On the heels of the Lancet’s ridiculous study overestimating the Iraq civilian deaths due to the war in Iraq, we now have a new one, with the anti-war Bush Lied Men Died mantra as its theme. It’s made it into a new published study of recycled quotes by two Soros-funded outfits, and it’s quite the news item in the blogosphere…

But not for the reason it was intended, LOL.

The study is entitled, “False Pretenses: Following 9/11, President Bush and seven top officials of his administration waged a carefully orchestrated campaign of misinformation about the threat posed by Saddam Hussein’s Iraq.”

Just from title, we can see that the authors of this ’study’ intend to convey that the ’statements’ were made with full knowledge that they were wrong to lead us to war; but it doesn’t in actuality, prove it.

Hindsight is always 20/20, but as dafydd asks at Big Lizards,

How many of these “false statements” were, in fact, believed true by virtually everybody, Republican and Democrat alike, when they were made? How many were parroted by Democrats, including those on the House and Senate Permanent Select Intelligence Committees, who thereby had access to the same intelligence as la Casablanca? The Center doesn’t tell, and the incurious media elites don’t ask.

This is another version of Valerie Plame and Joe Wilson and their ridiculous claims. It’s a retread.

CAYankee: Lies, Misrepresentations and More Left-Wing Extremist Propaganda

Jules Crittendon: Bush LIED!

Protein Wisdom: Another Study Discovers Phenomenon It Sets Out to Discover, for Foundations Predicated on Discovering Said Phenomenon [Dan Collins]

Bob Owens: Pajamas Media: “Debunking the CPI Report”

Newsbusters: Outlets Disguise Agenda of Ex-Journalist’s Group as Iraq ‘Lies’ Hyped

James Joyner at Outside the Beltway

Michelle Malkin: “MSM Tolls Spread Soros Propaganda”

Hotair: AP runs Soros-funded anti-war “study” as hard news Updated: An inconvenient video

Captain Ed: George Soros Funded Study Says Bush Lied

Big Lizards: “How to lie about lying”

In fact, there is nothing new in this site that hasn’t already been picked apart by the blogosphere, and some of it discredited. It includes the debunked charge that Bush lied in the “sixteen words” of the 2003 State of the Union address. Joe Wilson’s own report to the CIA and to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence confirmed that, at least according to Niger’s Prime Minister, Iraq had sought to trade for uranium in 1999. The CPI site has the sixteen words posted as one of their false statements.

Let’s boil this down. An organization funded by known political activists puts up a website with shopworn quotes taken mostly out of context and misrepresented — and this somehow qualifies as news?

a couple of inconvenient truths the AP story neglects to tell us:

*”A study by two nonprofit journalism organizations…”

The Fund for Independence in Journalism says its “primary purpose is providing legal defense and endowment support for the largest nonprofit, investigative reporting institution in the world, the Center for Public Integrity, and possibly other, similar groups.” Eight of the eleven members of the Fund’s board of directors are either on the BoD of the Center for Public Integrity, or else are on the Center’s Advisory Board. Thus these “two” organizations are actually joined at the hip.

*”Fund for Independence in Journalism…”

The Center is heavily funded by George Soros. It has also received funding from Bill Moyers, though some of that money might have actually been from Soros, laundered through Moyers via the Open Society Foundation.

Other funders include the Streisand Foundation, the Ford Foundation, the Pew Charitable Trusts (used to be conservative, but in 1987 they veered sharply to the left, and are now a dyed-in-the-wool “progressive” funder), the Los Angeles Times Foundation, and so forth. The Center is a far-left organization funded by far-left millionaires, billionaires, and trusts.

Forward Deployed: “George Soros Funds Center for Public Integrity Hit Piece”

The Center for Public Integrity is funded by the Open Society Institute, a George Soros outfit, which should come as little surprise, since Soros has a bad case of BDS.

The Fund for Independence in Journalism is not independent, and doesn’t engage in journalism (it’s a front group of mostly the same people whose purpose is to shield the Center from lawsuits);

The vast majority of the “false statements” are simply positions with which liberals disagree, or else statements widely accepted at the time that later investigation (after deposing Saddam Hussein) showed to be inaccurate.

