GUEST 06 Dec 05 - 09:59 AM aka TIA

TIA's example No.1 :
GWB May 1, 2003, speech aboard the Lincoln (under the banner – remember?):

"The battle of Iraq is one victory in a war on terror that began on Sept. 11, 2001. With that attack, the terrorists and their supporters declared war on the United States. And war is what they got".

Again TIA that would not have influenced anyone into thinking that there was a link between Saddam Hussein/Iraq and the Al-Qaeda attacks of 911 in the run up to 20th March 2003, would it?? Plus the possibly rather minor point that what the President is talking about here is completely in line with exactly how he defined the scope of the war against terror in his 2002 State of the Union Address. The same applies to the example given by CarolC (lifted from the President's 2003 State of the Union Address) only this time I will quote the full paragraph and will not just cherry-pick as CarolC did:

"Before September the 11th, many in the world believed that Saddam Hussein could be contained. But chemical agents, lethal viruses and shadowy terrorist networks are not easily contained. IMAGINE those 19 hijackers WITH OTHER WEAPONS AND OTHER PLANS -- THIS TIME armed by Saddam Hussein. It WOULD TAKE one vial, one canister, one crate slipped into this country TO BRING A DAY OF HORROR like none we have ever known. WE WILL DO EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT DAY NEVER COMES."

Now TIA that looks pretty clear that he is talking of a possible future threat that needs to be addressed, he is not talking about the past, he is not talking about Saddam Hussein being behind, or having anything to do with the 911 attacks. It also follows completely in step with what he had said the year before.

Now let's just remind ourselves of what George W. Bush DID SAY during the 2002 State of the Union Address, and just for Ron Davies's sake, Yes Ron, I DO MEAN the 2002 Address:


EXTRACTED FROM THE STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS - 2002
"Our nation will continue to be steadfast and patient and persistent in the pursuit of two great objectives. FIRST, we will shut down terrorist camps, disrupt terrorist plans, and bring terrorists to justice. And, SECOND, we must prevent the terrorists and regimes who seek chemical, biological or nuclear weapons from threatening the United States and the world.

Our military has put the terror training camps of Afghanistan out of business, yet camps still exist in at least a dozen countries. A terrorist underworld -- including groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad, Jaish-i-Mohammed -- operates in remote jungles and deserts, and hides in the centers of large cities.

While the most visible military action is in Afghanistan, America is acting elsewhere. We now have troops in the Philippines, helping to train that country's armed forces to go after terrorist cells that have executed an American, and still hold hostages. Our soldiers, working with the Bosnian government, seized terrorists who were plotting to bomb our embassy. Our Navy is patrolling the coast of Africa to block the shipment of weapons and the establishment of terrorist camps in Somalia.

My hope is that all nations will heed our call, and eliminate the terrorist parasites who threaten their countries and our own. Many nations are acting forcefully. Pakistan is now cracking down on terror, and I admire the strong leadership of President Musharraf.   

But some governments will be timid in the face of terror. And make no mistake about it: If they do not act, America will.

Our second goal is to prevent regimes that sponsor terror from threatening AMERICA OR OUR FRIENDS AND ALLIES with weapons of mass destruction. Some of these regimes have been pretty quiet since September the 11th. But we know their true nature. North Korea is a regime ARMING with missiles and weapons of mass destruction, while starving its citizens.

Iran AGGRESSIVELY PURSUES THESE WEAPONS AND EXPORTS TERROR, while an unelected few repress the Iranian people's hope for freedom.

Iraq continues to flaunt its HOSTILITY toward America and to SUPPORT TERROR. The Iraqi regime has PLOTTED TO DEVELOP anthrax, and nerve gas, and nuclear weapons for over a decade. This is a regime that has already used poison gas to murder thousands of its own citizens -- leaving the bodies of mothers huddled over their dead children. This is a regime that agreed to international inspections -- then kicked out the inspectors. This is a regime that has something to hide from the civilized world.

States like these, and their terrorist allies, constitute an axis of evil, ARMING to threaten the peace of the world. BY SEEKING weapons of mass destruction, these regimes POSE A GRAVE AND GROWING DANGER. They COULD PROVIDE these arms to terrorists, giving them the means to match their hatred. They could attack our allies or attempt to blackmail the United States. In any of these cases, the price of indifference would be catastrophic.

We will work closely with our coalition to deny terrorists and their state sponsors the materials, technology, and expertise to make and deliver weapons of mass destruction. We will develop and deploy effective missile defenses to protect America and our allies from sudden attack. And all nations should know: AMERICA WILL DO WHAT IS NECESSARY TO ENSURE OUR NATION'S SECURITY.

We'll be deliberate, yet time is not on our side. I will not wait on events, while dangers gather. I will not stand by, as peril draws closer and closer. The United States of America will not permit the world's most dangerous regimes to threaten us with the world's most destructive weapons.

Our war on terror is well begun, but it is only begun. This campaign may not be finished on our watch -- yet it must be and it will be waged on our watch.

Again, a future threat identified and evaluated as existing in to two forms - international terrorist groups AND possible support such groups might receive from certain rogue states and regimes. The language is certainly clear enough.