Former Secretary Paul O'neil - Iraq Invasion Planned Long Before 911

[cthrumatrix]

FORMER TREASURY SECRETARY PAUL ONEILL SAYS INVASION OF IRAQ WAS PLANNED IN THE FIRST DAYS OF THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION LONG BEFORE 9/11, IN AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW SUNDAY ON "60 MINUTES"


Sat Jan 10 2004 09:12:37 ET


The Bush Administration began laying plans for an invasion of Iraq including the use of American troops within days of President Bush's inauguration in January of 2001, not eight months later after the 9/11 attacks as has been previously reported. That is what former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill says in his first interview about his time as a White House insider. O'Neill talks to Lesley Stahl in the interview, to be broadcast on 60 MINUTES Sunday, Jan. 11 (7:00-8:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

"From the very beginning, there was a conviction that Saddam Hussein was a bad person and that he needed to go," he tells Stahl. "For me, the notion of pre-emption, that the U.S. has the unilateral right to do whatever we decide to do is a really huge leap," says O'Neill.

O'Neill, fired by the White House for his disagreement on tax cuts, is the main source for an upcoming book, "The Price of Loyalty," authored by Ron Suskind. Suskind says O'Neill and other White House insiders he interviewed gave him documents that show that in the first three months of 2001, the administration was looking at military options for removing Saddam Hussein from power and planning for the aftermath of Saddam's downfall, including post-war contingencies like peacekeeping troops, war crimes tribunals and the future of Iraq's oil. "There are memos," Suskind tells Stahl, "One of them marked 'secret' says 'Plan for Post-Saddam Iraq.'" A Pentagon document, says Suskind, titled "Foreign Suitors For Iraqi Oilfield Contracts," outlines areas of oil exploration. "It talks about contractors around the world from...30, 40 countries and which ones have what intentions on oil in Iraq," Suskind says.

In the book, O'Neill is quoted as saying he was surprised that no one in a National Security Council meeting questioned why Iraq should be invaded. "It was all about finding a way to do it. That was the tone of it. The president saying 'Go find me a way to do this,'" says O'Neill in the book.

http://www.drudgereport.com/flash9.htm

Scathing truth from somebody inside the White House....tune into 60 minutes to see the reason for the invasion.....Oil.

[indepat]

1. I am shocked: gambling is going on in this place.

[MrBenchley]

40. I can hardly contain my surprise

(snicker)

[Lisa]

63. will the surprises never end?!

I'm reeling! (not)

But thanks to O'Neill for confirming our suspicions ...

[kysrsoze]

104. It's not gambling. It's all been pre-planned. It's a business plan.

Nothing more.

[Renew Deal]

2. That helps Clark

Clark has been saying this all along. The pukes tried to paint Clark as a kook.

[Trajan]

49. Clark ? .....

Hell .... DEMOCRATIC UNDERGROUND has been saying this all along ...

The PNAC documents have been saying this all along: to anyone who wanted to actually READ them ....

Now we know why the Energy Task Force notes had been sealed: they talk about Iraq's oil assets as if they belong to us .... BEFORE 911 ......

Sickening ...

Liars ....

[truth2power]

78. Energy task force notes.

Weren't some of those papers released awhile back and showed maps of Iraq with the oil installations marked?

They were posted here on DU, or at least a link, and most here were outraged.

[0007]

70. How right you are!

[Broadslidin]

84. Bush Actually Wavered on Tax Cut.

From the CBS Report,

Mr. Bush was wavering about going forward
with his second tax cut, saying:

"Haven't we already given money to rich people...
Shouldn't we be giving money to the middle".
Dick Cheney then, immediately, stopped George's
thought process...!

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/01/09/60minutes/main592330.shtml

I have sent a "Thank You" note to 60 Minutes!

[CRK7376]

3. Why

am I not surprised?! Shrub is just plain evil and stupid to boot.

[Stuckinthebush]

4. This could be big

But only if the media and the public pay attention...and care.

