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Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Saturday, October 01, 2005 10:50 AM The Heavy Burden of Retrieving Fallen Americans in Iraq: "They say 75 percent of the people die in their sleep, and here, the people all die when they are awake," said Captain Moore, 47, of Virginia. "They are young and awake, and I'm sure they'd want to die like John Wayne, with a bayonet in their hand, marching across a field, but it doesn't end up that way." "Sometimes the dead soldiers are in body bags only this big," he said, holding his hands about a foot apart. "It's discouraging." We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,470 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 884 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	That Was Then Posted: Saturday, October 01, 2005 10:51 AM I believe demolishing Hussein's military power and liberating Iraq would be a cakewalk. —Ken Adelman, February 13, 2002
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Saturday, October 01, 2005 10:52 AM First, let me make it very clear, poor people aren't necessarily killers. Just because you happen to be not rich doesn't mean you're willing to kill. —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., May 19, 2003
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Sunday, October 02, 2005 11:22 AM 2 More U.S. Soldiers Killed in Iraq: Two U.S. soldiers were killed by explosions while on patrols Saturday -- one in Baghdad and another in Beiji, 155 miles north of the capital, the military said. At least 1,935 service members have died since the Iraq war started in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,471 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 885 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	That Was Then Posted: Sunday, October 02, 2005 11:24 AM Simply stated, there is no doubt that Saddam Hussein now has weapons of mass destruction. There is no doubt that he is amassing them to use against our friends, our allies and against us.   —Dick Cheney, August 26, 2002
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Sunday, October 02, 2005 11:24 AM Thanks to the bravery of our military, and to friends and allies, the regime of Saddam Hussein is no more. The world is peaceful and free. —George W. Bush, Chicago, Illinois, June 11, 2003
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Monday, October 03, 2005 10:16 AM U.S. Uses 'Iron Fist' in Iraq: Qaim, Iraq — A U.S. offensive aimed at al-Qaeda in Iraq insurgents in western Iraq entered its third day Monday, with air strikes in a town on the banks of the Euphrates River, witnesses said. At least 36 militants have died since the fighting began, officials said. No serious U.S. casualties have been reported in the “Iron Fist” offensive by 1,000 Marines, soldiers and sailors near the Syrian border. Back on the home front, Rumsfeld and the Pentagon have been dragging their heels on reimbursing soldiers for spending their own money on essential battlefield equipment not supplied by our government: Reimbursement Program for Troops Stalls. WASHINGTON, Oct. 2 - The Pentagon has not completed guidelines for allowing soldiers, their families and charities to be reimbursed for some combat equipment they bought for use in Iraq and Afghanistan, a year after the passage of legislation calling for such a program. The measure, which allows for groups and individuals to make claims of up to $1,100, called for the Department of Defense to set rules for a reimbursement program by February 2005. The sponsor of the original legislation, Senator Christopher J. Dodd, Democrat of Connecticut, says he plans to introduce an amendment to a defense bill this week to take authority for the program from Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and give it to military commanders in the field. ... Sgt. Todd B. Bowers, a Marine Corps reservist attending George Washington University here, has served two tours in Iraq. Sergeant Bowers said a rifle scope and goggles that his father bought for him saved his sight when he was shot in the face by a sniper last October. Mr. Bowers spent about $900 for the equipment. "There are a lot of people serving in the military who do not have the income to pay for some equipment," he said in a telephone interview. "It is not fair that those who have the money can be better prepared than others." Officials in the Defense Department initially opposed the program last year, arguing that it would be a financial burden and could undermine the accountability and effectiveness of equipment used in combat. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,472 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 886 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	That Was Then Posted: Monday, October 03, 2005 10:19 AM From a marketing point of view, you don't introduce new products in August. —Andrew Card, September 7, 2002
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Monday, October 03, 2005 10:20 AM And I'm glad Laura is here tonight. In my book, she's a fabulous First Lady. And I love her a lot and I hope she loves me a lot for dragging her out of Texas.   —George W. Bush, Dallas, Texas, July 18, 2003
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Tuesday, October 04, 2005 10:31 AM Five U.S. Troops Killed Monday in Iraq Attacks: BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Four U.S. soldiers and a Marine have been killed in attacks in Iraq, military officials said Tuesday. The deaths were announced on the same day as U.S.-led forces launched offensives in the western province of Anbar, where four of the troops died. ... Separately, a U.S. Marine was killed in action Monday by a roadside bomb in the Anbar city of Karabila, the military said. The Marine was assigned to the same combat team as the soldiers and was involved in Operation Iron Fist. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,473 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 887 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	That Was Then Posted: Tuesday, October 04, 2005 10:33 AM Right now, Iraq is expanding and improving facilities used for the production of biological weapons. —George W. Bush, September 12, 2002
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Tuesday, October 04, 2005 10:34 AM It changes when you walk into a shut-in's house, and say, "Can I love you?" or "Can I help you?"   —George W. Bush, Trenton, New Jersey, September 23, 2002
