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Map of Iraq


Does Bill think the war in Iraq was "sold" to the public?

Sure. Absolutely. I mean, the Bush Administration believed that in order to fight Islamo-fascism, they had to create what they called satellite states to the United States—countries sympathetic to us in the Middle East— to squeeze Iran, which is emerging as our main enemy. So they had Afghanistan—very successful, very quick—and they said, you know, we can do this to Saddam, who violated the first Gulf War cease fire 17 times. We have the legal authority to do it, we have the moral authority to do it, and we believe he's got these weapons that he's gonna hand off to anybody who wants 'em.

So that was the strategy. Squeeze Iran, have a country—Afghanistan, on one side, Iraq on the other side—that are democracies, fledgling but growing, and give the terrorists no room to operate.

Now, it didn't go well in Iraq, obviously. It's a mess. But that is the geopolitical strategy. I can't find any evidence of lies. I don't believe Colin Powell's a liar. I don't believe Tony Blair's a liar. So if you're gonna say Bush is one, you have to say the other two are.