Wow. What a revelation. We have suspected this all along, but to have an insider tell us that indeed, Bush was set on invading Iraq no matter the circumstances is serious stuff. Then, he used the 9/11 tragedy to gin up WMD threats from Iraq as a potential danger to the US. All of it fit nicely into his plans to "git" Saddam.

If we had a Democratic House or Senate, this would be impeachable. There is enough evidence against this administration that shows that they did not act in the best interest of the American People but in self interest and the interest of oil and big donors.

If only people would care......

[cthrumatrix]

5. it's going to be on national television -- 60 Minutes Sunday Night

This WILL be the downfall of his presidency.....there is no confusion that this WH did nothing but LIE.

[Stuckinthebush]

9. From your keyboard to God's ear....

I hope so. However, we are so used to seeing issues that would seriously hurt any other administration not be covered well by the media. But I'll take it a step further...it's not all the media's fault, the American people just don't care. Hell, if it was Bill Clinton and he had sex in the back of the Limo, then we'd be outraged! But, Bush can use the military for his own special interests, call it protection from terror, give his aw shucks look to the camera, and people don't care.

Perhaps I will be pleasantly surprised this time.

[TruthIsAll]

28. If the media cared about the truth, so would the people..

They are conditioned to accept everything the mediawhores (i.e. Rove) say as factual. And if nothing is said on TV about Bush's crimes, how will they know?

The only reason they know even a little is due to the few respectable journalists from the print media, like Krugman.

And, of course, those who get their news on the WEb at DU are still a minority - but fast growing. Perhaps we are nearing critical mass.
If we get there by Nov., Bush is TOAST.

[HereSince1628]

81. Well, At LEAST from your keyboard to Congress!

If you haven't done so you should consider it, maybe you want to wait until tomorrow evening after the show.

You can find their contact information via
www.house.gov and www.senate.gov

You can be diplomatic, but be firm on the need for a credible independent investigation.

We now have motive, opportunity, and evidence that Bush and his band of merry men were involved in conspiracy and lied to Congress and the American people to get America into a war that they wanted for other reasons.

I may be seeing what I want to, but if this were in the courts I think we could get through a preliminary hearing.

[patricia92243]

25. 60 Minutes??Instead of all over the news?? Does that tell you something?

[cthrumatrix]

26. the media will be on trial as well...there were many experts saying

there were no WMD...remember Scott Ritter...Hnas Blix...CIA reired staffers..

The video Iraw Uncovered...said it all...they lied...people died. And he did it on purpose.

[salin]

38. They have the scoop (his unrolling the story before the book)

I expect that it will seep into the news both before and after the airing of the show.

[joeunderdog]

58. Football playoff audience, lots of plugs, right to 60 Minutes.

Yup. that's gotta suck if you're Bush. But the truth has been out there for a while and it hasn't seemed to hurt him much.

Unfortunately, the only people who didn't know we manufactured our reasons for our little illegal invasion are the people who just don't want to know. Europe and Asia are shaking their head about this.

BTW, Americans will soon discover that the earth is not flat. (Halliburton is under contract to figure this out.)

[Guaranteed]

100. OOooooo good point.

NASCAR dads...

[dusty64]

6. Paul better stay

away from small planes and handguns. Rumor has it he's been very "depressed" lately.

[Lefty48197]

33. Are you suggesting they'll try the MacFarlane solution?

Or the Casey solution?

[goforit]

74. Maybe even the Welstone/Carnahan...or the Cliff Baxter/Dana Rice?

Hmmm.......similar footprints?

[peacetalksforall]

93. Beware tall buildings. Don't go up any elevator, Paul.

Meet only in one story buildings with plenty of bodyguards and cell phones and a plan for witnesses.

Why was Kelly depressed? Why was Baxter depressed.

Who said O'Neill was depressed?

[underpants]

7. They worked backwards from a preconceived endgame

The WHAT, WHO, and WHY were never in question just the HOW and WHEN.

This interview should be something.

They knew what they wanted to do so they created the reason and cherry picked intelligence (OSP) to support an already determined assumption. No analysis just backup, it's like an audit in reverse.

[trapper914]

8. Sadly...

...they will paint this as sour grapes from a fired employee who has an ax to grind. No one will ever see the documents he speaks of.

