From Scott McClellan's August 9 Press Conference:Q The President said at the community college that the people who we're fighting are cruel, have no conscience, and kill innocent people. And my question is, during our two wars in the last three years, have we killed any innocent people?
MR. McCLELLAN: The United States military goes to great lengths to make sure that we minimize any loss of innocent human life, and they go out of their way to make sure that that happens. This administration is strongly committed to making sure we do everything we can to minimize the loss of innocent human life.
Q I didn't ask you that. I asked you if we have killed any innocent people.
MR. McCLELLAN: And I would point out that this -- that the war in Iraq was one where we were able to target and remove a brutal regime from power while minimizing any collateral damage --
Q Did we kill any innocent people?
MR. McCLELLAN: -- or loss of innocent human life. We certainly do not target innocent human civilians. And there are terrorists and others in Iraq, former regime elements who do target innocent civilians, innocent Iraqis. They are enemies of freedom and peace. What we have done --
Q Seventy thousand tons of bombs --
MR. McCLELLAN: -- is liberated the Iraqi people and provided hope for innocent Iraqis.
Q How about the people who are dead?
MR. McCLELLAN: Go ahead [next question]
The Bush administration can't even talk about dead civilians in Iraq? Spin is one thing, but this refusal to tell the truth to the American people -- a refusal to even admit that Americans have killed Iraqi civilians -- is totally irresponsible. This administration started the war in Iraq and is responsible for those dead civilians. Whether or not this was a necessary cost of war is up to the public to decide. To espouse freedom and democracy on one hand while on the other refusing to participate in the most important aspect of democracy -- the truthful disclosure of facts to the public so they can make informed choices -- is inexcusable.
SPIN? How can you accuse anyone of spinning an issue? You were obviously trying to force an admission of guilt from Mr. McClellan to be used later as a sound bite to promote your own agenda. OF COURSE there were unintentional fatalities during the war, however Sadam's murderous actions were intentional. If you can't, or won't see the clear distinction between right and wrong then you are completely out of touch with reality.
Posted by: Jerry on August 13, 2004 03:39 PMinoccent ppl wil get killd in ny war......these r the wrst side effects on war.
but in thz case the war shld ve been ovr a long time ago.its been draggd on bcoz of certain iraqi shiah ppl frm najaf led by muqtedar al sadr.
they oppose the US army's presence in iraq & also the new govrnmnt.
bcoz of the continued fighting b/w them & the US forces more & more inoocents r dying evryday.
it would definitely shw more responsibility on the US part 2 acknowledge these deaths.
Last I checked, Bush intended to kill Iraqis. What, he didn't know people would die?
Posted by: Chris on September 3, 2004 02:56 PM