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Thursday, October 06, 2005 7:45 AM President Bush is furious with Senate Republicans for passing a measure that would forbid U.S. soldiers to torture prisoners: Senate Moves to Protect Military Prisoners Despite Veto Threat. The measure ignited a fierce debate among many Senate Republicans and the White House, which threatened to veto a $440 billion military spending bill if the detention amendment was tacked on, saying it would bind the president's hands in wartime. Nonetheless, the measure passed, 90 to 9, with 46 Republicans, including Bill Frist of Tennessee, the majority leader, joining 43 Democrats and one independent in favor. More than two dozen retired senior military officers, including Colin L. Powell and John M. Shalikashvili, two former chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, endorsed the amendment, which would ban use of "cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment" against anyone in United States government custody. It would also require all American troops to use only interrogation techniques authorized in a new Army field manual. It would not cover techniques used by the Central Intelligence Agency. Evidently the CIA does not have enough agents to conduct all the torture that the Bush administration believes necessary. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,475 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 889 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	That Was Then Posted: Thursday, October 06, 2005 7:46 AM The entire world knows beyond dispute that Saddam Hussein holds weapons of mass destruction in large quantities. —Dick Cheney, September 23, 2002
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Thursday, October 06, 2005 7:47 AM I think it's important to bring somebody from outside the system, the judicial system, somebody that hasn't been on the bench and, therefore, there's not a lot of opinions for people to look at. —George W. Bush,  White House, October 4, 2005
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Friday, October 07, 2005 10:11 AM Six Marines Killed in Iraq Bomb Attacks: BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- Bomb blasts killed six Marines in western Iraq, and U.S. forces killed 29 militants in U.S. offensives aimed at uprooting al-Qaida insurgents ahead of the country's vote on a new constitution, the military said Friday. The American deaths brought to 1,950 the number of U.S. troops who have died since the beginning of the war in 2003, according to an Associated Press count. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,476 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 890 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	That Was Then Posted: Friday, October 07, 2005 10:15 AM Facing clear evidence of peril, we cannot wait for the final proof, the smoking gun that could come in the form of a mushroom cloud. —George W. Bush, October 7, 2002
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Friday, October 07, 2005 10:17 AM I'm convinced, someday in the relative near future we'll be able to have units on our houses that will be able to power electronics within our houses, and hopefully, with excess energy, be able to feed them back in the system. That's possible. We're not there yet, but it's coming. —George W. Bush,  White House, October 4, 2005
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Saturday, October 08, 2005 10:34 AM God ordered me to destroy the tyranny of Saddam, said Bush: "I'm driven with a mission from God. God would tell me: George, go and fight those terrorists in Afghanistan." "And I did, and then God would tell me, George, go and end the tyranny in Iraq…and I did." "And now, again, I feel God's words coming to me - go get the Palestinians their state and get the Israelis their security, and get peace in the Middle East. And by God I'm gonna do it." Mr Abbas, who was also at the meeting in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, recounts how the president told him: "I have a moral and religious obligation. So I will get you a Palestinian state." The White House yesterday denied the claim as "absurd". We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,477 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 891 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	That Was Then Posted: Saturday, October 08, 2005 10:35 AM I can't tell you if the use of force in Iraq will last five days, five weeks or five months, but it won't last any longer than that. —Donald Rumsfeld, November 14, 2002
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Saturday, October 08, 2005 10:36 AM We have not built a new refinery in America since the 1970s. And then we had the storm, and it took refinery capacity off, and guess what happens? It creates a tight supply situation, which causes price to go up. So Congress needs to deal with that. And I repeat, they need to get the Patriot Act to my desk.   —George W. Bush,  White House, October 4, 2005
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Sunday, October 09, 2005 10:54 AM Another U.S. Marine Blown Up in Iraq: The U.S. military also announced the death of another Marine during one of two offensives currently occuring in western Iraq aimed at rooting out insurgents from ahead of Saturday's vote. The Marine was killed by a roadside bomb in Ramadi, where about 500 U.S. and 400 Iraqi troops were conducting Operation Mountaineer, the military said. It's interesting to note how former apologists for Bush's attack on Iraq go silent as the reality of the situation there becomes more difficult to deny. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,478 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 892 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	That Was Then Posted: Sunday, October 09, 2005 10:55 AM If he declares he has none, then we will know that Saddam Hussein is once again misleading the world. —Ari Fleischer, December 2, 2002
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Sunday, October 09, 2005 10:57 AM I think that steroids ought to be banned from baseball. —George W. Bush, White House, October 4, 2005
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Monday, October 10, 2005 8:41 AM Attacks continue in Iraq ahead of referendum: BAGHDAD (AP) — Insurgents launched a new salvo of attacks five days ahead of the country's crucial constitutional referendum, killing at least 12 Iraqis with suicide car bombs, roadside bombs and drive-by shootings on Monday, police said. Five mortar shells also were fired at a hotel in the southern city of Hillah where a U.S. embassy regional office is based. One round hit the building and left a large hole in a wall but no casualties were reported, police said. The latest attacks came as Shiite and Kurdish officials negotiated last-minute changes to the constitution with Sunni Arab leaders in hopes of winning their support ahead of the Oct. 15 referendum. U.S. officials were mediating. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,479 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 893 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	That Was Then Posted: Monday, October 10, 2005 8:42 AM We know for a fact that there are weapons of mass destruction there. —Ari Fleischer, January 9, 2003