[intheozone]

24. One of the documents has already been produced

in the suits over Cheney's task force records. The energy dept. produced a couple of documents from its files. One is now being referred to by Suskind.

[Palacsinta]

10. It'll be marginalized as "sour grapes'

from a disgruntled, fired O'Neill. Just you wait and see!

[Wapsie B]

15. There will have to be

a spin something on that order. On the one hand I see this as huge news. On the other it will reinforce his supporters. They'll say that this is proof that chimpy was taking a proactive stance fighting terrorism. That is Jeff Christie and Rove will say it first.

[underpants]

17. How many sour grapes could O'Neill buy with $60 Million?

Remember that he didn't divest of his holdings until several months after being appointed. His net worth increased by ~$60 million dollars in that time. Sounds to me that he didn't do so badly. Yes he was surely embarassed at getting canned but he had lots of paper to dry his tears.

[cthrumatrix]

20. I agree ....The man and message can't be discounted...damaging

bigtime to bush.

Furthermore...it goes to the bigger issue of "who gave the instructions to have these plans" from the beginning of his presidency.

[Corgigal]

19. Yes it will

however to the active duty military and worst yet, all those reserves are going to start thinking about this. This republican admistration might actually lose the militarys support.

[monobrau]

76. First response from freepers

That's exactly what the freepers were saying when this was posted, as well as putting down the poster.
This is something I've always found perplexing about accusations leveled at former employers. It's common to refer to the accuser as being "disgruntled" or having a case of sour grapes, as if there is no basis for the charges and it should be assumed that the employer's actions and motivations are pure and ethical. Read carefully and you will see that the employer doesn't actually refute the truthfulness of the accusation, only the motivations of the accuser.

[Holly]

11. Oh...Mr O'Neill

"I can't imagine that I am going to be attacked for telling the truth."

where has been..I certainly can imagine that he's going to be attacked for " telling the truth". The truth is nothing to Bush* co.

[NNN0LHI]

12. Would have been nice if he had mentioned this before Bush invaded n/t

[cthrumatrix]

14. You could say that for the enire staff --- this speaks to a much larger

concern with "who" is running our country.

[cthrumatrix]

13. There is "zero defense" he has cost many lives and America will be pissed.

What else does America need to see how this man is a "danger" to the direction of this country.

Everyone wants a "smoking gun"....this is it!

[democrank]

16. Earth To Paul

Time for a reality check if O`Neill thinks he doesn`t have to worry about being attacked for telling the truth. Perhaps a quick phone call to Joe Wilson would alter that perception.

If that doesn`t work, O`Neill could check in with Max Cleland, whose loss of three limbs in the Vietnam War didn`t shield him from being morphed into the enemy thanks to down-and-dirty Republican tricksters.

Or maybe O`Neill could chat with John McCain, the former POW Bush crushed in the last presidential go-around.

Be afraid, Paul, be very afraid.

[underpants]

18. Welcome to DU

:hi:

[Wapsie B]

22. Paul, don't ride in any small planes

for a long time.


Welcome to DU!!

[goforit]

75. Ahhhh.....O'Niel has nothing to lose. He has no fear now thats for sure!!!

But I suggest Bush's private hired hands be careful on this one.

It may backfire.

[JanMichael]

21. Hmm. They should've shot his ass instead of firing it. Now it's too late.

A small plane crash would be too obvious at this late date.

Boo hoo.

[cthrumatrix]

23. that's just it....60 Minutes for "all to see"...and a Book..... way to

much material coming out while people are looking for reasons "not to vote for this president". Factual deception is as good as any reason.

[T Bone]

80. I saw his book in Costco today - 13 and change

Costco has his book. If you are not a member you could always have a froend who is a member buy it there for you.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

27. sounds like EVIEDENCE for grounds to IMPEACH ....imho

[cthrumatrix]

30. I feel the same way...how can this not be? It's proof-he took the an oath

Clinton lied and we know what happened.

Bush lied..people died..and now we have an insider talking. If the repugs don't out him...then they are "at risk".

