Scott McClellan re-opening the pre-war debate allows all of us to go back and examine where we were at the time.
The public has the right to believe in the President, to believe that high office would never mislead, deceive, or otherwise lie about matters of such grave import.
Not so the media. It is their job to be ensure that the truth be told. I knew what was happening in 2002. I remember the frustration in trying to explain to friends, family, co-workers, strangers that the war was a con job. Nobody listened.
I knew in part because of this article
Knight Ridder got it right:
Paper: Houston Chronicle
Date: TUE 10/08/2002
Section: A
Page: 11
Edition: 3 STAR
Some administration officials expressing misgivings on Iraq
By WARREN P. STROBEL, JONATHAN S. LANDAY
Knight-Ridder Tribune News
WASHINGTON - While President Bush marshals congressional and international support for invading Iraq, a growing number of military officers, intelligence professionals and diplomats in his own government privately have deep misgivings about the administration's double-time march toward war.
These officials charge that administration hawks have exaggerated evidence of the threat that Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein poses - including distorting his links to the al-Qaida terrorist network - have overstated the amount of international support for attacking Iraq and have downplayed the potential repercussions of a new war in the Middle East.
They charge that the administration squelches dissenting views and that intelligence analysts are under intense pressure to produce reports supporting the White House's argument that Saddam poses such an immediate threat to the United States that pre-emptive military action is necessary.
"Analysts at the working level in the intelligence community are feeling very strong pressure from the Pentagon to cook the intelligence books," said one official, speaking on condition of anonymity.
A dozen other officials echoed his views in interviews.
No one who was interviewed disagreed.
Note the date: October 8, 2002
And there is this particularly disturbing paragraph:
None of the dissenting officials, who work in a number of different agencies, would agree to speak publicly, out of fear of retribution. But many of them have long experience in the Middle East and South Asia, and all spoke in similar terms about their unease with the way U.S. political leaders are dealing with Iraq.
Jonathan Landay, Warren Strobel, and Nancy Youssef discuss their work in a great article at McClatchy (who purchased Knight Ridder) -here
We all owe them a debt of gratitude for the fine job they did. Even if almost nobody listened.