Iraq One Year Later: Danger and Deception

The one year anniversary of the invasion of Iraq leaves little to celebrate. The historical record shows a grim progression of deception, miscalculation, and abuse of public trust in carrying out an unnecessary war that diverted critical focus from fighting the terrorists who attacked America on 9/11 and alienated our allies. The Bush administration’s trumped-up claim that Saddam posed an imminent threat has been exposed. And its argument that the American people are safer as a result of Saddam’s capture is belied by rising American casualties – more than 500 hundred dead and more than 3,200 injured – and ongoing al Qaeda threats around the globe. Instead of admitting past mistakes and shifting its strategy, the Bush administration continues to lurch forward with a policy that leaves Americans vulnerable while deceiving the public=

• The administration knowingly misled the American public about the need for war in Iraq. The record is clear: there were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. U.N. inspections and sanctions following the first Gulf War left Saddam’s capabilities in tatters. There was no "imminent threat" from Iraq's reconstituted nuclear and biological weapons capabilities. We have learned that the only thing more dangerous than an ideologue with a gun is a group of ideologues with their trigger on the finger of the world's mightiest military machine.
• The war in Iraq has diverted our focus and resources from the fight against al Qaeda. Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda attacked America on 9/11, not Saddam Hussein. Vice President Cheney stands alone in his continuing belief about a link between the Iraqi dictator and al Qaeda. Everyone agrees Saddam Hussein was a terrible tyrant who posed a long term threat to the world, but throwing all our resources at him has been a critical strategic error in the fight against al Qaeda. Nearly two years after the attacks on America, the Bush administration just announced it is focusing "24/7" on capturing bin Laden.
• The American people deserve the truth about the past and their taxpayer dollars. The Bush administration has deceived our people and has hidden the true costs of the war and reconstruction. It stubbornly refuses to level with the public and take the steps that will repair the damage to our credibility. And the cost to Americans – $150 billion and counting – is just the beginning.

Daily Talking Points is a product of the Center for American Progress, a non-partisan research and educational institute committed to progressive principles for a strong, just and free America.