting evidence on this issue and was divided regarding whether there was an operational relationship. | | |
| The Bush Administration's Public Statements on Iraq |
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| President George W. Bush on Urgent Threat: |
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| "But the risk of doing nothing, the risk of the security of this country being jeopardized at the hands of a madman with weapons of mass destruction far exceeds the risks of any action we may be forced to take." |
| Source: President Meets with National Economic Council, White House (2/25/2003). |
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Explanation This statement was misleading because it suggested that Iraq posed an urgent threat despite the fact that the U.S. intelligence community had deep divisions and divergent points of view regarding Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. As Director of Central Intelligence George Tenet noted in February 2004, "Let me be clear: analysts differed on several important aspects of these programs and those debates were spelled out in the Estimate. They never said there was an 'imminent' threat." | | |
| The Bush Administration's Public Statements on Iraq |
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| President George W. Bush on Al-Qaeda: |
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| "One of the greatest dangers we face is that weapons of mass destruction might be passed to terrorists who would not hesitate to use those weapons. Saddam Hussein has longstanding, direct and continuing ties to terrorist networks. Senior members of Iraq intelligence and al Qaeda have met at least eight times since the early 1990s. Iraq has sent bomb-making and document forgery experts to work with al Qaeda. Iraq has also provided al Qaeda with chemical and biological weapons training. And an al Qaeda operative was sent to Iraq several times in the late 1990s for help in aquiring poisons and gases. We also know that Iraq is harboring a terrorist network headed by a senior al Qaeda terrorist planner." |
| Source: President's Radio Address, White House (2/8/2003). |
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Explanation This statement was misleading because it asserted that Iraq was providing support to al Qaeda. In fact, the U.S. intelligence community had conflicting evidence on this issue and was divided regarding whether there was an operational relationship. The statement also was misleading because it evoked the threat of Iraq providing al Qaeda with weapons of mass destruction. According to the National Intelligence Estimate, the intelligence community had "low confidence" in that scenario. | | |
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