[Cory]

29. Documents

Alright guys, to increase the impact of this a little more work has to be done.

O'Neill's comments are backed up by these documents (http://www.judicialwatch.org/071703.c_.shtml) which are maps dividing up Iraq's oil fields, discussing projects and identifying suitors. They are dated March '03. These are some of the documents that O'Neill is referring to.

In my opinion they should be sent to 60 minutes and included in the report for Sunday. If anyone has any thoughts on how to do this or can at least post an independent thread about it please do so (I don't post enough for the privilege).

[cthrumatrix]

42. More evidence of the media "complicit in the web of deceipt" to america

[indepat]

31. Should the mainstream media come to the aid of their country, will we be

asking "Where were you when the fit hit the shan?"

[Lefty48197]

32. The Right Wingers are in a PANIC

They don't know how to respond to this! Usually, when someone says something critical of their cabal, they immediately go on the offensive, scrambling like mad to attack and discredit their critics. This time, they are nowhere to be found. Even FOX "News" isn't attacking O'Neill. They're waiting for the other shoe to drop, before going on their offensive. They must all be in a panic right now.

[cthrumatrix]

34. he's alive, he's talking, he wrote a book and people will be "pissed"

repugs and dems have a right to demand truth from the media, the deception...and safety for thir sons and daughter.

Impeach Bush..........

[truthisfreedom]

51. bushco seems blindsided this time. rove distraction: Sunday, terrah alert

right around the time 60 minutes airs. or possibly a new national distraction a la Michael Jackson. that's all they can do at this point... that, or recall and "furnace fodder" the book just like they did to James Hatfield.

[Danieljay]

53. or a special press conference

just prior to 60 minutes airing announcing the discovery of chemical weapons in Iraq and all is forgotten. Color me cynical but I'm really losing hope regarding the political scene. I wouldn't put it past this administration.

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

79. maybe reagan will pass away

(if he hasn't already)

[NashVegas]

71. Amazon Link for the Book

Comes out Tuesday

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0743255453/ref=lpr_g_1/103-2646759-4652652?v=glance&s=books

[freethought23]

57. No they aren't.

They think it's great that Dubya was thinking ahead about how to get rid of a brutal dictator. Click on this link: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1055364/posts

[joeunderdog]

60. When David Brock came out with his book, they didn't respond.

They figured it would only call attention to what he exposed. Since they couldn't possibly rebut everything (or anything) he said, they ignored him and created diversionary stories.

Orange alert, anyone?

[peacetalksforall]

94. And the media only gave Brock token guest appearances.

[leesa]

35. So was the Afghanistan invasion. Ken Lay was in trouble in India and

needed to get that pipeline built. They threatened the Taliban in June 2001 with a "carpet of bombs" if they did not cooperate. The Taliban refused and the rest is history.

[PatrickS]

36. "It was all about finding a way to do it"

This makes me believe more and more that Bush & company are behind 9/11. They had to find a way to attack EYEraq and 9/11 green-lighted the whole thing.

[Occulus]

43. but check out

the PNAC document, Rebuilding America's Defenses. They speak of American global military dominance not having a chance to bloom into full flower absent some catalyzing event, like a modern-day Pearl Harbor. Almost their exact words, if not an inadvertant direct quote.

RAD was written by PNAC in 1997, I believe. If you add that 'prescience' into the mix, and consider what 9/11 could be called, well, it sends a few chills up one's spine.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

47. PNAC: "....another Pearl Harbor".

[Insider]

37. picked up where GHWB left off

not in "ousting a dictator", but in taking control of the oil. no different than saddam taking kuwait, the bushes.

this time around, they made sure it ALL happened in one term. the mistake of george the first would not be repeated. hasn't the pace been a little hurried in forcing the new US/world order?

[eleny]

39. They'll have to "find" Osama to smother this scoop

But even then, O'Neill's book will come out. I intend on doing my part to put it on the best seller list.

[cthrumatrix]

41. OBL is a "tump card" .... however...how does that change Iraq and the lies

[eleny]

44. It doesn't change a thing

It only smothers it with wall to wall OBL coverage on every news channel for days and days.

