Bush-Cheney administration/hypocrisy

Overview

This page is about hypocritical statements made by George W. Bush, members of his administration, or those most ardently supporting him.

The List

Filibustering

• The Filibuster Flip-Flop: multiple quotes from Republican members of the 109th US Congress stating their opposition to filibustering – a procedure whose value their remaining members in the 110th US Congress seem to have abruptly discovered and are now using with far more zeal than the Democrats ever did.

Troop Withdrawal

Bush's position when he was governor of Texas, criticizing Clinton's Kosovo strategy, echoing the 2000 US Republican Party Platform:

1999-04-09, Houston Chronicle1:

Victory means exit strategy, and it’s important for the president to explain to us what the exit strategy is.

1999-06-05, Scripps Howard/Seattle Post-Intelligencer1:

I think it’s also important for the president to lay out a timetable as to how long they will be involved and when they will be withdrawn.

2000-10-03, debating Al Gore on the question "How would you go about, as president, deciding when it was in the national interest to use U.S. force? Generally.":

Well, if it's in our vital national interests. And that means whether or not our territory -- our territory is threatened, our people could be harmed, whether or not our alliances -- our defense alliances are threatened, whether or not our friends in the Middle East are threatened. That would be a time to seriously consider the use of force. Secondly, whether or not the mission was clear, whether or not it was a clear understanding as to what the mission would be. Thirdly, whether or not we were prepared and trained to win, whether or not our forces were of high morale and high standing and well-equipped. And finally, whether or not there was an exit strategy. I would take the use of force very seriously. I would be guarded in my approach. I don't think we can be all things to all people in the world. I think we've got to be very careful when we commit our troops. The vice president and I have a disagreement about the use of troops. He believes in nation-building. I would be very careful about using our troops as nation builders.

Bush's position in 2007, when he was defending his own lack of exit plan for Iraq:

George W. Bush, 2007-04-23, Statement by the President on the War in Iraq:

I believe artificial timetables of withdrawal would be a mistake. ... I will strongly reject an artificial timetable withdrawal and/or Washington politicians trying to tell those who wear the uniform how to do their job.

Dick Cheney, 2007-04-13, Vice President's Remarks to the Heritage Foundation:

The ... attempt to micromanage our commanders is an unwise and perilous endeavor. It is impossible to argue that an unconditional timetable for retreat could serve the security interests of the United States or our friends in the region.

White House press secretary Dana Perino, 2007-04-23, Press Briefing by Dana Perino, giving the official position in response to Senator Harry Reid's position on withdrawal:

He’s also in denial that a surrender date he thinks is a good idea. It is not a good idea. It is defeat. It is a death sentence for the millions of Iraqis who voted for a constitution, who voted for a government, who voted for a free and democratic society.

The hypocrisy of changing his position to suit his needs, without apology or explanation, is compounded by the following facts:

• His extreme condemnations of those who use those same arguments (the 1999 criticisms of Clinton) to criticize his actions regarding Iraq.
• Bush has repeatedly overridden the advice of his top generals and forced the resignation of those who disagreed with him[?].
• The Balkan Intervention was a tremendous success, while the US invasion of Iraq has been an even more tremendous failure: Balkans vs. Iraq

Mission Accomplished

Regarding the infamous "Mission Accomplished" banner:

Russ Daggatt said:

As you may recall, when the "Mission Accomplished" banner later proved to be an embarrassment, Bush tried to blame it on the ship's crew, claiming that the White House had nothing to do with it. At a news conference on October 28, 2003, Bush said that the sign, "of course, was put up by the members of the USS Lincoln, saying that their mission was accomplished. I know it was attributed some how to some ingenious advance man from my staff – they weren't that ingenious, by the way." Later, the White House admitted that, in fact, they had the banner made up for the occasion. Typical of Bush to lie, evade responsibility and use those serving in the military as mere props to serve his own political agenda.]

in Contrary Brin (quoted in main article), 2007-05-08

Sources

1

• FLASHBACK: In 1999, Bush Demanded A Timetable (Full Texts)

Acknowledgements

• 2007-05-01 FLASHBACK: In 1999, Bush Demanded A Timetable