As expected, President Bush’s speech on Tuesday was laden
with unsubstantiated pro-war propaganda aimed at trying to garner
support for his war.
President Bush said Hussein is a clear threat because he
possesses biological and chemical weapons. He also said Hussein is
working on building a nuclear bomb that could threaten the national
security of the United States. But as with his previous dealings
with the Iraqi issue, Bush provided no convincing evidence to
suggest any intention of using weapons of mass destruction against
the United States is imminent. Bush said there is evidence, but
continues to find it necessary to withhold it from the American
public.
Intelligence information may be classified, but America deserves
to know why it should send its citizens to die in a war it knows
little about, especially if the war is going to be mounted
illegally without many allies or the consent of international laws.
If times are as desperate as Bush makes them out to be, then no
other measure than making conclusive, factual statements about the
evidence he speaks of could be more important right now. Until he
does so, Americans have a right to feel skeptical about his
ulterior motives in this war.
Bush was quick to call Hussein a “murderous tyrant,”
but unless he justifies his war to the American public and the
international community by backing it up with facts and
demonstrating compliance with international protocol, he can begin
calling himself that.