a video history of the iraq war and it’s...
TRANSCRIPT
-
Iraq A VIDEO HISTORY OF THE IRAQ WAR AND IT’S AFTERMATH
AMERICA IN
part 1
-
AMERICA IN IRAQ 2003 – 2014 / WHAT HAPPENED?
A VIDEO EXPLORATION OF A DECADE OF WAR AND ITS AFTERMATH
-
PART 1: THE DECISION
Iraq
-
IRAQ IS ABOUT THE
SAME SIZE AS CA.
-
IRAQ HAS ALWAYS BEEN A NATION OF MULTIPLE TRIBES WITH ETHNIC AND RELIGIOUS DIVISIONS.
-
THE EVENTS OF 9-11 CHANGED THE
PARADIGM OF THE GOVERNMENT.
-
You will recall that following 9/11 President BUSH and his advisors would
craft the American response to the attack. It was developed over a
series of meetings.
-
THE PRESIDENT chaired two meetings with THE NATIONAL SECUIRITY COUNCIL (NSC) on SEPTEMBER 12th 2001
SEPTEMBER 12TH 2001
-
COLIN POWELL
SECRETARY OF STATE
G.W. BUSH
PRESIDENT
DICK CHENEY
VICE PRESIDENT
HENRY SHELTON
CHAIR, JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF
SEPTEMBER 12TH 2001
-
The weekend following the attacks the
President would convene a group
he called the THE WAR COUNCIL
for a meeting at Camp David
to discuss plans for a U.S. response.
First, he would
need authorization to use military
force. He sought it from Congress on Friday, 9/14...
-
ATTACK
On Friday, 9/14 Congress
passed the
AUMF THE
AUTHORIAZATION TO USE MILITARY
FORCE
It authorized the use of United States Armed Forces against those responsible for the attacks on September 11, 2001. It granted the
President the authority to use all "necessary and appropriate force" against those whom he determined "planned, authorized,
committed or aided" the September 11th attacks, or who harbored said persons or groups.”
In the Senate it passed 98-0.
In the House of
Representatives it passed
420-1.
The sole dissenting vote came from BARBARA LEE
a Democrat from California.
NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL MEETINGS
AUMF APPROVED BY CONGRESS
CAMP DAVID MEETINGS
-
CAMP DAVID
ROUTE 40
THE COZY
On the weekend of September 15th and 16th President BUSH convened the WAR COUNCIL at CAMP DAVID in Thurmont, Maryland.
-
THE PRESIDENT’S WAR COUNCIL: NOTE WHO IS PRESENT.
-
AT THE MEETING,
PAUL WOLFOWITZ, 2ND IN
COMMAND AT THE
PENTAGON, ARGUED TO
ATTACK AFGHANISTAN
AND IRAQ SIMULTANIOUSLY.
COLIN POWELL ARGUED AGAINST THE IDEA.
HE ORDERED A DOSSIER TO
BE PREPARED THAT WOULD
BUILD THE CASE AGAINST
SADDAM.
BACKGROUND
-
CONTAINMENT
PREEMPTION
The 2 Basic Policies of the BUSH Administration
WOLFOWITZ CHENEY RUMSFELD POWELL RICE
VS. • USES ATTACK TO CONTROL
AGGRESSION AND IS USUALLY
DONE AS A RESPONSE TO
A PREVIOUS ACTION.
•DOES NOT ATTEMPT TO REMOVE
A REGIEME FROM POWER.
•RICE WOULD MOVE TO PREEMPTION.
•USES AN ATTACK TO KEEP
ANOTHER NATION FROM
ATTACKING FIRST. IT IS
BASED ON INTELLIGENCE
AND WHAT WE THINK THE
OTHER NATION WILL DO.
•MAY TRY FOR REGIEME
CHANGE.
-
THE POLICY OF
PREEMPTION BECAME
KNOWN AS THE BUSH
DOCTRINE.
-
The Bush Administration
believed that IRAQ was
holding WMD (Weapons of
Mass Destruction) that
might make their way
into the hands of Al Qaeda.
Under the “Bush Doctrine” of pre-emption, it was not necessary to wait for an attack in order to act against Iraq.
-
SEPTEMBER 12, 2002
PRESIDENT BUSH ADDRESSES THE UN AND
WARNS THEM OF THE ‘GRAVE AND
GATHERING DANGER’ OF IRAQ. HE
ASKS THEM TO JOIN OR “STAND
ASIDE AS THE US ACTS.”
6 MONTHS
TO INVASION
2002
SEPTEMBER
AUGUST
JULY
JUNE
MAY
APRIL
-
HE WAS SEEKING A U.N RESOLUTION THAT
WOULD FORCE WEAPONS INSPECTORS BACK INTO IRAQ.
-
HE WAS SEEKING A U.N RESOLUTION THAT
WOULD FORCE WEAPONS INSPECTORS BACK INTO IRAQ.
THE BACKGROUND • From 1980 to 1988 Iraq and Iran were at war. The U.S. sided with Iraq (Saddam Hussein) and
supplied the nation with WMD.