P.S. Edit - Actually, it would give Bush the boost he needs. The world is relieved of two bads guys - caught in the space of a month. "George stuck in his thumb and pulled out two plumbs. Oh, what a good president am I!" Four more years in the WH for the current terra fighter and plenty of time to pave the way for Jebby.

[kentuck]

45. This Administration has survived because of its ability to cover-up

the truth. About the energy files, about the plans to attack the Taliban with a "carpet of bombs" (before 9/11), and the plans to invade Iraq as soon as they came into power. They would have been impeached long ago if the people were aware of their arrogant usurpation of power.

[cthrumatrix]

46. do you think this has more "ammo"...he's alive and talking...a book

and integrity.

Plus I think military familes will DEMAND the truth...period.

[serf]

48. where have I read this before...

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,235395,00.html

Sunday, May 05, 2002

Two months ago, a group of Republican and Democratic Senators went to the White House to meet with Condoleezza Rice, the President's National Security Adviser. Bush was not scheduled to attend but poked his head in anyway — and soon turned the discussion to Iraq. The President has strong feelings about Saddam Hussein (you might too if the man had tried to assassinate your father, which Saddam attempted to do when former President George Bush visited Kuwait in 1993) and did not try to hide them. He showed little interest in debating what to do about Saddam. Instead, he became notably animated, according to one person in the room, used a vulgar epithet to refer to Saddam and concluded with four words that left no one in doubt about Bush's intentions: "We're taking him out."

Dick Cheney carried the same message to Capitol Hill in late March. The Vice President dropped by a Senate Republican policy lunch soon after his 10-day tour of the Middle East — the one meant to drum up support for a U.S. military strike against Iraq. As everyone in the room well knew, his mission had been thrown off course by the Israeli-Palestinian crisis. But Cheney hadn't lost focus. Before he spoke, he said no one should repeat what he said, and Senators and staff members promptly put down their pens and pencils. Then he gave them some surprising news. The question was no longer if the U.S. would attack Iraq, he said. The only question was when.

...

[RedSock]

50. MIHOP?

In the book, O'Neill is quoted as saying he was surprised that no one in a National Security Council meeting questioned why Iraq should be invaded. "It was all about finding a way to do it. That was the tone of it. The president saying 'Go find me a way to do this,'" says O'Neill in the book.
****

Find a way? Okay. Let's see. Hmmm, well, there is this big attack coming in the late summer/early fall. Maybe that'll do it. We'll just ignore the mountain of warnings and see what happens ....

Care for some tinfoil pancakces at the local MI-HOP?

[Danieljay]

52. what is the chance we'll suddenly find...

weapons of mass distraction or Osama Bin forgotten today or tomorrow. I already saw an article where the Danes have found suspicous shell casings. What will the distraction be, and is this all hype like the Kean interview? Lets hope not... I might have to go find someone that has a television hooked up to watch this. I disconnected my cable a year ago and don't regret it a bit. Its movies only for me.

[Terwilliger]

54. waka waka waka

this means nothing

Maybe it's going to be another nick in his facade, but I've seen more serious charges than that virtually ignored by most of the country.

[cthrumatrix]

55. what do you want to have happen?....Is this our fate in America now?

We just let evil rule?

Here is a chance to "blow the lid of the crap that mascarades as our stewards of our destination"

I would like to see heads role and the media given a chance to come clean or else i suspect there will be many "sheeple" who become patriots...because their sons and daughters have died

And what happens with the next rah-rah war request? What the hell happens in the UN..or other countries?

[Terwilliger]

56. cthru, I appreciate your energy

I'm HIGHLY doubtful that this will result in anything

There might be a few people across the country who react negatively to the news (hopefully, quite a few Repubes who will vote for someone besides Bush) but that's about it.

For instance, do you think we'll hear any more than cursory mention of this situation by Dem candidates? Dean and Kucinich, maybe...Clark might say something if subject becomes popular. The whore media will simply ignore it or paint O'Neil as someone with an agenda.

