79th in continuing blog series on the administration push to war. Beset with increasing questions about missing Iraqi WMD, the disappearance of Saddam Hussein, U.S. casualties, and reconstruction in Iraq, the White House and the Office of the Vice President conduct extensive PR to repair and restore key images. The thrust is always on how awful Saddam was, a safe argument, and on the heroism and peacefulness of the U.S. occupation in Iraq. Administration figures also continue to imply that American military dominance over Iraq is somehow in doubt.
April 8-11, 2003:

 

 
Apr. 8, 2003 -- The President and Blair meet in Northern Ireland. Bush and Blair issue a joint statement:
 

“Coalition military operations are progressing and will succeed. We will eliminate the threat posed by Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, deliver humanitarian aid, and secure the freedom of the Iraqi people. We will create an environment where Iraqis can determine their own fate democratically and peacefully.”

 

Apr. 8, 2003 – Condoleezza Rice briefs the press on the meeting between Bush and Blair:

“Q Do they have a consensus on how much longer the war is going to last?

DR. RICE: I dont think anybody is trying to make a prediction on how much longer. Its going to last as long as it takes, because obviously good progress is being made, but the one thing that everybody is absolutely clear on is, this regime is coming down, Iraq is going to be returned to a -- to the Iraqi people in a way that it can be a good neighbor, can be thoroughly disarmed -- completely disarmed of its weapons of mass destruction, and can be put on a path to democratic development, keeping the territorial integrity of the country.”

 

Apr. 9, 2003 – The large statue of Saddam Hussein in Baghdad is pulled down, in a televised event obviously reminiscent of people chipping away at the Berlin Wall in the collapse of the former Soviet Union. However, the act of pulling down the statue is subsequently revealed to be stage-managed by a U.S. Army team.

 

Apr. 9, 2003 – Cheney speaks to the American Society of News Editors:

“Since the war, our forces have conducted themselves with all of the skill and integrity that President Bush and the American people expected of them. They are in the field at this very hour. Operations continue all across Iraq securing cities, protecting supply lines, delivering tons of humanitarian aid. In downtown Baghdad this morning, we are seeing evidence of the collapse of any central regime authority. The streets are full of people celebrating. While pockets of regime security forces may remain, they appear to be far less effective at putting up any resistance.  

       In southern Iraq today, British forces are securing the second largest city, in Basra. Across Iraq, we are beginning to see senior religious leaders come forward urging their followers to support our coalition, another sure sign that Saddam Hussein's regime is clearly doomed . . . There may well be hard fighting yet ahead. Regime forces are still in control in northern Iraq -- in Mosul and Kirkuk and Tikrit. Yet the conclusion of the war will mark one of the most extraordinary military campaigns ever conducted. It's proceeded according to a carefully drawn plan with fixed objectives and flexibility in meeting them. In the early days of the war, the plan was criticized by some retired military officers embedded in TV studios. (Laughter.) But with every day and every advance by our coalition forces, the wisdom of that plan becomes more apparent. Secretary Rumsfeld, General Franks, General Myers and General Pace at Pentagon -- and their subordinates -- have done a superb job. It's been a most impressive performance. And coming on the heels of the Afghanistan operation last year, it's proof positive of the success of our efforts to transform our military to meet the challenges of the 21st century.”

 

Apr. 10, 2003 – The White House issues a ‘Message to the Iraqi people’:

“PRESIDENT BUSH: This is George W Bush, the President of the United States. At this moment, the regime of Saddam Hussein is being removed from power, and a long era of fear and cruelty is ending. American and coalition forces are now operating inside Baghdad – and we will not stop until Saddam’s corrupt gang is gone. The government of Iraq, and the future of your country, will soon belong to you.

       The goals of our coalition are clear and limited. We will end a brutal regime, whose aggression and weapons of mass destruction make it a unique threat to the world. Coalition forces will help maintain law and order, so that Iraqis can live in security. We will respect your great religious traditions, whose principles of equality and compassion are essential to Iraq’s future. We will help you build a peaceful and representative government that protects the rights of all citizens. And then our military forces will leave. Iraq will go forward as a unified, independent and sovereign nation that has regained a respected place in the world.”

 

Apr. 11, 2003 – Bush discusses Iraq with reporters, during a visit at Bethesda and Walter Reed medical hospitals:

“Q Mr. President, what progress are we making in determining the whereabouts and well-being of American POWs and MIAs in Iraq? And the same goes for Saddam Hussein. And which do you see as the greater priority right now?

THE PRESIDENT: The priority of this campaign is to rid the Iraqi people of any vestiges of Saddam Hussein and his regime so we can not only free the people, but clear that country of weapons of mass destruction. I don't know the whereabouts of Saddam Hussein; I don't know if he's dead or alive. I do know he's no longer in power.

In terms of POWs, we will use every resource we have to find any POWs that are alive -- and we pray that they are alive, because if they are, we'll find them.

Q Why shouldn't we say that the war is over except for pockets of resistance, sir? And do you feel any certain sense of vindication after all those people questioned the war plan?

THE PRESIDENT: I don't take anything personally. I committed our troops because I believe that Saddam Hussein and his regime posed a threat to the American people, posed a threat to anybody who loves freedom. We will achieve that objective. And at the same time, we will free the Iraqi people. And that's an important objective, as well. We believe in freedom. We believe freedom is universal. We believe freedom is -- is a gift from the Almighty God for every person, regardless of their race or their religion.”

 
This belief is apparently not held to apply to detainees in a secret prison network maintained by CIA and other intelligence agencies, nor to prisoners in Guantanamo.