Divorced from reality

Published October 7, 2004 4:08PM (EDT)

When John Edwards says George W. Bush and Dick Cheney are "completely out of touch with reality" this is what he's talking about: The final word comes down from the U.S. chief weapons inspector in Iraq that Saddam had no weapons, no factories to even make weapons, and really just a dream of someday making weapons, and even then, his dream was to target his next door neighbor Iran. Everyone else thinks this sounds like a real black eye for the administration. But Dick Cheney? He thinks it sounds like a justification for the Iraq war. Incredible:

"The [Duelfer] report shows that 'delay, defer, wasn't an option,' Cheney told a town-hall style meeting."

His logic: Saddam may not have been a threat, but he was plotting to wiggle out from under international sanctions and after that process, "intended" to try resuscitating a weapons program. This is quite a far cry from mushroom clouds.


By Geraldine Sealey

Geraldine Sealey is senior news editor at Salon.com.

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