"Blaming"

When George Washington was young, his father gave him a hatchet. He tried to cut down a cherry tree with it. His father noticed the cuts on the tree, and asked his son how they got there. "I cannot tell a lie," George said, "I did it with my hatchet." Perhaps George Washington had no hatchet, and perhaps there were no cherry trees where he grew up.

The following was reported in 2003:

President Bush said Saturday he had confidence in CIA Director George Tenet despite his agency's failure to warn Bush against making allegations about Iraq's nuclear weapons program later found false

Bush asserted in his State of the Union address in January that Iraq had sought nuclear materials from Africa. Nearly six months later, the White House acknowledged the charge was false, and the tempest that followed has shadowed Bush on his five-country trip through Africa.

In a carefully scripted mea culpa, the White House on Friday blamed the CIA for its January misstep, with Bush saying the CIA had reviewed his address and did not raise any alarms. Tenet finished the job hours later with a dramatic statement accepting responsibility.

President Bush said Saturday he had confidence in CIA Director George Tenet despite his agency's failure to warn Bush against making allegations about Iraq's nuclear weapons program later found false.

``Yes I do, absolutely,'' Bush said. ``I've got confidence in George Tenet. I've got confidence in the men and women who work at the CIA and I look forward to working with them as we win this war on terror.''

The president spoke in Abuja, Nigeria, at the end of a five-country trip through Africa.

Bush considers the matter closed, said White House spokesman Ari Fleischer. ``The President has moved on,'' he said.

It is now many months later, in January 2004, and our head weapons inspector has said in essence that the WMD's are not in Iraq, and probably were not there when we invaded that country. The media and the congress are examining all of the information, while trying to "understand" what did happen to the WMD's. The CIA is not, nor has it been a disassociated organization, It is part of the Executive branch. The Vice President too, continues to make statements regarding WMD's as well that are at odds with the reports of the inspectors.

What ever happened to taking responsibility for the actions of the Executive branch of the government? WE WENT TO WAR FOR THE WRONG REASONS. Why is the media pussyfooting around? Be outraged. Men, women and children have been killed and mutilated for the wrong reason. Resign, fire someone, fire everyone, but PLEASE don't say that the world is better off without Sadaam.

And most of all, we don't need the White House Press Secretary to say, "The President is moving on" We need the President to say "We were wrong. Perhaps we did the right thing for the wrong reason. I have asked for the resignation of George Tennent, and we are launching a thorough investigation of the agency by a bi-partisan group We were operating in the best interests of our great nation, and we made a mistake.

For goodness sake say it, WE MADE A MISTAKE

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