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Monday, October 10, 2005 8:44 AM Over the years these extremists have used a litany of excuses for violence. The Israeli presence on the West Bank, or the U.S. military presence in Saudi Arabia, or the defeat of the Taliban, or the Crusades of a thousand years ago. No act of ours invited the rage of the killers. —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., October 6, 2005
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Tuesday, October 11, 2005 9:36 AM Another U.S. Soldier Killed as Bombings Continue Across Iraq: On Monday, three car bombs, including two suicide bombs, exploded within a three-hour period in central Baghdad. One of the suicide bombings occurred at a checkpoint leading into the Green Zone, the heavily fortified area of central Baghdad containing American and Iraqi government buildings. The American military command reported that the blast killed an American soldier and wounded an Iraqi soldier, an interpreter and an Iraqi civilian. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,480 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 894 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	That Was Then Posted: Tuesday, October 11, 2005 9:38 AM Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa. —George W. Bush, State of the Union address, January 28, 2003
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Tuesday, October 11, 2005 9:39 AM It's one thing to shut down airplanes, it's another thing to prevent people from coming in to get exposed to the avian flu. And who best to be able to effect a quarantine? One option is the use of a military that's able to plan and move. And so that's why I put it on the table. I think it's an important debate for Congress to have. —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., October 4, 2005
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Wednesday, October 12, 2005 7:16 AM Two U.S. Soldiers Killed as Iraqis Prepare to Vote on Temporary Constitution: In Baghdad, a suicide bomber drove a bomb-laden car into a joint American-Iraqi patrol, killing four Iraqi soldiers, Interior Ministry officials said. Seven soldiers and civilians were wounded in the attack, which took place in Amariya, a district that has fallen increasingly under the control of insurgents, like much of western Baghdad. Gunmen staged at least half a dozen other attacks in the capital, killing a total of six civilians and one police officer, Interior Ministry officials said. In southern Baghdad, a car bomb detonated near a passing police patrol, wounding three officers and a civilian, the officials said. American military officials announced that two soldiers had been killed Monday in the volatile western city of Ramadi when a roadside bomb exploded on their patrol. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,481 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 895 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	That Was Then Posted: Wednesday, October 12, 2005 12:02 PM We know that Saddam Hussein is determined to keep his weapons of mass destruction, is determined to make more. —Colin Powell, February 5, 2003
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Wednesday, October 12, 2005 12:04 PM See, NorthCom is the main entity that interfaces, that uses federal assets, federal troops to interface with local and state government. I want to watch that relationship. It's an important relationship, and I need to understand how it works better. —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., September 23, 2005
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Thursday, October 13, 2005 10:17 AM Two More U.S. Soldiers Killed in Iraq: On Wednesday, for the second day in a row, a suicide attacker hit the northwestern town of Tal Afar, killing at least 30 people and wounding 35. On Tuesday a suicide bomber killed 30 civilians when he plowed his explosives-packed vehicle into a crowded outdoor market in Tal Afar. Al-Qaida in Iraq claimed responsibility for that attack. Also Wednesday, the military announced that two U.S. soldiers died and one was injured when their vehicle rolled over while on patrol during combat near Balad, 50 miles north of Baghdad. The crash brought to 1,962 the number of members of the U.S. military who have died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,482 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 896 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	That Was Then Posted: Thursday, October 13, 2005 10:19 AM Saddam Hussein recently authorized Iraqi field commanders to use chemical weapons. —George W. Bush, February 8, 2003
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Thursday, October 13, 2005 10:20 AM I have no litmus test. It's also something I've consistently said. There is no litmus test. —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., October 4, 2005
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Friday, October 14, 2005 8:50 AM Another U.S. Soldier Blown Up in Iraq: The American military said Thursday that a soldier was killed by a roadside bomb in northern Iraq. In Kirkuk, two Iraqi policemen were killed and two wounded by a suicide car bomber who blew himself up next to a police patrol. South of the city, two senior Turkmen politicians were kidnapped by armed men. The American military attributes most of the spectacular attacks in Iraq, especially suicide car bombs, to the work of jihadists like Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the Jordanian militant. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,483 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 897 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	That Was Then Posted: Friday, October 14, 2005 8:51 AM Iraq has also provided Al Qaeda with chemical and biological weapons training. —George W. Bush, February 8, 2003
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Friday, October 14, 2005 8:52 AM Bin Laden says his own role is to tell Muslims, quote, 'what is good for them and what is not.' And what this man who grew up in wealth and privilege considers good for poor Muslims is that they become killers and suicide bombers. He assures them that his -- that this is the road to paradise -- though he never offers to go along for the ride. —George W. Bush,  Washington, D.C., October 6, 2005 [So bin Laden acts like just another spoiled rich kid. Who'd have guessed?]