[grasswire]

59. Ron Suskind...

...is the journalist who gave us the story about Rove hollering "We'll fuck him like he's never been fucked before!"

Suskind was waiting outside Rove's office to interview him about the DiIulio "resignation."

And Suskind has already felt the sting of Rove's wrath himself.

[DrBB]

61. Is it just me or is this fairly huge?

I mean, Paul O'Neill for cripes sake--this isn't some obscure disgruntled diplomat or national security assistant to an undersecretary. We've had a number of defections of that kind, and some pretty damning things said by people with very good bona fides.

But Paul O'Neill? I mean, it's not JUST that he held one of the absolutely key cabinet posts--SecDef, SecState, SecTreasury are the three top echelon spots--but he was very strongly identified as a public face of Bush's administration from the start. Powell I always felt was a sop to the 41 legacy, but I really thought of O'Neill as one of the insiders.

But if he really says the stuff that 60 Minutes is spreading to get some buzz going, this could be something the Bushies will have to be on the defensive about for a while, especially with the "disappointing" (read, disastrous) job figures that just came out, the WMD failure, etc.

A major crack in the facade, looks like to me--there haven't really been any other defections of this magnitude, if that's what it is.

[spotbird]

62. It's just you. There is not a negative story about the administration

that is huge.

They deny and the press complies, no story at all.

[myomy]

64. As for SundayÕs 60 minutes, I say ÒBring it onÓ.

.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

65. It won't get covered only if...

we don't do something about it.

Every single DUer should be on the phone to their reps on Monday demanding an inquiry

Every single DUer should be on the phone top their local print and broadcast press on Monday demanding their cover the story.

Every single DUer should be on the phone to call in shows, both local and national, demanding that they talk about this issue.

And every single DUer should do this every single day they can until it is covered the way it needs to be covered.

[Lorien]

109. Amen n/t

[Moderator]

66. MESSAGE FROM THE MODERATOR

Many threads have been started on the Paul O'Neill story, and in order to consolidate our discussion and streamline the LBN Forum, the moderators have decided to designate this thread as the "official O'Neill thread," for now.

Here are links to the now-locked, read-only O'Neill threads; there's some really great information in these threads.

Former (Bush GOP) Treasury Sec. Paints Bush as 'Blind Man'(started by papau)

Bush led meetings like "blind man," says former aide (started by cjbuchanan)

O'Neill accuses Bush in Iraq planning (started by priller)

Report: Bush Planned Iraqi Invasion Pre-Sept. 11 (started by thebaghwan)

Thanks for your patience and cooperation, LBN readers. What an interesting story, huh?

LBN DU Moderators

[Solly Mack]

67. And for my next trick

I'm going to pull a rabbit outta my ass....

[leftchick]

68. Here is the AP Link.... PLEASE Rate This Story!!

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=542&ncid=716&e=8&u=/ap/20040110/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/bush_o_neill

[montana_hazeleyes]

90. Rated it.

As of now it's 3.60 with 518 votes.
edit: I accidently wrote 560 instead of 518 votes.

[SodoffBush]

69. So. Bush used the 9-11 victims like a cheap whore

No wonder he doesn't care about finding OBL.

All he wanted was the oil.

[DemonFighterLives]

72. One independent told me that O'Neill was a megalomaniac

And the Neos just ignore it. Is it possible that this can just be discredited? Colin replied just like McClellan. They don't do book reviews. :D That must have been the emergency talking point from Rovincheney until they could circle the wagons and come up with a more destructive strategy.

[IndianaGreen]

73. Bush should be impeached!

At a minimum, the Democrats in Congress should be demanding hearings. We know from the PNAC documents that an invasion of Iraq was planned as far back as 1999.

[retread]

77. How is this news to anyone ?

*

[ozone_man]

82. Not news to those in the know.

But it is news that has never been printed in the main stream press, so it is news. I would think it could be grounds for impeachment. Just put yourself in the eyes of a family member who lost a loved one in Iraq because Bush wanted oil?

