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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| "Evidence from intelligence sources, secret communications, and statements by people now in custody reveal that Saddam Hussein aids and protects terrorists, including members of al Qaeda. Secretly, and without fingerprints, he could provide one of his hidden weapons to terrorists, or help develop their own." |
| Source: President Delivers "State of the Union", White House (1/28/2003). |
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Explanation This statement was misleading because it evoked the threat of Iraq providing weapons to al Qaeda. 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 Nuclear Capabilities: |
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| "The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa." |
| Source: President Delivers "State of the Union", White House (1/28/2003). |
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Explanation This statement was misleading because it suggested that Iraq sought uranium from Africa despite the fact that the CIA expressed doubts about the credibility of this claim in two memos to the White House, including one addressed to National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice. CIA Director George Tenet also warned against using the claim in a telephone call to Ms. Rice's deputy. In addition, the statement fails to mention that State Department intelligence officials also concluded that this claim was "highly dubious." | | |
| The Bush Administration's Public Statements on Iraq |
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| President George W. Bush on Nuclear Capabilities: |
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| "The [Iraqi] report also failed to deal with issues which have arisen since 1998, including: . . . attempts to acquire uranium and the means to enrich it." |
| Source: Letter to Cheney/Senate, White House (1/20/2003). |
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Explanation This statement was misleading because it suggested that Iraq sought to acquire uranium despite the fact that the CIA expressed doubts about the credibility of this claim in two memos to the White House, including one addressed to National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice. CIA Director George Tenet also warned against using the claim in a telephone call to Ms. Rice's deputy. In addition, the statement fails to mention that State Department intelligence officials also concluded that this claim was "highly dubious." | | |
| The Bush Administration's Public Statements on Iraq |
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| President George W. Bush on Urgent Threat: |
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| "Today the world is also uniting to answer the unique and urgent threat posed by Iraq. A dictator who has used weapons of mass destruction on his own people must not be allowed to produce or possess those weapons. We will not permit Saddam Hussein to blackmail and/or terrorize nations which love freedom." |
| Source: President Bush Speaks to Atlantic Youth Council, CNN (11/20/2002). |
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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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| "This [Saddam Hussein] is a person who has had contacts with al Qaeda." |
| Source: President Bush Outlines Iraqi Threat; Remarks by the President on Iraq, White House (10/28/2002). |
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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. | | |
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