McClellan Book: Bush's "Sixteen Words" Were Key Argument For War

Former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan's new book is being trumpeted as a blow to the Bush administration, and possibly the presidential campaign of Sen. John McCain. But on another level, it seems to be a blow to the usefulness of having White House press briefings at all. While

McClellan has said he doesn't believe the Bush administration lied deliberately in pushing for the Iraq war, a selection from his book shows that McClellan is now directly contradicting an important past statement he made from the podium.

On page 6 of "What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington's Culture of Corruption," McClellan concedes that the false "sixteen words" in President Bush's 2003 State of the Union address concerning Iraq's supposed attempt to buy uranium from Niger "remained in the public mind one of the most potent bits of evidence in the administration's case for war," even after Colin Powell decided against using the evidence in his address to the UN.

Compare this evaluation of the Niger claim's power to McClellan's July 2003 assessment, as reported in the Atlanta Journal Constitution:

"That's just nonsense," said McClellan. He said the case for war against Iraq was "solid," even without the allegations of Iraq seeking to purchase uranium from Africa. "This statement, in and of itself, was not a reason we went to war."

From the podium, McClellan didn't merely deny that the "sixteen words" were a key element in the case for war, but instead claimed they weren't important at all. When did he come to a different conclusion about this issue? Did he leave the Bush administration "bubble" and realize that the Niger claim was critical? Or was he flat out dishonest in response to a direct question in the briefing room?

The theory of "Occam's razor" holds that, all things being equal, the simplest explanation is usually the correct one. Somebody should tell Scott McClellan's former White House colleagues. As they "puzzle" over why the former press secretary sounds "different" these days, they seem to be shooting right past the explanation that McClellan's latest writing is directly at odds with his past pronouncements from the podium. That's usually a pretty good way to sound different.

Comments

[gregjones]

For years now, the Brits have looked at Americans as absolute morons. The fact is, Tony Blair did not STEP DOWN.....HE WAS OUSTED because of his connection with Bush. The Brittish people marched in the streets by the hundreds of thousands...even children...with signs Tony Must Go. His party...the Labour Party forced him to step down. But the American media never told us the truth on that. Only BBC, Times U.K., Sun U.K. etc.. The American media, under the control of the Bush Regime knew that if Americans saw the Brits revolting against Blair because of his stance with Bush and the illegal invasion of Iraq, a war they KNEW was unjust, that Americans might wise up and revolt also. So that's just another bit of news that the media withheld in their master manipulation scheme.

p.s. That's why for the past 5 years, I would go to Brittish News sources to find out truth. Like the 14 permanent bases the U.S. started building in Iraq some 4 years ago, while the media was lying to us saying 'we're stepping down as they step up'. Permanet bases mean permanent occupation ! The Master Plan is to NEVER LEAVE IRAQ !!!!! And as Alan Greenspan said in his memoir (Andrea Mitchell's husband) we're there for THE OIL !!!!! McCain (and some say DINO Hillary) will continue the Master Plan. They Must be stopped America.

B4B

[MadJeffersonian]

Well, of course McClellan's view is different now. You have a better view of things when you are standing on a big pile of cash.

[Kache]

The 16 words are a puzzle:

“The British Government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa .”

Excuse me - the British? The British had the same forgeries we had. On Oct 19th the Italian government had delivered them to Washington, from Berlusconi's hand to Bush's hand. Yet 3 months later Bush obviously can't find them. In fact, during that 3 months they were missing. Repeated searches for them came up empty. They were last seen in a conference room in the WH where they were examined by 6 people, all of who claim they could not remember which one of them had them at the end of the meeting.

3 days after the SOTU address an Inspector General's Internal Audit found them in a safe in the Counter Proliferation section at Langley, exactly where they should have been, but were not, during those 3 months.

[layman]

Most of the media joints are owned by Big Corps of America.

Lots of the so called news reporters, anchors, news analysts, are pandering,
catering to the big corps and their programs' rating, as to keep their well paid
jobs

For the people, by the people, and of the people, fair and balance, fairness doctrine,
equal time are all like yesterday's newpaper, History, out the window quite a long time ago.

Media reporting is no longer facts reporting, more oneself's opining, blah blah
blah..ing in the publicly owned airwave without public consent, nothing of any
community interests.