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

83. "Because of what I did we are a safer country"

I just caught a moment or two of CNN. The anchor was speaking to a reporter from the L.A. Times who predicted that as we move forward the Bush reponse to O'Neill's allegations will be well-rehearsed mantra of "because of what I did we are a safer country," followed by an open invitation to any Democratic candidate wishing to challenge that notion. He predicted that this will be the response to the "no job recovery" issue as well..."yes, but because of what I did we are a safer country, and the stock market is SMOKIN'..." The CNN anchor just shook her head back and forth and muttered "despite what is going on in our own economy," thanked the L.A. Times guy, and moved on to a fluff piece.

I have a sneaking suspicion we are going to go from orange to yellow to orange for the next 11 months. Valentines Day is coming up. Wait a minnit...Valentines Day? But valentines are RED...quick, duck and cover! I wonder what the terra-ists are doing to our Whitman Samplers...oh, that's right, nothing to worry about...we're safe. Because of what he did.

:party: :party: :dunce: :party: :party:

[snyttri]

85. O'Neill is being painted a kook, as Clark was painted a liar for related

informed statements.

How media myths are created:
The continuing saga of the Wesley Clark phone call narrative

http://www.spinsanity.org/columns/20031016c.html

Pundits won't stop spinning Clark's phone call

http://www.spinsanity.org/columns/20030903.html


Ron Suskind is the author of a January 2003 Esquire article (available by subscription only) on Clark as well as O'Neill's book.

[daleo]

86. Gives traction to LIHOP and MIHOP

They wanted to invade Iraq right from the get-go. They were just looking for a way to do it. Very interesting.

I gather O'Neill is very rich, so he may be safe from plane accidents and the like. Still, JFK was pretty rich too.

[Catherine Vincent]

87. Repukes on other boards are bitching because us Dems are

believing everything that O'Neil says but points out that we hated him before. Well I say so what? It's kind of like how you repukes believe all the crap that Dick Morris says about Clinton.

That usually shuts them up.

[alcuno]

89. We're not taking O'Neil's side. He has come over to ours.

O'Neil is simply another point of validation in what many of us have always believed.

[Zero Gravitas]

88. This Explains all the WMD lies

The went with the lies about WMDs because it would scare people post 9/11. If 9/11 had not happened (and I am not LINOP or MIHOP although I think their arrogant incompetence makes them culpable) the reasons would have been different.

[hippiechick]

91. We STILL Need to Point out NO Link between Iraq and 911....

Notice how any and every media outlet that's covering this is using the 'Iraq war was planned pre 911' mantra ?

We gotta jump on that and remind them yet again that it was ahem OBL that was behind 911 ... not Saddam or Iraq.


:hippie:

[Zan_of_Texas]

92. Actually

I would be reluctant to say exactly who was behind 9-11. Truly, it was not Iraq or Saddam Hussein. But, I have doubts it was Osama bin Laden. Read any of the comprehensive 9-11 research websites and you will question most everything you thought you knew about it. Like, spend a half an hour diving into this thread on 9-11:
http://cooperativeresearch.org/completetimeline/

Regardless, the PNAC stuff makes it clear that an overhaul of the entire map of the Middle East is what's envisioned, and that was several years before Bush was selected to the White House. And, many of the principal authors of PNAC are now making foreign policy in this administration.

[hippiechick]

97. Actually ... that's why I had the 'ahem' next to OBL

.... I don't believe it any more than the rest of DU does ... but my POINT was .... that there IS no link between 911 and Iraq and O'Neill's evidence should point this out even more stridently, that the tenuous links made by the administration were smoke and mirrors bullshit to authorize a predetermined outcome.


:hippie:

[young_at_heart]

95. I keep hoping others will jump ship!

What does it take for all the senators and reps to wake up and smell the coffee? Bad things are happening to the country and yet they all keep silent. Whatever happened to integrity?

[SideshowScott]

96. I wish I could be shocked about this. We all knew this before 9/11

We knew he had his sights set on invadeing Iraq when he got selected..He just used the deaths of three thousand americans as a way to do it with ease. I hope this has legs in the press but i know the whores are scrambleing trying to kill it..Like they did with Ernon, the C.I.A. leak, scouting oilfields, the sotu Lie, Halliburton ect ect. But i for one am not shocked about it I hope that it bites him in the ass.