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Saturday, October 15, 2005 10:32 AM Iraqis Vote on New Constitution: At noon Friday, the imam of Baratha Mosque, a prominent Shiite institution west of the Tigris River in Baghdad, stood before a crowd of hundreds gathered beneath the scorching sun and spoke with little subtlety about the upcoming vote. "Tomorrow, we will have a date with the dawn," the white-turbaned imam, Jalaladeen al-Sagheir, a powerful member of Parliament, told his followers at the sermon. "Tomorrow, we will open the door to freedom." At moments, the worshippers broke into frenzied chanting, reaching a crescendo with, "Yes, yes to the constitution!" Across the Tigris, an equally impassioned scene played out, as the imam of Abu Hanifa Mosque, a Sunni Arab stronghold, urged his congregation to reject the document. After the sermon ended, hundreds of worshippers poured into the streets to denounce those few Sunni Arab politicians who had said this week they were supporting the constitution. Iraqi policemen surrounded the crowd and blocked off the streets. "I haven't read the constitution because it's devoted to sectarianism, denominationalism and the break-up of Iraq according to American and Israeli instructions," said Othman Raheem, 40, a mechanic taking part in the protest. "I'm going to vote against this odious constitution with a 'no.' " G.I.'s and Syrians in Tense Clashes on Iraqi Border: A series of clashes in the last year between American and Syrian troops, including a prolonged firefight this summer that killed several Syrians, has raised the prospect that cross-border military operations may become a dangerous new front in the Iraq war, according to current and former military and government officials. The firefight, between Army Rangers and Syrian troops along the border with Iraq, was the most serious of the conflicts with President Bashar al-Assad's forces, according to American and Syrian officials. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,484 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 898 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	That Was Then Posted: Saturday, October 15, 2005 10:33 AM There is no question but what they will welcome as liberators the United States. —Dick Cheney, March 16, 2003
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Saturday, October 15, 2005 10:35 AM You need to listen carefully to the debates that goes on in our nation's capital. You see, some of them are -- goes on with people trying to get to the nation's capital. Some of them, they talk about the government's money. —George W. Bush, Manchester, New Hampshire, October 5, 2002
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Sunday, October 16, 2005 11:16 AM Five U.S. Soldiers Killed in Iraq Bombing: BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- Five U.S. Army soldiers participating in a combat operation were killed by a roadside bomb west of Baghdad during Iraq's constitutional referendum, the military said Sunday.   Saturday's explosion hit the soldiers' vehicle in the mostly Sunni Arab city of Ramadi, 70 miles west of Baghdad, where few Iraqis were believed to have voted in the referendum, the military said. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,485 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 899 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	That Was Then Posted: Sunday, October 16, 2005 11:18 AM The Iraq regime continues to possess and conceal some of the most lethal weapons ever devised.   —George W. Bush, March 17, 2003
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Sunday, October 16, 2005 11:19 AM Some communities you say, hey, American Dream -- and they go, what does that mean? —George W. Bush, Manchester, New Hampshire, October 5, 2002
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Monday, October 17, 2005 12:06 PM Over the past two and a half years, the Bush administration has pointed to one milestone after another that they hoped would put an end to the Iraq war--everything from the capture of Saddam Hussein to Saturday's vote on the constitution. All those foolish hopes failed, as everyone with an ounce of sense kept telling them. Now reality begins dawn even on the Bush administration: Administration's Tone Signals a Longer, Broader Iraq Conflict. President Bush told troops at Fort Bragg, N.C., this spring, "the terrorists will lose their sponsors, lose their recruits, and lose their hopes for turning that region into a base for attacks on America and our allies around the world." But inside the administration, that belief provides less solace than it once did. Senior officials say the intelligence reports flowing over their desks in recent months argue that even if democratic institutions take hold, the insurgency may strengthen. And that possibility has created a quandary for an administration that desperately wants to equate democracy-building with winning the war, but so far has not been able to match the two.  Sadly for America, our young people carry the load for Bush's blunders, in Iraq as at home. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,486 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." Exactly 900 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	That Was Then Posted: Monday, October 17, 2005 12:08 PM Well, there is no question that Iraq has weapons of mass destruction, biological and chemical particularly. All this will be made clear in the course of the operation, for whatever duration it takes. —Ari Fleischer, March 21, 2003
Been There	900 Days Posted: Monday, October 17, 2005 12:10 PM Exactly 900 days have passed since George W. Bush staged his "mission accoumplished" speech in San Diego harbor after flying a couple of miles to look like a warrior president. Cameras were pointed out to sea to hide the fact that his flight was unnecessary. Since that speech our soldiers have died at a rate of more than two a day with no end in sight. That's the sad reality. And where are the weapons of mass destruction that our soldiers were sent to die to save us from? They did not exist, as George W. Bush could have and should have found out before he attacked Iraq on that pretext. He is truly a disgrace to his office. Been There
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Monday, October 17, 2005 12:11 PM We expect there to be transparency. People who have something to hide make us nervous. —George W. Bush, Anchorage, Alaska, February 16, 2002
