The election returns in Iraq have been certified. It feels good to say it, doesn't? Democracy, that holiest form of political expression has taken hold in what was a bastion of oppression. Now that we've achieved our goal in Iraq, I think it's good to take a look at the inspiring speech the president made in 2002, calling upon the need for this action.
Let's reminisce...
First of all, let us be clear and honest about the nature of the situation in Iraq. There is no evidence the nation poses a threat. After years of sanctions, its military capabilities have evaporated, and its infrastructure collapsed. Neither is there any real evidence of any WMD programs. It is also important to stress -- and I must say this emphatically to the American people -- there is no link between Iraq and Al Qaeda. I repeat, there is no link between Iraq and Al Qaeda. The CIA and top terrorism experts in my administration have been carefully monitoring this situation for years, and are convinced of this fact. However, I still believe that it is necessary to invade, conquer, and occupy Iraq in order to build a democracy there.
I won't lie to you. The war is likely to cost hundreds of billions of dollars, and thousands of US fatalities. Even grimmer, the result of this military action will probably cause the death of over 100,000 innocent Iraqi civilians, the vast majority of which will be women and children.
Also, my military experts advise me that the war will likely cause an insurgency that could lead to a civil war that may take years if not decades to resolve.
And although Iraq does not have any ties to terrorism now, once the stability of the nation collapses as the result of our invasion, terrorist forces will likely move in, making it one of the hotbeds for terrorism in the Middle East.
Still, the Iraqi people cannot vote in elections. I believe that once other nations see the United States invade this Middle Eastern country, and turn their cities into parking lots, and then see the people there risking their lives to come out and vote amidst a chaos we created, the idea of democracy will take hold in this region. That is why I implore congress to support the resolution to authorize the use of force against Iraq. (Cheers, applause.)
Well, we all know what happened next. In an astounding display of bipartisanship, congress unanimously granted Bush the power to wage war with Iraq, and all his promises came to fruition. It's a mystery as to how anyone could have ever opposed it.