Analysis of Public Statements made by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld
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| The Bush Administration's Public Statements on Iraq |
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| Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld on Nuclear Capabilities: |
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| "His regime has an active program to aquire nuclear weapons." |
| Source: Testimony of U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld, Senate Armed Services Committee (9/19/2002). |
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Explanation This statement was misleading because it failed to acknowledge the intelligence community's deep division on the issue of whether Iraq was actively pursuing its nuclear program. | | |
| The Bush Administration's Public Statements on Iraq |
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| Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld on Al-Qaeda: |
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| "Iraq is part of the global war on terror. Stopping terrorist regimes from acquiring weapons of mass destruction is a key objective of that war, and we can fight the various elements of the global war on terror simultaneously, as General Myers will indicate in his remarks. A principle goal in the war on terror is to prevent another September 11th or a weapons of mass destruction attack that could make September 11th seem modest by comparison, and to do it before it
happens." |
| Source: Testimony of U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld, Senate Armed Services Committee (9/19/2002). |
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Explanation This statement was misleading because by referencing the September 11 attacks in conjunction with discussion of the war on terror in Iraq, it left the impression that Iraq was connected to September 11. In fact, President Bush himself in September 2003 acknowledged that "We've had no evidence that Saddam Hussein was involved with September the 11th." | | |
| The Bush Administration's Public Statements on Iraq |
|
| Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld on Nuclear Capabilities: |
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| "[W]e do know they're currently pursuing nuclear weapons, that they have a proven willingness to use those weapons at their disposal." |
| Source: Testimony of U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld before the House Armed Services Committee, House Armed Services Committee (9/18/2002). |
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Explanation This statement was misleading because it failed to acknowledge the intelligence community's deep division on the issue of whether Iraq was actively pursuing its nuclear program. | | |
| The Bush Administration's Public Statements on Iraq |
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| Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld on Chemical and Biological Weapons: |
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| "We do know that the Iraqi regime currently has chemical and biological weapons of mass destruction." |
| Source: Testimony of U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld before the House Armed Services Committee, House Armed Services Committee (9/18/2002). |
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Explanation This statement was misleading because it professed certainty when the intelligence community provided only an "estimate." According to CIA Director George Tenet, "it is important to underline the word estimate. Because not everything we analyze can be known to a standard of absolute proof." In addition, the statement failed to acknowledge the Defense Intelligence Agency position that: "There is no reliable information on whether Iraq is producing and stockpiling chemical weapons or where Iraq has -- or will -- establish its chemical warfare agent production facilities." | | |
| The Bush Administration's Public Statements on Iraq |
|
| Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld on Nuclear Capabilities: |
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| "His regime has an active program to acquire and develop nuclear weapons." |
| Source: Testimony of U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld before the House Armed Services Committee, House Armed Services Committee (9/18/2002). |
|
Explanation This statement was misleading because it failed to acknowledge the intelligence community's deep division on the issue of whether Iraq was actively pursuing its nuclear program. | | |
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