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Tuesday, October 18, 2005 11:45 AM Tomorrow Saddam Hussein Faces Victors' Justice: On Monday, a strongly critical 19-page review of the tribunal and its legal procedures was issued by Human Rights Watch, the New York-based group, which said its study had "given rise to serious concerns" about the tribunal's "capacity to conduct trials that are fair, and perceived among the Iraqi population to be fair." Similar criticisms have been leveled by Amnesty International and other human rights and legal monitoring groups in the United States and Europe. Critics have been countered by other Western legal experts who say the tribunal offers safeguards that compare well with those at the international tribunal in The Hague, and exceed by a wide margin anything previously seen in a politically-sensitive trial in the Middle East. Both sides in the argument will have observers at the trial. Partly, critics have focused on the pervasive American involvement in organizing, financing and guiding the tribunal. That involvement has extended to providing the $138 million that has been used partly to remodel the former Baath Party headquarters in Baghdad into a courthouse with two side-by-side, state-of-the-art courtrooms, and partly to support a team of 50 American, British and Australian lawyers, investigators, forensic experts and archivists in the liaison office. In the face of an Iraqi legal system that virtually disintegrated under Mr. Hussein, the liaison office has been the real power behind the tribunal, advising, and often deciding, on almost every facet of its work, always behind a shield of anonymity. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,487 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 901 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	That Was Then Posted: Tuesday, October 18, 2005 11:46 AM There is no doubt that the regime of Saddam Hussein possesses weapons of mass destruction. As this operation continues, those weapons will be identified, found, along with the people who have produced them and who guard them. —Gen. Tommy Franks, March 22, 2003
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Tuesday, October 18, 2005 11:49 AM I remind people that Harriet Miers is one of the -- has been rated consistently one of the top 50 women lawyers in the United States.   —George W. Bush,  White House, October 12, 2005 [Note: However she eventually performs as a Supreme Court justice--and she might do a fine job--this claim by Bush about her is completely fabricated.]
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Wednesday, October 19, 2005 10:58 AM Two More U.S. Soldiers Killed in Iraq: Reports of violence across central and western Iraq emerged early Tuesday. The American military said two marines and four insurgents had been killed Monday in a firefight near the town of Rutba in Anbar Province, the heartland of the insurgency. A soldier was killed early Tuesday in Mosul by small-arms fire. In all, nearly 2,000 Americans have been killed in the war. A military spokesman said a convoy of Bradley fighting vehicles was ambushed Monday in Salahuddin Province. A roadside bomb exploded and ignited one of the vehicles, wounding eight soldiers and killing an Iraqi interpreter, said the spokesman, Maj. Steven Warren, of the Third Brigade Combat Team, Third Infantry Division. The soldiers' platoon sergeant, who was aflame, leapt down from the turret and opened the rear hatch to save his men, but suffered third-degree burns on 65 percent of his body. The deputy governor of Anbar, Talib al-Dulaimi, was fatally shot Tuesday by insurgents outside the provincial government center in Ramadi. Though the area around the center is heavily patrolled by the Marines, guerrillas operate with impunity throughout Ramadi, firing mortars and launching rockets at will, planting roadside bombs and melting away afterward. Violence resulted in abysmal voter turnout there on Saturday. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,488 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 902 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	That Was Then Posted: Wednesday, October 19, 2005 10:59 AM We know where the weapons of mass destruction are. They are in the area around Tikrit and Baghdad.   —Donald Rumsfeld, March 30, 2003
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Wednesday, October 19, 2005 11:01 AM I asked them the other day, would it be okay if I cut a 30-minute tape, a piece of propaganda, no questions, just here -- here it is, here's 30 minutes of me talking. Please run it, not only across your airwaves but run it internationally, if you don't mind. I've got something to say about the conflict and our fight against evil. They said, no, they're not going to do that. If I'm going to get on the news, they've got to ask me questions. —George W. Bush, press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin, November 13, 2001
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Thursday, October 20, 2005 10:15 AM 26 Iraqis and 5 G.I.'s Killed; Reporter Missing: BAGHDAD, Iraq, Oct. 19 - At least 26 Iraqis, 5 American soldiers and a British soldier were killed in attacks late Tuesday and Wednesday, officials reported Wednesday. Rory Carroll, a reporter working for The Guardian, was believed to have been abducted in Baghdad, the newspaper said. U.S. considers military attack against Iran, Syria: Speaking before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee yesterday, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice refused to rule using the military option against Syria and Iran, repeating pervious claims that both countries are aiding the occupation resistance in Iraq. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,489 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 903 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	This Is Now Posted: Thursday, October 20, 2005 10:16 AM I felt like we would find weapons of mass destruction. —George W. Bush, January 14, 2005
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Thursday, October 20, 2005 10:18 AM In terms of your Prime Minister, he's a -- interesting guy. He's a lot of fun to be around. He promotes, uhh, serious business in a, in a, in a way that, uhh, endears himself to people. And so, uhh, I think his presidency has been an important presidency for the EU during difficult times, and he's handled it well. And, umm, I was gonna say he's a piece of work, but that might not translate too well. Is that all right, if I call you a piece of work?   —George W. Bush, welcoming Luxembourg Prime Minister and EU President Jean-Claude Juncker to the White House, June 20, 2005
