Because I used to print and bind my blog entries, it's easier to look back and read them than skimming a computer screen. I was looking at November 2005 (20 years ago) and found a fascinating collection of a blog called, "Who said it game--Iraq Style." It looks like it ended in 2005, or perhaps changed names. It clearly shows our populace what intelligence and information President Bush had from 20-30 years before we got involved there. Direct quotes from Clinton, Reed, Gore, Kerry, Pelosi and others who later blamed Bush and lied about him. Before they were smearing Trump, they were smearing Bush, and some of the same players. Then we called it "Bush Derangement Syndrome" and the hate, anger and evil were the same. It's not about Trump, it's about Democrat ideology.
John Kerry, December 14, 2001, Larry King Live: "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."
John Kerry, 2003 CBS Face the Nation: "Well, it wasn't only on that basis. ... Saddam Hussein could not be left to his own devices based on everything we learned about him for seven and a half years while we were inspecting in Iraq. People have forgotten that for seven and a half years, we found weapons of mass destruction. We were destroying weapons of mass destruction. We were, the United States of America, together with Ambassador Butler and the United Nations."
Bill Clinton, Address to nation, Dec. 16, 1998: "Heavy as they are, the costs of action must be weighed against the price of inaction. If Saddam defies the world and we fail to respond, we will face a far greater threat in the future. Saddam will strike again at his neighbors. He will make war on his own people. And mark my words, he will develop weapons of mass destruction. He will deploy them, and he will use them.
Let me close by addressing one other issue. Saddam Hussein and the other enemies of peace may have thought that the serious debate currently before the House of Representatives would distract Americans or weaken our resolve to face him down."
Bill Clinton, Presidential Letter to Congress on Iraq May 19, 1999: "Many warnings (referring to April report) on weapons of mass destruction--biological and chemical--" "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..."
Al Gore, December 16, 1998. On Larry King Live. "We need national resolve and unity, not weakness and division when we're involved, engaged in an action against someone like Saddam Hussein, who is trying to get weapons of mass destruction and threaten his neighbors... [I]f you allow someone like Saddam Hussein to get nuclear weapons, ballistic missiles, chemical weapons, biological weapons, how many people is he going to kill with such weapons? He's already demonstrated a willingness to use these weapons; he poison gassed his own people. He used poison gas and other weapons of mass destruction against his neighbors. This man has no compunctions about killing lots and lots of people."
Madeline Albright, February 18,1998: "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."
Nancy Pelosi, December 16, 1998: "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."
So, you see, it's the same old gaslighting and finger pointing that we have today, then when things get dark and confusing, they bow out and point fingers.