Unfortunately, lots of people believe things spitting out from television are true.

Media programings, are deceptively dangerous to those unsuspecting folks.

The Media is derived from Big Corps, which are operated based on Greed.
Greed is good ?

Greed is the reason this administration sent other people's kids, grand kids, and parents to a war of choice, to kill and to destroy other people who happen to have oil and then be killed and be destroyed.

[edwcorey]

Which is why I will not buy a newspaper or magazine unless its name is Mother Jones, Harper's and others of that ilk. The mainstream papers, magazines and television stations are corporate running dogs.

[lthuedk 1]

http://www.light-to-dark.com/yellowcake_tango_0.html

[gregjones]

It's really PATHETIC. The more David Gregory (MSNBC) opens his mouth, the more he proves how complicit the media has been in deceiving Americans regarding the Iraq Invasion. Gregory's lead question today was 'Is it OK when a person betrays their boss (meaning Bush).....Where the right question would be 'Is it OK for Bush to BETRAY AMERICA !' Remember, General Electric owns MSNBC/NBC. G.E. also owns Raytheon, one of the largest defense contractors (makes bombs, missiles, tanks, etc.) that are in Iraq. DON'T BE FOOLED ANY LONGER AMERICA. The Bush Regime is sending out every spokesperson they have to try to discredit McClellan. Rove, Ari, Townsend....even the Sarah chick who lied to Congress for Gonzales. THIS IS 3RD WORLD STYLE. Google: PNAC....This whole war was planned in 1992 by the Neo-Cons. They wrote out the plan (to invade Iraq, Iran then Syria....in that order) then each of them signed the bottom. Signatures include Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, Libby, Card, Bolton and many others who ended up in the Bush cabinet. Truth is squeeking out.....finally. Wake up America !!!!!!! We have been totally bamboozled and mis-lead like lost, ignorant, blind sheep.

p.s. They (Bush & the Media) even had the nerve to be racheting up the speak to invade Iran. Maybe these revelations will hault the next planned invasion. DON'T BELIEVE THE MEDIA....THEY ARE COMPLICIT !!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!

B4B

[robXdion]

Gregory is on the attack because he feels like McClellan called him out with the war coverage. It's vindictive and prissy. But that's who he is.

[NotMcCain]

Hey, what do you expect from Bush's ol' buddy, "Stretch"?

Just like "Dulce" (Bush lackey Candy Crowley over at CNN).

Apparently if you give WH reporters a cutesy nickname they'll roll over for 7 years like lap dogs for you.

[McLaren]

The dirty little secret is that Joe Wilson learned that Niger was approached by Iraq to RESUME selling yellow-cake to Iraq. Joe lied about it to damage the admin. but ended up helping rip this country apart. But what else is new for your average traitor? Niger sold thousands of tons of uranium to Iraq in the 70s and 80s. As the winds of lifting sanctions grew in the U.N., Iraq sent a team to Niger to restart those sales as soon as the sanctions were lifted. Joe Wilson ommitted this info intentionally in his NY Slimes op-ed and then lied to Congress about it, and finally admitted it. He should be tried for treason.

[TrevorAlan]

What's your source? Bill Kristol? One of the other lying chowderheads who got us into this war and somehow blame the people who opposed it from the beginning for its failure?

The whole Iraq war is based on a lie, and whatever good MIGHT have come from the toppling of Saddam Hussein was wasted by the corruption and cronism of Bush's wave of carpetbaggers sent not to help but to STEAL FROM the iraqis.

Stop trying to make Iraq the fault of Joe Wilson.

[AlexanderH]

Wow, and they say the 9/11 truth people are crazy. This guys dreaming up entire decades of conspiracies.

[Cybesq]

This is what happens when you take facts and then try to Hannitize them.

Joe Wilson never learned that Niger was approached by Iraq to "RESUME selling yellow-cake to Iraq." Wilson says the official in question was contacted by an Algerian-Nigerien intermediary who inquired if the official would meet with an Iraqi about "commercial" sales — an offer he declined. It was spinmaster Ari Fleisher and Tenet who then took Wilson's statement about potential trade discussions between Niger and Iraq and turned that into a suggestion that this meant uranium sales.

I have a better question for you. I assume the White House has the same dirty little secret information that you claim to have. Why has the White House admitted that the Bush reference to Iraq and African uranium should not have been in the State of the Union address?

