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Gulf War team reunites for 20th anniversary
We're in College Station, Texas tonight, where I just finished an extraordinary discussion with the original planners of Gulf War 1, which the Pentagon preferred to call "Desert Storm." Around a wooden table here at the Bush Presidential Library were:
President George Herbert Walker Bush
Vice President Dan Quayle
Vice President Dick Cheney
Secretary of State James Baker
Secretary of State Colin Powell
General Brent Scowcroft
General Walter Boomer
We covered it all—the first Gulf War, the Second Gulf War, the Presidency and history. We'll excerpt it during our remote broadcast from here tonight, and we'll tell folks where they can find the entire conversation.
We'll also cover the latest news—including the updated condition of Congresswoman Giffords.
We hope you can join us from Texas tonight.
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Leave a Comment:
Although I am not suggesting that Brian Williams should have been rude, he should have called Dick Cheney out when he overtly claimed that the invasion of Iraq was because of the 9/11 attacks. He persists in trying to spread the fiction that Saddam Hussein was behind that attack to justify that disaster.
I agree and Bush wasn't charged with anything for killing him, even tho they found no weapons of mass destruction.Here in the USA you can murder or rap someone and have DNA proof and they are on death row for years at our expense before they are eliminated.
Nice softball questions for that bunch of war mongers Brian.
Brian many remember Desert Storm and the cost to the US Economy. What was interesting is the names and faces of those in charge were the same faces years before the invasion that smile, huggedand had deals with Saddam. That's why the only weapons of mass destruction found in Iraq were those given by the United States of America and the people you are pictured with on this 20th anniversary. Now we know George W. Bush's reason for illegally invading Iraq was to finished the job his Father didn't. Dick Cheney saw oil and Government contracts as his reasons. History can't change even if we want it to.
The visit with the Chinese President by Law Makers was really interesting. As Speaker Boehner advised the President on how he should stop human rights violations, stop denying woman's rights and how he should run his country. We know President Hu was thinking about Boehner in that conversation. Others made their quick pitch. But the Chinese President did get to see how respect and manners for a visiting guest is lost now with US values.
I can't say it enough about the lip service given to our troops. Chase has been violating the law and even illegally foreclosing on soldiers homes who are fighting overseas. Not one Law Maker in 7 years bothered to help the soldiers from being harmed from Chase. No wonder their so many homeless vets and their families. Chase did apologize for violating the Law and selling soldiers homes by fraud. Many were forced to move in with family or some are in shelters but Chase said they would give them 500 dollars. It seems that's really not important but remember to put your flag out on Veterans Day.
I'm looking for to some US Supreme Court Justices having hearing for their impeachment. Yes crime can only go so long before it catches up with you. We looked at the rules for impeachment. There really hard as we saw with Nixon, Clinton and others. Spiro Agnew was easy in his bribery corruption was an open/closed cased. But I wondered with Justices how openly attending Republican fund raisers, teaching Republican members the law, wives as head of political parties, Justices proven to have lied under oath and the shocker of violating the Constitution by giving Citizens United that win to allow corporations to have the same rights as citizens. Well it seems it's follow the money time as was done with the Mafia. The money trail will lead to the charges. With bribes and high crime/misdemeanors still the rule of law, things could be interesting this year. I remember people saying Nixon would get away with all his crimes because he was President well one morning it was announced the President would resign from office.
The heart and love of a child is priceless. A little boy sold his toys at school for two dollars and change. He sent a card with the money enclosed to Congresswoman Giffords. Many can learn a lesson from the child as we saw the third in line to the White House Speaker Boehner didn't have time to attend the event for the victims of Arizona shooting but chose to go to a fund raiser. Children untained by the ways of life give the honest answers to things we have forgotten. Gabby is really blessed and loved by more people she could ever imagine.
see you same time same place
I would advise everyone to watch BEYOND TREASON to hear what really happened and Bush and his team knew and this is right from the troops and they tell it all. They were using depleted uranium weapons knowing it was out lawed in the 70's & knowing he was poisoning our troops & their family's and the people that live in Iraq.It will never go away its forever! All the women in Iraq ask when they having a baby if it normal,not if its a boy or girl anymore.Their water and food supply have been destroyed forever because of the depleted uranium weapons used. Its shows that the USA and other country's supplied Iraq with depleted uranium in the 80's. Watch BEYOND TREASON it tells the real story folks.It will make you cry.We are hated by so many countries and now I see why.