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Friday, October 21, 2005 10:34 AM A former top official of George W. Bush's administration has confirmed an obvious fact: Cheney and Rumsfeld Walk All Over Bush. Secretary of State Colin Powell's former chief of staff has offered a remarkably blunt criticism of the administration he served, saying that foreign policy had been usurped by a "Cheney-Rumsfeld cabal," and that President Bush has made the country more vulnerable, not less, to future crises. The sheer incompetence of the crew in charge in Washington has put our country in serious danger. Mr. Wilkerson suggested that the dysfunction within the administration was so grave that "if something comes along that is truly serious, truly serious, something like a nuclear weapon going off in a major American city, or something like a major pandemic, you are going to see the ineptitude of this government in a way that will take you back to the Declaration of Independence." Why does Bush let Cheney and Rumsfeld get away with murder? He's got other things on his mind, like riding his bike and chopping wood. The former aide referred to Mr. Bush as someone who "is not versed in international relations, and not too much interested in them, either." He was far more admiring of the president's father, whom he called "one of the finest presidents we've ever had." We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,490 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 904 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	Johnny, Get Your Gun Posted: Friday, October 21, 2005 10:36 AM I believe demolishing Hussein's military power and liberating Iraq would be a cakewalk. —Ken Adelman, February 13, 2002
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Friday, October 21, 2005 10:37 AM The questionnaire that she filled out is an important questionnaire. And, obviously, they will address the questions that the senators have in the questionnaire as a result of the answers to the questions in the questionnaire.   —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., October 20, 2005
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Saturday, October 22, 2005 10:48 AM 4 More American Soldiers Die in Iraq: There are now about 159,000 American troops in Iraq, largely a result of incoming soldiers temporarily overlapping with other troops getting ready to end their one-year tours, Pentagon officials said on Friday. It is one of the highest American troop levels in Iraq since the invasion in March 2003. Four Americans were killed in two separate attacks in the rebel stronghold of Anbar Province, officials said Friday, as American and Iraqi forces continued their campaign to ferret out insurgents in western Iraq. Three marines died on Thursday when a concealed bomb exploded next to their vehicle in a village west of Baghdad, American military officials said. In an ensuing firefight, other troops killed two people the military described as insurgents. A soldier was also killed Thursday in the town of Hit in what the military described as "an indirect fire attack," a term that usually connotes a mortar attack. Military bases around the country are occasionally pelted by mortar bombs fired by insurgents from the surrounding neighborhoods and countryside. Nearly 2,000 American soldiers have been killed in Iraq since the American-led invasion in 2003. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,491 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 905 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	Johnny, Get Your Gun Posted: Saturday, October 22, 2005 10:49 AM Simply stated, there is no doubt that Saddam Hussein now has weapons of mass destruction. There is no doubt that he is amassing them to use against our friends, our allies and against us. —Dick Cheney, August 26, 2002
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Saturday, October 22, 2005 10:50 AM I'm proud to welcome President Obasanjo back to the White House. We just had a very good visit. We discussed our mutual concern, our mutual desire.   —George W. Bush, White House, November 2, 2001
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Sunday, October 23, 2005 11:12 AM Another 4 U.S. Soldiers Die in Iraq: Also on Saturday, the American military announced four deaths. A marine was killed Friday in combat by an explosion near Haqliniyah, in western Iraq, and two more were killed by a roadside bomb, also in the west, the military said. A soldier in Baghdad died Thursday of a "nonhostile gunshot wound." The military also said that American war planes and ground forces killed 20 insurgents on Saturday in five buildings suspected of being "safe houses" near the Syrian border. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,492 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 906 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	Johnny, Get Your Gun Posted: Sunday, October 23, 2005 11:13 AM From a marketing point of view, you don't introduce new products in August. —Andrew Card, September 7, 2002
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Sunday, October 23, 2005 11:14 AM You know, I don't think a photo inspires murderers. I think they're inspired by an ideology that is so barbaric and backwards that it's hard for many in the Western world to comprehend how they think.   —George W. Bush, White House, May 20, 2005
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Monday, October 24, 2005 9:54 AM At Least 17 Iraqis Killed in a Day of Scattered Bombings and Gunfire: BAGHDAD, Iraq, Monday, Oct. 24 - A bomb exploded Sunday in a residential neighborhood in the city of Tikrit, killing an Iraqi police colonel and four children on their way to school, a police official reported. It was the deadliest attack in a day of scattered violence around the country that killed at least 17 people and wounded at least 31. Col. Haitham Akram Shihab was driving out of his garage in Tikrit, with his two sons in the car, when the roadside bomb detonated, killing them, reported a police official in the Salahuddin Province police department. The blast also killed two girls who were in a nearby car waiting to be driven to school, the official said. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,493 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 907 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	Johnny, Get Your Gun Posted: Monday, October 24, 2005 9:55 AM Right now, Iraq is expanding and improving facilities used for the production of biological weapons. —George W. Bush, September 12, 2002