Don't hurt yourself spitting up another right wing talking point pile of crap.

[lthuedk 1]

http://www.light-to-dark.com/the_third_act.html

[tellit]

Someone ask McCain and Co. are they still proud of America now. This administration is pathetic.

TAKE THOSE LAPEL PINS OFF. YOU ARE A DISGRACE TO THIS COUNTRY. No wonder we have so many enemies around the world. Just look at the way we treat our own. Just depressing.

[researcher]

like powell he has been a traitor to his country.

the real war hero of the vietnam war was jane fonda and was hated by most americans for taking a stance. simple minds in those days not unlike today.

no one has stepped up to the plate to take her place in this war.

[Indoboy7]

Scotty's interactio­n/encounte­r with TRUTH in its most rudimentary form began when the white House gates closed behind his behiney.....He left the "Group-think"' bubbble that was his home in the White House, and his brain must have been reactivate­d......His "revelations"should not surprise anybody:....It's Scotty's way to ensure that he will have a sizeable retirement nest egg to fall back on, and FALL he will when the goons in the White House that he used to part and parcel to, will do ANYTHING in their powers to see to it that Scotty will NEVER work with anybody who calls himself a Republican...Those lamebrained goons in the WH, who still follow Emperor George's every wish prefer Scotty'next job be at a freeway offramp, holding a cup with pencils for sale........I CANNOT be the only american who saw Dubbya for what he really is,(a mental midget, totally devoid of any intellectual, ethical, moral capacity; WIN AT ALL COSTS, THE COUNTRY BE DAMNED...ME - ME - ME -ME) BEFORE his appointment to the Presidency by the people wearing those black robes, who -conveniently- forgot about the ONE MAN, ONE VOTE rule that has served this great nation so well in the past.by-the-way: the guy that argued Dubbya's case is now wearing on of those black robes.:..WHO SAYS THE SYSTEM DOESN'T WORK.......... Y E A H, ...yuk3. it do......He's chief justice no less...so take that american citizen...­.!!!Excuse me while I hurl......

[PSTEN]

Is is possible to peach a president after his term is complete? I'm dense on this point. Or does an ex-president have immunity? I would like to see this president impeached but I don't think it needs to happen asap with the election coming on and the war situation. But I think a movement toward impeaching this president is necessary. A blow job is a minor offense given what George has done.

[Marlyn]

How about immediately after Obama wins the election?

[GravitonX]

Bottomline: Bush Lied.

[gregjones]

AMERICA'S STARTING TO WAKE UP.....FINALLY !!!!!!!!!! And for those who don't know why the media would be pro-war, let's take nbc/msnbc for example. Both are owned by General Electric. G.E. also owns a company called Raytheon The following is from Raytheons website "Raytheon became the first company to develop a missile guidance system that could hit a flying target. The company's early experimental missiles, including the history-making Lark, contained a guidance system in which both the radar transmitter and receiver were carried in the nose of the missile itself. However, this type of guidance system, called an active seeker, had a limited homing range, and Raytheon later developed a semi-active seeker with the radar transmitter stationary at the missile firing point while the receiver, which picked up the signal bouncing off the target, was located on the missile". In other words Raytheon is one of the largest defense contractors in the world (makes bombs, tanks, missiles, etc.)and is making TONS of money through the Iraq invasion. G.E.'s stock has been going down in every category except the defense contracting division. THIS IS ALL ABOUT BIG MONEY. DON'T BE FOOLED ANY LONGER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

P.S. The head of Raytheon belongs to the same religious group as Hillary. Hillary has NO INTENSION of stopping the Iraq War. She only says 'I will start pulling out troops in my first 60 days'. DON'T BE FOOLED ANYMORE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

p.s.s. Google: PNAC

[izAriver]

That's why they're running so scared. They know this could be really bad for them. That's why the climate is so pensive. Desperate people do desperate things.

[Chillinout]

It is error alone which needs the support of government. Truth can stand by itself. - Thomas Jefferson

[izAriver]

Those guys were smart, you gotta give 'em that.

[Chillinout]

Wait until the end of January '09 and I think you are going to see a lot more books like this one from former bush regime "insiders." Then again, McClellan might be the only one that has a conscious.

[Dionita]

I hope that Mr. McClellan has a body guard.