Former President George W. Bush told Bob Shieffer of CBS News that invasion was the "right decision." (Photo: CBS/Screen Shot)
Nov 10, 2014
George W. Bush does not regret his decision to invade Iraq in 2003, and he advocates more war in response to the rise of the militant group Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
In an interview that aired Sunday, the former two-term president told Bob Schieffer of CBS News, "I think it was the right decision [to go into Iraq]."
"My regret is that...a violent group of people have risen up again," he continued. "This is 'Al Qaeda plus'...they need to be defeated. And I hope we do...I hope the strategy works."
Bush reiterated his discredited justification for the initial invasion. "I went in there as a result of a very changed environment because of September the 11th," he said. "And the danger we were concerned about was that the weapons...would be put into the hands of terrorist groups that would come and make the attacks of 9/11 pale in comparison."
According to a 2008 study by the Center for Public Integrity, in the two years following September 11, 2001, Bush and his top aides told at least 935 documented lies to the public about alleged security risks posed by Iraq under Saddam Hussein.
Bush's nod towards non-existent WMDs was not seriously challenged in the interview, which critics charge provided an uncritical platform for Bush to promote his new book and the legacy of himself and his family.
In the interview, Bush indicated that there is a "fifty-fifty" chance that his brother, Jeb Bush, will run for the presidency in 2016, raising the specter of a third Bush presidency.
Join Us: News for people demanding a better world
Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place. We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference. Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Sarah Lazare
Sarah Lazare was a staff writer for Common Dreams from 2013-2016. She is currently web editor and reporter for In These Times.
George W. Bush does not regret his decision to invade Iraq in 2003, and he advocates more war in response to the rise of the militant group Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
In an interview that aired Sunday, the former two-term president told Bob Schieffer of CBS News, "I think it was the right decision [to go into Iraq]."
"My regret is that...a violent group of people have risen up again," he continued. "This is 'Al Qaeda plus'...they need to be defeated. And I hope we do...I hope the strategy works."
Bush reiterated his discredited justification for the initial invasion. "I went in there as a result of a very changed environment because of September the 11th," he said. "And the danger we were concerned about was that the weapons...would be put into the hands of terrorist groups that would come and make the attacks of 9/11 pale in comparison."
According to a 2008 study by the Center for Public Integrity, in the two years following September 11, 2001, Bush and his top aides told at least 935 documented lies to the public about alleged security risks posed by Iraq under Saddam Hussein.
Bush's nod towards non-existent WMDs was not seriously challenged in the interview, which critics charge provided an uncritical platform for Bush to promote his new book and the legacy of himself and his family.
In the interview, Bush indicated that there is a "fifty-fifty" chance that his brother, Jeb Bush, will run for the presidency in 2016, raising the specter of a third Bush presidency.
Sarah Lazare
Sarah Lazare was a staff writer for Common Dreams from 2013-2016. She is currently web editor and reporter for In These Times.
George W. Bush does not regret his decision to invade Iraq in 2003, and he advocates more war in response to the rise of the militant group Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
In an interview that aired Sunday, the former two-term president told Bob Schieffer of CBS News, "I think it was the right decision [to go into Iraq]."
"My regret is that...a violent group of people have risen up again," he continued. "This is 'Al Qaeda plus'...they need to be defeated. And I hope we do...I hope the strategy works."
Bush reiterated his discredited justification for the initial invasion. "I went in there as a result of a very changed environment because of September the 11th," he said. "And the danger we were concerned about was that the weapons...would be put into the hands of terrorist groups that would come and make the attacks of 9/11 pale in comparison."
According to a 2008 study by the Center for Public Integrity, in the two years following September 11, 2001, Bush and his top aides told at least 935 documented lies to the public about alleged security risks posed by Iraq under Saddam Hussein.
Bush's nod towards non-existent WMDs was not seriously challenged in the interview, which critics charge provided an uncritical platform for Bush to promote his new book and the legacy of himself and his family.
In the interview, Bush indicated that there is a "fifty-fifty" chance that his brother, Jeb Bush, will run for the presidency in 2016, raising the specter of a third Bush presidency.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.