• In Feb. of 1994, Senator Donald Riegle (R – Michigan) delivered the
REIGLE REPORT to congress. In it he outlined the sales deals
made to Iraq in 1985. It read...
"Records available from the supplier for the period from 1985 until the present show that during this time, pathogenic, toxigenic, and other biological research materials were exported to Iraq pursuant to application and licensing by the U.S. Department of Commerce. These exported biological materials were not attenuated or weakened and were capable of reproduction."
NEW YORK TIMES – Jan 25, 1992
-
The IRAN-IRAQ war ended in 1998.
In 1990 IRAQ invaded KUWAIT, resulting in the “Persian Gulf War.”
The USA began “Operation Desert Storm” in 1991. A coalition of 34
nations ejected Saddam Hussein’s forces from Kuwait.
Many soldiers in the coalition developed illnesses commonly called
GULF WAR SYNDROME. It was determined in the REIGLE REPORT that
soldiers were exposed to chemical agents (including Sarin) during the war.
-
A cease fire was negotiated by
the UN. It contained a provision
to eliminate WMD from Iraq.
Security Council Resolution 687
deployed UN weapons inspectors
to Iraq in 1991.
Iraq filed a series of reports from
1991-1998. Some facilities were
destroyed and Iraq claimed to have
suspended production in several
facilities. The Iraqis were often
uncooperative.
In 1998, Iraq halted cooperation with the U.N. forcing all inspectors out of the country.
-
2002
SEPTEMBER
AUGUST
JULY
JUNE
MAY
APRIL
6 MONTHS
TO INVASION
SEPTEMBER 19, 2002
Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri
delivered a letter to the UN from
Saddam Hussein stating that Iraq
had no chemical, nuclear or
biological weapons.
The letter came 7 days after
the Bush address.
-
ON NOVEMBER 8, 2002
THE UNITED NATIONS
ISSUED SECURITY
COUNCIL RESOLUTION
#1441.
IT REQUIRED WEAPONS
INSPECTORS TO
RE-ENTER IRAQ.
THE CHIEF WEAPONS INSPECTOR
WAS THIS MAN...
-
HANS BLIX Under him, inspections resumed
on Nov. 27, with the cooperation of
Iraq. They supplied a 12,000 page
report on their WMD programs on
December 7th 2002.
-
2003
JUNE
MAY
APRIL
MARCH
FEBRUARY
JANUARY
2 MONTHS
TO INVASION
JANUARY 28, 2003
PRESIDENT BUSH’S STATE
OF THE UNION ADDRESS
LAYS THE FOUNDATION
FOR WAR...
-
STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS President George W. Bush -January 28, 2003 – 8 Minutes
-
AS THE ADMINISTRATION PREPARED
A CASE FOR WAR AGAINST IRAQ, SECRETARY
OF STATE COLIN POWELL WAS DISPATCHED
TO THE UN ON FEB. 5, 2003 TO GIVE A SPEECH
LINKING IRAQ TO WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION.
HE SUGGESTED IRAQ WAS PRODUCING ANTHRAX.
-
2003
JUNE
MAY
APRIL
MARCH
FEBRUARY
JANUARY
1 MONTH
TO INVASION
FEBRUARY 5, 2003
SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN
POWELL ADDRESS THE U.N.
SECURITY COUNCIL.
-
In the presentation Powell claimed
Iraq had mobile production
facilities that could be concealed
on trucks.
He stated
Iraq was
creating
Anthrax
and Boxulinum Toxin and could
produce enough in a single month
to kill thousands.
Holding up a test tube, he claimed Iraq could
dry the agents making them easier to
disperse.
-
COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE
AT THE UNITED NATIONS, FEBRUARY 6TH
, 2003
-
–
-
Iraq A VIDEO HISTORY OF THE IRAQ WAR AND IT’S AFTERMATH
AMERICA IN
part 2
-
PART 2: SHOCK AND AWE Iraq
-
MARCH 7TH 2003
UN WEAPONS INSPECTOR
HANS BLIX SAYS IRAQ HAS
ACCELERATED COOPERATION
BUT HE NEEDS MORE TIME
TO FILE HIS REPORT.
2003
MARCH
FEBRUARY
JANUARY
DECEMBER
NOVEMBER
OCTOBER
12 DAYS
TO INVASION
-
Dr. Blix headed U.N. teams that
searched hundreds of sites in
Iraq for WMD in the months prior
to the March 2003 invasion. They
found no active programs and no
stockpile of weapons. Blix, though
he personally suspected that
Saddam might possess banned
weapons, came under fire from
the U.S. for failing to find
stockpiles of anthrax and other
weapons right away.
-
On March 7, 2003 President Bush addressed the nation to warn them war was immanent.
In his address, he gave Saddam Hussein and his sons 48 hours to leave Baghdad.
He warned journalists to leave the country.
View key points...
-
THE WAR BEGAN MARCH 19, 2003
AMERICANS WATCHED LIVE ON TV...
