Did President Bush Threaten World War III Knowing Iran Had Halted Its Nuke Program?

Politicians choose their words carefully. Bill Clinton's famous concern for the definition of "is" stands as but one example.

At a press conference on October 17th, President Bush said, "I've told people that if you're interested in avoiding World War III, it seems like you ought to be interested in preventing (Iran) from having the knowledge necessary to make a nuclear weapon."

At the time, that seemed the oddest choice of words: "the knowledge necessary to make a nuclear weapon."

Were we going to attack Iran if they knew how to make a nuke, rather than if they had built and were prepared to use it?

That seems a pretty low bar. Why such a low bar?

Now, we may know why the President set such a low threshold for starting a war. He may have already known that Iran halted its nuclear weapons program four years ago.

Did he know? Did he threaten Iran while keeping this information a secret from us? That is a question that the national media, if it is doing its job, will have to ask the President, and the President must answer the question: What did he know? When did he know it?

Comments

[Spookcatcher]

Yes.

[loslobo]

While watching the dog and pony news conference today, I was puzzeled when Bush mentioned that Irans non existant nuke program was undecared, and no one from the press corps mentioned the fact that Israel which actually has nukes, have never bothered to acknowledege theirs.

Now that most intelligent people can conclude the sabre rattling should stop, how many are afraid the false flag is back on the table?

[Tellmethetruth]

In October, when President Bush raised the specter of World War III with Iran because of its pursuit of a nuclear weapon, he knew that our own intelligence community had concluded months earlier that Iran had halted its weapons program in 2003.

This is as outrageous as it is irresponsible. It's exactly what he did in the run up to the war in Iraq in consistently exaggerating intelligence suggesting that Iraq had WMD while failing to tell the American people about intelligence concluding that it did not.

For many reasons, war with Iran is not just a bad option, it would be a disaster. So I want to be crystal clear on this: if the President takes us to war with Iran without Congressional approval, I will call for his impeachment.

The President's actions further undermine America's credibility around the world -- and the government's credibility here at home -- at a time when that credibility is at an all time low. And it injects more tension and instability into the Middle East at a time when we should be doing everything in our power to prevent that region from spiraling out of control.

Yesterday I gave a major address in Iowa outlining a plan to keep Iran from producing the material that could one day be used for a bomb -- without using force. I encourage you to take a few minutes to read that plan on my website:

http://www.joebiden.com/getinformed/speeches?id=0091

[fourex]

What Bush knows is always open to debate. Of course he should have known and should be fired.

[Stirner]

Ask yourself who would profit from the destruction of Iran? I don't think the answer has much to do with Bush's psychology, although he might be a pushover for those who desire the destruction of Iran. Who do you think that they might be?

[Dandy12]

It is all part of Bush's legacy... He wants to contribute to the dung heap of history by being the Most Destructive President ever! The Bush look-alike comedian could have done a better job!

[wadenelson1]

"Did President Bush Threaten World War III Knowing Iran Had Halted Its Nuke Program?

Ummm....yeah.

[ibsteve2u]

The most revealing thing Bush said was:

"Money trumps peace"

[mommadona]

The answer to you question...
YES.

And why?
"BECAUSE I CAN"

We are not dealing with a full deck here.
This man is "The Madness of King George" in person
He is unhinged.
He is dangerous.
And, he's got the 'football'.
And, he's got a 'history'.

(From 1999)
Pentagon Seeks Command for Emergencies in U.S.

By WILLIAM J. BROAD and JUDITH MILLER

The Pentagon has decided to ask President Clinton for the power to appoint a military leader for the continental United States because of what it sees as a growing threat of major terrorist strikes on American soil, Defense Department officials say.
.......
The Pentagon, which currently has no organization for such crisiswork, has quietly discussed the plan for about a year and recently decided to press Presidential approval.

Top White House officials have reacted favorably, characterizing the proposed step as a relatively minor adjustment of the lines of
military authority and organization.

But civil libertarians and some Administration officials fear that such military power could slowly expand to threaten the privacy,
liberty and lives of private citizens.

Military officials added that they had no intention of usurping civilian control.

"Our only appropriate role is in support of civil agencies that have the primary responsibility for law and order and emergency
response," John J. Hamre, the Deputy Secretary of Defense, said in an interview.

Still, a senior Pentagon official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, warned that a major terrorist attack had the potential
to be "the most threatening event to civil liberties since Pearl Harbor."

http://graham.main.nc.us/~bhammel/GOV/coup.html

And About GEORGE H W BUSH:

In marked contrast to the continuing Republican investigations of President Clinton, the Democrats eight years ago cooperated with Republicans in shutting down substantive inquiries that implicated President George H.W. Bush in a variety of geopolitical scandals..
Clearing George H.W. Bush in 1993 ironically set the stage both for the Republican scandal-mongering against Clinton and for the restoration of the Bush family dynasty in 2000.
http://www.consortiumnews.com/2001/021901a.html

[sugarmoes]

MUST BE TIME TO OUT ANOTHER COVERT CIA AGENT WHO JUST HAPPENS TO BE WORKING ON NONPROLIFERATION!!!!

[sugarmoes]

bush don't give a damn what the facts are... he just wants to kill kill kill and get rich rich rich and act all badass in the process.

he's gettin away with it... so far.

[Vajara]

Why did not the media followup on Bush's statement about the corporations that are working with Iran? I am going to watch the news today and see if anyone picks up on why we would go to war if the corporations of America do not get what they want from Iran.

Please, am I missing something here as there were no followup questions. Is anyone interested in how our president is engaged in protecting corporations from being kicked out of Iran?

[donw]

I believe somebody released this report knowing full well it would take the steam out of Bush's plan to attach Iran. I'm sure this administration would have rather kept this report under wraps. I'm curious/scared to think how close this admin is/was about to go to war with Iran?

[lgillooly]

You can ask,but he will lie....next

[RDixon]

That is like asking did Bush invade Iraq knowing they had no WMDs.
It isn't a question.
It's a statement.