New York, Monday, June 16 2003

Photo credit and caption: President George W. Bush talks to business leaders in Elizabeth, New Jersey, June 16, 2003. During his speech, Bush countered those questioning his justification for the invasion of Iraq, dismissing 'revisionist historians' and saying Washington acted to counter a persistent threat. Photo by Jason Reed/Reuters

Bush Blasts 'Revisionist Historians' on Iraq

By Randall Mikkelsen

ELIZABETH, N.J. (Reuters) - President Bush countered those questioning his justification for the invasion of Iraq on Monday, dismissing "revisionist historians" and saying Washington acted to counter a persistent threat.

"Now there are some who would like to rewrite history; revisionist historians is what I like to call them," Bush said in a speech to New Jersey business leaders.

Referring to the ousted Iraqi president, Bush said, "Saddam Hussein was a threat to America and the free world in '91, in '98, in 2003. He continually ignored the demands of the free world, so the United States and friends and allies acted."

The president did not mention Iraqi unconventional weapons in his remarks, although accusations Iraq had chemical and biological weapons were central to his prewar campaign to build support for an attack. No such weapons have yet been found.

Many critics have said the administration exaggerated intelligence on the threat posed by Iraq to justify the invasion that topped Saddam. Bush has denied the accusations.

The Washington Post on Monday cited a former National Security Council counterterrorism aide under Bush as saying the administration's focus on Iraq undermined domestic security and counterterrorism alliances and could fuel al Qaeda recruiting efforts.

The aide, Rand Beers, resigned shortly before the Iraq war and is now security adviser for Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts.

The Post quoted Beers as saying the evidence used against Iraq was "pretty qualified" and that many of his government colleagues thought Iraq was an "ill-conceived and poorly executed strategy."

"I continue to be puzzled by it," he told the newspaper. "Why was it such a policy priority?"

Bush said, "This is for certain, Saddam Hussein is no longer a threat to the United States and our friends and allies."

Bush said the U.S. global war on terrorism, begun after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks and which he said encompassed the war on Iraq, would continue.

"This government will use whatever technologies and skill is necessary to secure America by hunting down those who would harm us one person at a time."

 

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