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Monday, October 24, 2005 9:55 AM We're going after criminal organizations and coyotes that traffic in human beings. These people are the worst of the worst. They prey on innocent life. They take advantage of people who want to embetter their own lives. —George W. Bush, White House, October 18, 2005
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Tuesday, October 25, 2005 9:49 AM Another U.S. Soldier Killed in Action in Iraq: In other violence, an American marine was killed Sunday by small-arms fire during combat operations in Ramadi, an insurgent stronghold in Anbar Province west of Baghdad, the American military announced Monday. Nearly 2,000 members of the American military have died since the start of the Iraq war in 2003. In Falluja, eight people were killed and five wounded in a series of bombings and shootings. Five people were killed when an American security contractor opened fire on their vehicle, and a man was killed when American soldiers fired on his vehicle, according to an official at the Falluja Hospital. The circumstances of the shootings were not immediately clear, and an American military spokesman in Baghdad said he had no information about either incident. Two other civilians in Falluja were killed in a roadside bomb attack, said the hospital official, Haqi Ismael Abud. In Hilla, gunmen on Sunday shot and killed 12 Iraqi laborers who were building a house in the city of Mussayib, according to an official in the Hilla police department. The laborers' boss was kidnapped by the attackers, the official said. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,494 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 908 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	Johnny, Get Your Gun Posted: Tuesday, October 25, 2005 9:50 AM The entire world knows beyond dispute that Saddam Hussein holds weapons of mass destruction in large quantities. —Dick Cheney, September 23, 2002
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Tuesday, October 25, 2005 9:51 AM You'll find that employees walk a little better down the halls of your companies when you've encouraged them to help a neighbor in need. —George W. Bush, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Washington, D.C., December 10, 2002
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Wednesday, October 26, 2005 10:45 AM With the death of Sgt. George Alexander from a roadside bombing in Iraq, a new milestone was reached: Bush's Iraq Blunders Have Cost the Lives of 2000 U.S. Soldiers. The differences between the first 1,000 and the second 1,000 dead illuminate recent trends regarding who is serving in Iraq, who is dying and how the war is progressing. Most strikingly, death has come quicker, a sign of the insurgency's increasing efficiency. While it took 18 months to reach 1,000 dead, it has taken just 14 to reach 2,000. More powerful and sophisticated explosive devices are a major reason, causing nearly half of the deaths in the second group. Things have been going badly for the citizens of Iraqi also. According to figures compiled by the allied military forces in Iraq and analyzed by Anthony H. Cordesman, a military expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, a nonprofit research group, Iraqis have suffered on average more than 50 casualties a day in 2005, including wounded and dead, compared with fewer than 40 a day in 2004. And no weapons of mass destruction were found. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,495 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 909 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	Johnny, Get Your Gun Posted: Wednesday, October 26, 2005 10:47 AM Facing clear evidence of peril, we cannot wait for the final proof, the smoking gun that could come in the form of a mushroom cloud. —George W. Bush, October 7, 2002
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Wednesday, October 26, 2005 10:48 AM We must recognize Iraq as the central front in our war on terror. —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., October 25, 2005
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Thursday, October 27, 2005 8:01 AM Three More U.S. Soldiers Killed in Iraq: BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- Insurgents using roadside bombs and small arms fire killed three U.S. soldiers and wounded four, the military said Thursday. Meanwhile, U.S. aircraft destroyed more militant safe houses near the Syrian border and apparently killed a senior al-Qaida in Iraq figure who was using religious courts to try Iraqis who supported coalition forces, the military said. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,496 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 910 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	Johnny, Get Your Gun Posted: Thursday, October 27, 2005 8:02 AM I can't tell you if the use of force in Iraq today will last five days, five weeks or five months, but it won't last any longer than that. —Donald Rumsfeld, November 14, 2002
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Thursday, October 27, 2005 8:03 AM She will always have a special place in American history, and our nation thinks of Rosa Park and her loved ones today. —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., October 25, 2005
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Saturday, October 29, 2005 9:01 AM 5 More U.S. Soldiers Killed in Iraq: As candidates rushed to make the Friday night filing deadline, the American military command announced that five American troops died Thursday in Iraq. One soldier was killed by a roadside bomb while on patrol in southern Baghdad, the military said. As other soldiers responded to the attack, insurgents detonated a second roadside bomb, killing a second soldier, military officials said. In Ramadi, the capital of Anbar Province, a soldier was killed by a roadside bomb while conducting combat operations with the Second Marine Division, Second Marine Expeditionary Force. Two marines were killed in Saqlawiya, also in Anbar, in what the military described as an "indirect fire attack," which often means a mortar bomb. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,498 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 912 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	Johnny, Get Your Gun Posted: Saturday, October 29, 2005 9:02 AM If he declares he has no weapons of mass destruction, then we will know that Saddam Hussein is once again misleading the world. —Ari Fleischer, December 2, 2002