[rocketdem]

98. Novak already went on the offensive

On the Capital Gang tonight.

He said that O'Neill wasn't even a Republican, did a lousy job because of this, and never should have been trusted. In other words, he's a kook. Further, the author, Suskind, was described as some kind of fringe radical.

They're alrealy out in full force to discredit this story.

[Lisa]

99. a correction to an earlier post of mine ...

I commented that Paul might be remembering how inept Bush* was as a pilot ... actually it was Don Evans, still the Secretary of Commerce, who was almost killed in that near-crash.

But I imagine that the rest of the Cabinet knows about that little incident -- which is pretty revealing about the way George W. tends to get into problems.

[Insider]

101. Cheney's National Energy Policy

"Estimates indicate that over the next 20 years, US oil consumption will increase by 33 percent, natural gas consumption by well over 50 percent, and demand for electricity will rise by 45 percent. If America's energy production grows at the same rate as it did in the 1990s we will face and ever-increasing gap.

Increases on this scale will require preparation and action today. Yet America has not been bringing on line the necessary supplies and infrastructure."

REPORT OF THE NATIONAL ENERGY POLICY DEVELOPMENT GROUP, May 2001:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/energy/National-Energy-Policy.pdf

somebody ought to ask dick cheney how we're doing now on the energy situation. somebody ought to be bold enough to ask him for an update after roughly three years in office, three years to effect change and improve america's energy situation. has it improved? are we better off now than in May 2001, and why? was it something he did? was it something america did to secure energy supplies for the future?

and btw, afghanistan is not mentioned once in that entire 170 page document. i bet control of that turf has improved our situation. iraq is mentioned in exactly 3 very minor places. but i bet that little piece of turf has improved our position significantly.

[Zhade]

102. Not with all the pipeline bombings!

And you know what? GOOD.

They can keep blowing up the fucking pipelines for all I care (as long as no one gets killed in the process). Deny the Imperials their blood prize!

Fuck these traitors. They're out in November, one way or the other.

[bubblesby2002]

103. Finish up for Poppy

I guess I am going to have to watch 60 minutes tomorrow and. Once those Bushes got back into the White House they had to finish what they started.

[JCMach1]

105. This should shock no one-- go back and watch the Bush/Gore

debate on foreign policy and you will find a virtual flat statement that Saddam will be dealt with.

[HereSince1628]

106. Makes page 4 of Milwaukee Journal Sentinal

But at least the story was printed.

[Gin]

107. Co-presidents Cheney and Rove...are in control.....makes shrub look

pathetic and inept...at least O'Neill isn't taking any proceeds from the book.

This has got to harm them...wonder what terror alert we will have as a result.

[tabasco]

108. Is it possible that rich men like O'Neill are finding a conscience?

Lou Dobbs? I can only hope that there are those among the Republicans that truly love America and can help us depose the insane Bush administration.

[Danieljay]

110. read THESE jewels from the transcript

O'Neill better watch his back now...He's got guts!


O'Neill is the only one who spoke on the record, but Suskind says that someone high up in the administration – Donald Rumsfeld - warned O’Neill not to do this book.

Was it a warning, or a threat?

“I don't think so. I think it was the White House concerned,” says Suskind. “Understandably, because O'Neill has spent extraordinary amounts of time with the president. They said, ‘This could really be the one moment where things are revealed.’"

Not only did O'Neill give Suskind his time, he gave him 19,000 internal documents.

and this.......

But O'Neill thought it should have been the end (tax cuts). After 9/11 and the war in Afghanistan, the budget deficit was growing. So at a meeting with the vice president after the mid-term elections in 2002, Suskind writes that O'Neill argued against a second round of tax cuts.

“Cheney, at this moment, shows his hand,” says Suskind. “He says, ‘You know, Paul, Reagan proved that deficits don't matter. We won the mid-term elections, this is our due.’ … O'Neill is speechless.”

[doubles]

111. This is not news, we all knew this to be the case... nt