[THS] Chris Floyd: A Nation Celebrates What It is Told

[The Harder Stuff in news and commentary]

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article28028.htm

What If Bush Did It?

 A Nation Celebrates What It is Told

By Chris Floyd

May 04, 2011 "uruknet" --- WASHINGTON,  – In a dramatic late-night appearance in
the White House press room, President George W. Bush announced that Iraq’s
weapons of mass destruction had been found in a secret stronghold near the Syrian
border.

"We knew he had them, we knew we would find them. It was just a matter of time,"
said an exultant Mr. Bush, who has been subjected to constant criticism for more
than a year over the failure to find the WMD that sparked the invasion of Iraq in April
2003.

Bush said a covert military intelligence team discovered the arsenal in an
underground fortress 10 miles west of the city of Anah. The stockpile included
artillery shells and long-range missiles loaded with anthrax, nerve gas, VX, sarin and
other deadly toxins. The team also found extensive laboratories where fatal poisons
were being developed which could be used in smaller-scale terrorist attacks, such as
in subways, airports, even city water supplies.

"It was like the gates of hell had been opened," Bush said. "These weapons and
toxins could have destroyed hundreds of thousands of innocent lives, all around the
world. Today has been a triumph of good over pure evil, and another ringing
testament to America’s greatness."

Bush said the weapons and the laboratories have been completely destroyed, to
avoid any of the material falling into the wrong hands.

"These instruments of evil have been obliterated and scattered to the four winds,"
the president said. "No trace of them remains. Let this be a lesson to all those who
would raise their hands against the peace and security of humankind: they will be
wiped from the face of the earth."

Administration officials said that pictures of the operation will probably be released in
the coming days, after being carefully vetted to avoid disclosure of any vital security
information, including the identities of the secret military intelligence team.

White House officials said the discovery was the result of painstaking intelligence
work. A senior official with direct knowledge of the operation said that "much of the
actionable intelligence" had been garnered from the "strenuous interrogation" of
Iraqi prisoners being held in Abu Ghraib prison. The discovery comes just days after
news reports on alleged prisoner abuse by U.S. personnel at Abu Ghraib – allegations
which threatened to become a major scandal, and perhaps an obstacle to Mr. Bush’s
chances for re-election in the fall.

But today’s news will likely sweep away such concerns, along with the lingering
doubts over the existence of Iraq’s WMD, and the resulting discontent with a war
that has proven more difficult to end than most people expected. The crowds that
spontaneously appeared outside the White House and at Ground Zero in New York to
cheer the news seemed to bear out this analysis.

"He was right all along, he was right to invade, he was right to treat these prisoners
like the animals they are," said Sandra Lucas, a day-care teacher from Baltimore who
came to the White House to celebrate.

"You gotta do what it takes to get the job done," said Ken Mahafalous, a stockbroker
who joined the Ground Zero crowd. "If it takes a war to keep us safe, if it takes a
little rough stuff now and then, that’s what you do. I admit I had my doubts – and I
didn’t vote for Bush in the first place – but this is real leadership, making the tough
calls. My hat’s off to him. USA! USA!"

There was wide bipartisan praise for the operation and for Mr. Bush’s "gutsy" call in
launching the war and persevering with the occupation despite the doubts and the
criticism. The few dissenting voices were swiftly rebuked for "politicizing" a moment
of national unity. Sen. Ross Feingold (D-WI) was widely denounced for his skeptical
comments after Bush’s announcement.

"They destroyed all evidence of the weapons as soon as they found them in a top-
secret operation? That doesn’t make sense to me," Feingold said in an interview with
NBC’s Tim Russert. "Now no one else can independently confirm what actually
happened. We are supposed to take the administration’s word at face value – no
questions asked. I’m not saying the weapons weren’t there, but force-feeding a
docile public with unconfirmable statements – especially about matters which have
been swathed in murk and mystery for years – this is not the way a democracy is
supposed to work."

Feingold’s remarks drew the ire of prominent commentators such as Parton Digby.

"I expect this from a Neanderthal drunk in a bar today, but coming from a US
Senator it's enough to make you sick," Digby wrote. "But I think Feingold’s motives
are probably fairly prosaic. He’s up for re-election and wants to shore up his antiwar
cred among the fringe left. The moonbats are in desperate need of a fresh
conspiracy theory and this one has the potential to be a doozy. I mean, why else
would anyone ever express the slightest skepticism about our government’s covert
actions? You either have to be crazy, or else pushing some partisan agenda. Or
maybe both."

Although the discovery and destruction of Iraq’s WMD was the aim of the 2003
invasion, President Bush made it clear that the war will go on.

"We are not yet safe from those who hate us for our freedoms and our way of life,"
said Mr. Bush. "We must in fact redouble our efforts to ensure the safety of our
children and bring democracy and stability to these volatile swamps of extremism.
And we can expect our enemies to strike back even harder in response to our
triumph today. But to them, I say: bring it on. For we are America. And America can
do whatever we set our mind to."