Heck of a job, Mr. President (The Seattle Times)

Sunday, March 5, 2006 - Page updated at 12:00 a.m.
Editorial
Heck of a job, Mr. President

The Bush administration has a substantial credibility problem. Things it says turn out not to be true. Again and again.

Two troubling examples made the news last week, and they illustrate a serious problem rooted in a combination of political arrogance, incompetence and disdain for the audience. Often it seems the White House, or the president himself, offers the American public an incredulous shrug to punctuate the plea, "Who could have known?"

In Iraq, a virulent insurgency is killing civilians and American soldiers. Before the war, the Bush administration said the U.S. military would be greeted as liberators by a grateful public. Almost three years of mayhem and chaos later, the White House blames the insurgency on the residue of Saddam Hussein's supporters and foreign terrorists.

Who could have known?

In 2003, the White House was repeatedly warned the insurgency had deep local roots and could lead to civil war. Local conditions, not foreign terrorists, would fuel the flames. The information was prepared by a committee of senior intelligence analysts at the request of the U.S. military command.

As the insurgency gained strength, what did President George W. Bush have to say? "Bring 'em on."

more at:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/text/2002842635_bushed05.html

titled something like "Bush lies. No really, he lies and lies and lies..."