-
CBS NEWS – DAN RATHER REPORTING
March 19, 2003
-
AS HANS BLIX
WAS FINISHING
HIS TOUR AS CHIEF
WEAPONS INSPECTOR
HE WAS BEING
REPLACED BY THIS
MAN...
DAVID KAY
-
Dr. Kay is a former U.N.
weapons inspector who
helped uncover and
destroy Iraq's nuclear
weapons program after
the 1991 Gulf War. He
replaced Hans Blix as
the head of the Iraq
Survey Group (ISG), a
U.S.-led coalition team
numbering more than
1,000 military and
intelligence personnel.
-
In January, 2004
KAY resigned, stating
that Iraq did not have
WMD and that "I think
there were stockpiles at
the end of the first Gulf
War and a combination
of U.N. inspectors and
unilateral Iraqi action
got rid of them.".
He did, however maintain support for Bush’s invasion of Iraq, stating the regime was dangerous...
-
KAY’S FINDINGS
MIRRORED THAT
OF HIS
PREDACESSOR,
HANS BLIX...
-
Prior to the start of the war HANS BLIX stated that he had found “no weapons of mass destruction... only a small number of empty chemical munitions.
In 2004 Blix said “there were about 700 inspections and in no case did we find weapons of mass destruction.”
-
IN an interview on BBC 1 on 8 February 2004, Blix accused the
US and British governments of
dramatizing the threat of weapons
of mass destruction in Iraq, in
order to strengthen the case for
the 2003 war against the
government of Saddam Hussein.
According to THE WASHINGTON
POST (4-14-02) the CIA was
ordered to investigate BLIX so as
to gather “sufficient ammunition
to undermine him” in order to
bolster support for the
Iraqi invasion.
-
In 2003, JOE WILSON and his wife would have
a similar experience after he openly criticized
BUSH’s invasion of Iraq.
-
In 2002, Wilson’s wife VALERIE PLAME, an undercover
CIA agent was helping to determine whether Iraq was
in possession of WMD.
Some believed that Saddam Hussein had attempted to buy
Uranium from the African nation of NIGER.
-
From 1996-1998 JOE
WILSON served as a
diplomat to five
African nations
including NIGER.
His wife, Valarie was asked by
her superiors if he would be
interested in traveling to NIGER
to determine the likelihood that
Saddam Hussein had attempted
to purchase enriched YELLOW-
CAKE Uranium.
Wilson concluded
he had not.
-
Wilson was horrified to hear President BUSH claim they had in his 2003 State of the Union address...
President Bush - 2003
These “16 WORDS” were used as proof that Iraq had nuclear capability...
-
On July 6, 2003 Wilson wrote an
editorial in the New York Times
criticizing Bush’s rush
to war...
-
I was convinced before the war that the threat of weapons of mass
destruction in the hands of Saddam Hussein required a vigorous and
sustained international response to disarm him. Iraq possessed and
had used chemical weapons; it had an active biological weapons
program and quite possibly a nuclear research program—all of
which were in violation of United Nations resolutions. Having
encountered Mr. Hussein and his thugs in the run-up to the Persian
Gulf war of 1991, I was only too aware of the dangers he posed. But
were these dangers the same ones the administration told us about?
We have to find out. America's foreign policy depends on the
sanctity of its information. For this reason, questioning the selective
use of intelligence to justify the war in Iraq is neither idle sniping nor
"revisionist history", as Mr. Bush has suggested. The act of war is
the last option of a democracy, taken when there is a grave threat to
our national security. More than 200 American soldiers have lost
their lives in Iraq already. We have a duty to ensure that their
sacrifice came for the right reasons.
-
The week after the publication
of Wilson's New York Times op
ed, Robert Novak, in his
syndicated Washington Post
column, disclosed that
Wilson's wife, Valerie Plame,
worked for the CIA as an
agency operative.
Subsequently, former
Ambassador Wilson and
others alleged that the
disclosure was part of the
Bush administration's
attempts to discredit his
report about his investigations
in Africa and the op-ed
describing his findings
because they did not support
the government's rationale for
the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
-
DICK ARMATIGE
Deputy Secretary of State admitted to being the leaker – although
he said it was inadvertent. He did not know of her undercover status when
he mentioned her to Robert Novak of the
Washington Post. No charges filed.
SCOTTER LIBBY
He was VP Dick Cheney's Chief of Staff. He had also leaked Plame’s name to a journalist with the NY Times,
w/o publication. Libby was charged with perjury and obstruction of justice.
Bush commuted his sentence.
KARL ROVE / CHRIS MATTHEWS
Two weeks after Joe Wilson’s article appeared and one week after Robert
Novak betrayed Plame’s identity, President Bush’s senior political advisor phoned
MSNBC’s talk show host Chris Matthews and told him “Wilson’s wife is FAIR GAME.
They then created a narrative that suggested Plame sent her husband to
Niger to further his career, and thus his report was tainted and invalid.
-
FAIR GAME, based on the book by the
same name offers
great insight into how
the CIA gathered info
about WMD in Iraq
and the lengths the
government would go
to discredit those who
disagreed with them.
-
END PART ONE