Mohamed Sahaff was accurate
March 23, 2007
Many U.S. citizens, especially politicians and the media, have a personality disorder: they will never admit
they are wrong. I have yet to see one media person step forward and say he/she was wrong and then apologize to the Iraqi people
for the cheering on of the destruction of the country.
Below are quotes from media "experts" on how long the U.S. would take to control Iraq. Most were made shortly
after the U.S. entered Baghdad, but a couple were proclaimed prior.
"The majority of the American media, who were in a position to comment upon the progress of the war in the
early going, and even after that, got it wrong. They didn’t get is just a little wrong. They got it completely wrong."
— Brit Hume (FOX News Channel host), April 25, 2003
"All of the printed and voiced prophecies should be saved in an archive. When these false prophets again appear,
they can be reminded of the error of their previous ways and at least be offered an opportunity to recant and repent."
— Cal Thomas (syndicated columnist), April 16, 2003
"Iraq is all but won. Now what?"
— Los Angeles Times headline, April 10, 2003
"Now that the combat phase of the war in Iraq is officially over, what begins is a debate throughout the entire
U.S. government over America’s unrivaled power and how best to use it."
— Joie Chen (CBS), May 4, 2003
"The only people who think this wasn’t a victory are Upper Westside Liberals, and a few people here
in Washington."
— Charles Krauthammer (WUSA TV), April 19, 2003
"We had controversial wars that divided the country. This war united the country and brought the military
back."
— Howard Fineman (Newsweek), stated on MSNBC, May 7, 2003
"We’re all neo-cons now."
— Chris Matthews (MSNBC), April 9, 2003
"Do you remember Scott Ritter, you know, the former chief U.N. weapons inspector who played chief stooge for
Saddam Hussein? Well, Mr. Ritter actually told a French radio network that, quote, 'The United States is going to leave
Baghdad with its tail between its legs, defeated.’ Sorry, Scott. I think you’ve been chasing the wrong tail again."
— Joe Scarborough (MSNBC), April 10, 2003
"Over the next couple of weeks, when we find the chemical weapons this guy was amassing, the fact that this
war was attacked by th4e left and so the right was so vindicated, I think, really means that the left is going to have to
hang its head for three or four years."
— Dick Morris (FOX News Channel), April 9, 2003
"I will bet you the best dinner in the Gaslight district of San Diego that military action will not last more
than a week. Are you willing to take that wager?"
-- Bill O’Reilly (FOX News Channel), January 29, 2003
"Speaking to the Security Council last week, Secretary of State Colin Powell made so strong a case that Iraqi
dictator Saddam Hussein is in material breach of the U.N. resolutions that only the duped, the dumb and the desperate could
ignore it."
-- Cal Thomas (syndicated columnist), February 12, 2003
"Even in the flush of triumph, doubts will be raised. Where are the supplies of germs and poison gas and plans
for nukes to justify preemption? (Freed scientists will lead us to caches no inspectors could find,) What about remaining
danger from Ba’athist torturers and war criminals forming pockets of resistance and plotting vengeance? (Their death
wish is our command.)
--William Safire (New York Times), April 10, 2003
* * * * *
Now, let’s look at the words of an Iraqi spokesperson who was criticized for making unrealistic statements:
"Do not be hasty because your disappointments will be huge … You will reap nothing from this aggressive
war, which you launched on Iraq, except for disgrace and defeat … We will embroil them, confuse them, and keep them
in the quagmire … They cannot just enter a country of 26 million people and lay besiege to them. They are the ones who
will find themselves under siege."
— Mohammed Sahaff (The Iraqi Information Minister, aka "Baghdad Bob"), April 2003
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