Been There	Ayatollahs of America Posted: Saturday, October 29, 2005 9:04 AM The right-wing ayatollahs who deliver huge blocs of Republican voters every four years forced the Bush administration to dump the supreme court nominee the president himself considers the most qualified person available for the post. They are demanding instead that Bush appoint a justice they can be sure will work to force everyone to live by the rules of their own sectarian cults. Will Bush knuckle under to their demands? The next few days will tell the story. Been There
Been There	When Their Lips Are Moving Posted: Saturday, October 29, 2005 9:06 AM It was hilarious to see the 180-degree turns taken by both Republican and Democrat politicians after the indictment of Irve Lewis Libby yesterday for telling the grand jury the bald-faced lie that he had learned the identity of Valerie Plame from Tim Russert. Democrats who defended Bill Clinton for lying to cover up his affair with Monica Lewinsky are now outraged by the lies of Republicans trying to hide their misdeeds in office. Republicans who impeached Bill clinton for lying suddenly consider perjury "no big deal." And our government pretends to have the moral authority to tell other countries how to govern themselves. What a crock! Been There
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Saturday, October 29, 2005 9:08 AM And so I've made some proposals to the Congress, proposals that work with how fast benefits will go up, proposals that said if you're in the -- a poor American, nothing is going to change for you. If you're a wealthy American, your benefits will grow, but at a slower rate. —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., October 26, 2005
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Sunday, October 30, 2005 6:43 PM 3 More U.S. Soldiers Killed in Iraq; 8 in 3 Days: Violence also struck Americans on Saturday. Three American soldiers were killed in and around Baghdad, when their vehicles hit homemade bombs, an increasingly common cause of death for Americans here. One American soldier died in the morning north of Baghdad, near the town of Beiji, and the other two were killed in southern Baghdad, the military said in a statement. Eight American soldiers have been killed by insurgents in the last three days. The deaths occurred as Iraqi political leaders gathered in Baghdad to announce the formal beginning of their campaigns for parliamentary elections in December. U.S. and British Soldiers Die in Afghanistan: A United States paratrooper was killed Saturday after his patrol came under fire in a volatile province near the eastern border with Pakistan, and a British soldier was shot to death in northern Afghanistan. Officials said at least 21 other people were killed in fighting during the week. The fighting in southern and eastern Afghanistan was the deadliest in recent weeks and occurred a month after landmark legislative elections that many people had hoped would sideline the insurgents. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: 1,499 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 913 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	Johnny, Get Your Gun Posted: Sunday, October 30, 2005 6:44 PM We know for a fact that there are weapons of mass destruction there. —Ari Fleischer, January 9, 2003
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Sunday, October 30, 2005 6:45 PM Far be it from me to try to put words in God's mouth.   —George W. Bush, Barbara Walters interview, December 4, 2001
Been There	The Iraq War Posted: Monday, October 31, 2005 1:34 PM On Last Day of a Deadly Month, Six More U.S. Troops Are Killed: BAGHDAD, Iraq, Oct. 31 - American forces this month suffered the bloodiest month in Iraq since January, with 91 troops killed, mostly by homemade bombs. The military announced the deaths today of six more American soldiers, sharply increasing the total death toll on the last day of the month. October's toll has been surpassed only three times since the start of the war here in the spring of 2003: In January of this year, when violence surged ahead of national elections here, and in November and April of 2004, when Americans fought major battles against rebels in Falluja, west of Baghdad, and in Najaf, a Shiite city in the south. We all evaluate facts in the light of their context and the principles we deem important. From my perspective, the following facts underscore some important truths: Exactly 1,500 days have now passed since since September 17, 2001, when President Bush pledged to take Osama bin Laden "dead or alive." 914 days have now passed since May 1, 2003, when President Bush gave his Iraq "mission accomplished" speech. Been There
Been There	Johnny, Get Your Gun Posted: Monday, October 31, 2005 1:36 PM Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa. —George W. Bush, State of the Union address, January 28, 2003
Been There	Presidential Thought for the Day Posted: Monday, October 31, 2005 1:37 PM Some have argued that extremism has been strengthened by the actions of our coalition in Iraq, claiming that our presence in that country has somehow caused or triggered the rage of radicals. —George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., October 25, 2005
Been There	1500 Days Posted: Monday, October 31, 2005 1:41 PM This Halloween commemorates the 1500 days since president Bush made his pledge to bring Osama bin Laden to justice "dead or alive." Here is a transcript of his remarks to Pentagon employees on September 17, 2001: I want justice. Q    Do you want bin Laden dead? THE PRESIDENT:  I want justice.  There's an old poster out west, as I recall, that said, "Wanted: Dead or Alive." Q    Are you saying you want him dead or alive, sir?  Can I interpret --  THE PRESIDENT:  I just remember, all I'm doing is remembering when I was a kid I remember that they used to put out there in the old west, a wanted poster.  It said:  "Wanted, Dead or Alive."  All I want and America wants him brought to justice.  That's what we want. If he had followed up on that pledge, we would be much safer today. Instead, he dropped the ball on bin Laden, telling the terrorists that we'd get involved somewhere else if they held out long enough. The result is--and will continue to be--an increase in terrorism around the world. Been There