From LAHawk…a trip down memory lane.

how many of these so-called lies were repeated ad nauseum by the likes of President Bill Clinton, First Lady/Senator Hillary Clinton, Sec. State Albright, National Security Advisor Sandy Berger, Sen. Jay Rockefeller, Sen. John Kerry, Sen. John Edwards Business-Should-Not-Fear-Edwards Jan-08 , and all the rest of the Democrats during the 1990s? It only came after 2003 that people realized that the CIA intel about the Iraqi WMD programs was found to be incorrect.

That’s not a lie. That’s bad intel, which was only discovered after Saddam Hussein was ousted.

Maybe they should be going after the intelligence agencies for “lying”.

Because a good number of them fell for it at the time:

John Kerry (D-MA)

“Oh, I think we clearly have to keep the pressure on terrorism globally. This doesn’t end with Afghanistan by any imagination. Terrorism is a global menace. It’s a scourge. And it is absolutely vital that we continue, for instance, Saddam Hussein.”
December 14, 2001
Larry King Live

“If Saddam Hussein is unwilling to bend to the international community’s already existing order, then he will have invited enforcement, even if the enforcement is mostly at the hands of the United States, a right we retain even if the Security Council fails to act.”
September 6, 2002
New York Times

Bill Clinton

“If Saddam rejects peace and we have to use force, our purpose is clear. We want to seriously diminish the threat posed by Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction program.”
February 17, 1998

“The United States favors an Iraq that offers its people freedom at home. I categorically reject arguments that this is unattainable due to Iraq’s history or its ethnic or sectarian make-up. Iraqis deserve and desire freedom like everyone else. The United States looks forward to a democratically supported regime that would permit us to enter into a dialogue leading to the reintegration of Iraq into normal international life. ”
October 31, 1998
Press Release Upon Signing the Iraq Liberation Act of 1998

Letter to Congress

“We are convinced that as long as Saddam Hussein remains in power, he will continue to threaten the well-being of his people, the peace of the region and the security of the world. We will continue to contain these threats, but over the long term the best way to address them is through a new government in Baghdad.

To that end, working with the Congress, we have deepened our engagement with the forces of change in Iraq to help make the opposition a more effective voice for the aspirations of the Iraqi people…

Hillary Clinton (D-NY)

“In the four years since the inspectors left, intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons stock, his missile delivery capability, and his nuclear program. He has also given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to terrorists, including al Qaeda members . It is clear, however, that if left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage biological and chemical warfare, and will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons.”
October 10, 2002

Harry Reid (D-NV)

“What is my position on Iraq? Saddam Hussein is an evil dictator who presents a serious threat to international peace and security. Under Saddam’s rule, Iraq has engaged in far-reaching human rights abuses, been a state sponsor of terrorism, and has long sought to obtain and develop weapons of mass destruction.”
From Sen. Reid’s own website as of November 7, 2005.

Al Gore

We know that he has stored secret supplies of biological and chemical weapons throughout his country.”
September 23, 2002

Iraq’s search for weapons of mass destruction has proven impossible to deter and we should assume that it will continue for as long as Saddam is in power.
Al Gore, Sept. 23, 2002

Even if we give first priority to the destruction of terrorist networks, and even if we succeed, there are still governments that could bring us great harm. And there is a clear case that one of these governments in particular represents a virulent threat in a class by itself: Iraq. As far as I am concerned, a final reckoning with that government should be on the table.”
February 12, 2002
Remarks to the US Council on Foreign Relations

“We have known for many years that Saddam Hussein is seeking and developing weapons of mass destruction.”
September 27, 2002

“There is no doubt that Saddam Hussein’s regime is a serious danger, that he is a tyrant, and that his pursuit of lethal weapons of mass destruction cannot be tolerated. He must be disarmed.”
September 27, 2002

Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)

“Saddam Hussein has been engaged in the development of weapons of mass destruction technology which is a threat to countries in the region and he has made a mockery of the weapons inspection process.”
December 16, 1998

John Edwards (D-NC)

“Saddam Hussein’s regime represents a grave threat to America and our allies, including our vital ally, Israel. For more than two decades, Saddam Hussein has sought weapons of mass destruction through every available means. We know that he has chemical and biological weapons. He has already used them against his neighbors and his own people, and is trying to build more. We know that he is doing everything he can to build nuclear weapons, and we know that each day he gets closer to achieving that goal.”
October 10, 2002

