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Iraq war my biggest regret, Bush admits

Dec 02 2008 07:00

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George Bush, in a moment of reflection ahead of his departure from the White House, on Monday night admitted that the decision to go to war against Saddam Hussein on the basis of flawed intelligence was the biggest regret of his presidency.

The acknowledgment marks the first time that Bush has publicly expressed doubts about his rationale for going to war on Iraq.

In the run-up to the war, the White House adopted a position of absolute certainty that Saddam had weapons of mass destruction, basing its arguments on intelligence that was later exposed as flimsy and wrong.

"The biggest regret of all the presidency has to have been the intelligence failure in Iraq," Bush told ABC television in an interview scheduled for broadcast on Monday night. "I wish the intelligence had been different, I guess."

But he followed that moment of candour with an attempt to try to deflect charges that the White House misled Congress and the public to build a case for war, arguing that there had been widespread belief that Saddam had a nuclear arsenal.

"It wasn't just people in my administration; a lot of members in Congress, prior to my arrival in Washington, DC, during the debate on Iraq, a lot of leaders of nations around the world, were all looking at the same intelligence."

He was not asked about allegations that political pressure was brought to bear on the CIA and other intelligence agencies in the run-up to the war.

The exit interview found Bush in an unusually reflective mood for a president who has famously refused in the past to admit any mistakes. He did not go so far as to say he would not have gone to war if the intelligence had been correct.

"That's an interesting question. That is a do-over that I can't do," Bush said, according to excerpts from the interview at Camp David. Later he said: "I will leave the presidency with my head held high."

CONTINUES BELOW

Despite the flawed basis for the invasion of Iraq, Bush defended his decision to leave US forces in the country.

Though Iraq remains among his defining legacies, he said he had not anticipated going to war when he was running for the White House. "I was unprepared for war. In other words, I didn't campaign and say, 'Please vote for me, I'll be able to handle an attack'. I didn't anticipate war." -- guardian.co.uk © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2008

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Bush and his administration has not only defied the views of American public but, also of the entire globe. Acting out of flawed intelligence has caused the world's democracy so much that we are beginning to doubt if the Obama administration will be able to deal with the wounds that the Bush administration has caused to people of Irag. I personally doubt, the wisdom of those those who served under his[Bush] administration but the good thing is that his departure might be a sign of global peace and democracy.

Seane Mabitsela on December 2, 2008, 12:17 pm

The man is a crook, which is bad enough.
But if Americans let him get away with it, so are they.

James Edwards on December 2, 2008, 1:01 pm

The man is a hypocrite when he says "In other words, I didn't campaign and say, 'Please vote for me, I'll be able to handle an attack'. I didn't anticipate war." He was on the news recently when he was heard saying I am a president with war in my mind. How hypocritical of a cawboy from taxas.

Ernest Buthelezi on December 2, 2008, 2:25 pm

Americans are raised on Hollywood and "managed" TV. There has always been The Truth and The American Version, and very few get to hear (or believe) anything but the doctored version.
And even if they do, they believe so utterly in the infallibility of anything American that, in the heat of the moment, they'll believe again.
Marketing, PR, lobbying, "spin", spokespeople, "truthiness"! Lies dominate the US political discourse.

This last election was a case in point. What exactly was the euphoria about when Obama won? Sure, anything but Bush. Sure, rather him than McCain, but EUPHORIA? Very little is likely to change in Washington in the next four years, what with the huge influence the corporate world has - they are stealing from taxpayers as we speak. Watch them constantly badger Obama with manufactured "issues" so he has no time to undo the evil they have entrenched.

And don't forget: Bush still has a lot of time left in which to do more evil.

In the end, Bush (just like that other liar Reagan) will have two legacies, each believed utterly and fervently by his sycophants and his detractors respectively. The truth will be written earnestly and read by few. The Hollywood version will be watched and believed by millions, and Bush the war hero who saved America will be entrenched in US folklore.

pete ess on December 3, 2008, 9:19 am