“The debate over Iraq is not about politics. It is about national security. It should be clear that our national security requires Congress to send a clear message to Iraq and the world: America is united in its determination to eliminate forever the threat of Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction.”
October 10, 2002

Jay Rockefeller (D-WV)

“There is unmistakable evidence that Saddam Hussein is working aggressively to develop nuclear weapons and will likely have nuclear weapons within the next five years has made in development of weapons of mass destruction…

Carl Levin (D-MI)

“[W]e urge you, after consulting with Congress, and consistent with the U.S. Constitution and laws, to take necessary actions (including, if appropriate, air and missile strikes on suspect Iraqi sites) to respond effectively to the threat posed by Iraq’s refusal to end its weapons of mass destruction programs.”
Letter to President Clinton, signed by Sens. Carl Levin, Tom Daschle, John Kerry, and others Oct. 9, 1998

Bob Graham (D-FL)

“There is no doubt that … Saddam Hussein has invigorated his weapons programs. Reports indicate that biological, chemical and nuclear programs continue apace and may be back to pre-Gulf War status. In addition, Saddam continues to redefine delivery systems and is doubtless using the cover of a licit missile program to develop longer-range missiles that will threaten the United States and our allies.”
Letter to President Bush, Signed by Sen. Bob Graham (D, FL,) and others, December 5, 2001

Madeline Albright

“Iraq is a long way from [the USA], but what happens there matters a great deal here. For the risks that the leaders of a rogue state will use nuclear, chemical or biological weapons against us or our allies is the greatest security threat we face.”
February 18,1998

“Hussein has .. chosen to spend his money on building weapons of mass destruction and palaces for his cronies.”
November 10, 1999

“No one has done what Saddam Hussein has done, or is thinking of doing. He is producing WMDs and he is qualatively and quantitatively different from other dictators.”
February 18, 1998

“I’m really surprised that people are defending the rights of Saddam Hussein.”
February 18, 1998

“Saddam’s goal … is to achieve the lifting of U.N. sanctions while retaining and enhancing Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction programs. We cannot, we must not and we will not let him succeed.”
1998

“As we made very clear this week, we will take unilateral action when we feel our national interests have been threatened.”
August 23, 1998

“Saddam was not just another dictator. He had invaded both Iran and Kuwait, and yearned to develop a nuclear bomb to impress an Arab world that despised him.”
From “Madam Secretary”

It seemed to me obvious that, under the circumstances, it would have been immoral not to confront Saddam Hussein.”
“Madam Secretary”

Wanting to shield Iraqi’s from suffering, they [protesters] thought the way to do that was to oppose us. But most hadn’t seen the video footage of Saddam’s attack on the Kurdish village of Halabja in 1998, where five thousand died…they accused us of not caring but seemed to have no conception of the suffering that appeasing a ruthless dictator might cause.”
Madam Secretary

“The world has not seen, except maybe Hitler, somebody who is quite as evil as Saddam Hussein. If you don’t stop a horrific dictator before he gets started to far, then he could do untold damage.”
February 19, 1997

General Wesley Clark

“There’s no question that Saddam Hussein is a threat… Yes, he has chemical and biological weapons. He’s had those for a long time. But the United States right now is on a very much different defensive posture than we were before September 11th of 2001… He is, as far as we know, actively pursuing nuclear capabilities, though he doesn’t have nuclear warheads yet. If he were to acquire nuclear weapons, I think our friends in the region would face greatly increased risks as would we.”
September 26, 2002

Polipundit

Sven on Tech

But of course they’re all having a memory lapse over it now that it’s no longer politically expedient.

Who is Lying about Iraq?

Among the many distortions, misrepresentations, and outright falsifications that have emerged from the debate over Iraq, one in particular stands out above all others. This is the charge that George W. Bush misled us into an immoral and/or unnecessary war in Iraq by telling a series of lies that have now been definitively exposed.

What makes this charge so special is the amazing success it has enjoyed in getting itself established as a self-evident truth even though it has been refuted and discredited over and over again by evidence and argument alike. In this it resembles nothing so much as those animated cartoon characters who, after being flattened, blown up, or pushed over a cliff, always spring back to life with their bodies perfectly intact. Perhaps, like those cartoon characters, this allegation simply cannot be killed off, no matter what.

Not when they’re looking to impeach Bush, that’s for sure.