ok must admit i havent seen that one ,but i will check it out if you check out the panam deception
its about how when bush went into panama in the 80's ,he let our troops there test out directed energy weapons on the panamanian civilans ,its really sick there is this one scene where they show this minivan or some kind of vehicle with a black ash outline of a person on it ,he was supposedly vaporized by some kind of laser or energy beam and that was all that was left,i havent seen it awhile
some other great documentaries i would suggest are
iraq for sale, the corporation, the shock doctrine, the world according to monsanto ,crude awakening,
Dora you are 100 per cent correct many soldiers in combat told me the same thing. At lease they were talking as I was at the table listening when Peaches came home. The stories soldiers have is one reason for so many problems their having back in the States. What was interesting in watching the round table of Desert Storm leaders with Brian, was how each defended the criminal conduct even now that we know the truth. That interview cleared up one point George W. Bush had a few of the same people his Father had and the others were advisers still trying to put that circle in a square. I did feel alittle bad for Daddy Bush because his face and expressions said more then his words. His legacy is over and it's not good and I expect books blaming each other. Cheney is dying and who ever he's going shooting with better cancels that trip as Cheney looks like he wont make it. I remember my Uncle who was losing weight and losing his body fat was so passed away.
do you really think they are ever going to be punished for anything they do,if you do you are naieve
this country was bought and sold along time ago both parties are exactly the same ,
,obama just appointed william daley whitehouse cheif of staff ,case you dont know hes the vice chairman of j.p. morgan chase the second larges bank and owns 200 thousand shares in the company
and obama has just appointed jeffrey imelts, a G.E. ceo as economic advisor ,and to be on a special council on job creation,talk about hipocracy ,the ceo of a company that has sent 30,000 jobs over seas and closed 20 plants in the U.S. in just the last 2 years, and has 60% of its workforce outside the U.S. is going to be economic advisor, and on a council for job creation. not to mention he will have carte blanch to lobby for the company from inside both of these position ,oh no,no conflict of interest there
fu(k these people, dems and repubs ,they should all be shot
and can please stop with this gabby giffords BS
im so sick of hearing it
just another thing they will use an excuse to strip you of your rights
who really give a dogs dump about her or any member of congress or the senate or anyone thats part of this plutocratic nazi regime,if i hear her name again im gonna vomit my gizzard
Unprecedented interview. I only wish the younger Bush could have been there too.
Please, in this day of news, why waste our time on propaganda and lies? Saddam Hussein had NOTHING to do with 9/11; the criminals perpetrating 9/11 were Arabs from Saudi Arabia. I fail to see the purpose of giving a forum to these war criminals trying to justify their actions and rewrite history. What makes the US any different from Saddam Hussein's Iraq? Didn't the US invade and destroy a sovereign country (Iraq) for no reason except for oil? What business did the US have in invading Iraq either time? According to the Nuremberg tribunals, an unprovoked war of aggression is the worst possible war crime. I shut off your broadcast.
everyone always says oil oh they went in for oil but what everyone forgets is where the real money to be made is ,and its not monet from oil its mony from us ,our tax dollars that are funneled to big corporations
and defense contractors ,where do you think that trillion + went ,whos do you think it was ,it went halliburton its subsidiary kbr and msnbc and so many others,thats what all wars have been about
profiteering,though from vietnam on the profiteering has been stepped up
this conference was with the administration of the first gulf war, not the illegal war that was brought on by bush jr in the 2000's. i think the first war was justified because of iraq's invasion of its neighboring country Kuwait. Iraq was the aggressor and had to be pushed back to their land. We did not need to invade Iraq because there was no need for it. The administration thought Hussein would be ousted by his own people because of losing the first war but it did not happen. I although do not agree with the actual invasion of Iraq that happened in 2003 because we then had to be occupiers and nation builders and that never works. There had to be a better way to oust Hussein w/o invasion.
What a gutless performance by Brian Williams. If you're not going to man-up for the interview, why waste our time showing it.
What are you smokin Bill?!? This was a fantastic interview - - he asked daring, hard-hitting questions - excellent work Brian Williams - bravo!
more like what are you smokin paul ,mabe its the crack that bush senior, regan ,and oli north invented and sold through highway ricki ross in the ghettos of l.a. in the 80's,while they pushed for there phony drug war ,and draconian scentences for everyone else selling drugs,you know, their competiton
wow what a f****** bunch of bulls***
oh yeah it was a "moral decision" riiight
he was a "bad man" riiiight
oh you mean the bad man that you propped up and gave and sold weapons to to fight iran
the one you totally supported ,that bad man?
oh no it want about oil at all
the U.S. is just a bunch of philanthropic do-gooders that like to help people arround the world out of the goodness of their heart
they never support or prop up dictators,or install them
we all know that brian williams has attended builderburg meetings ,and has been co-opted by this group of the top power elite
you know as oppoesd to the rest of the media which has been less directly co-opted
and we are meant to believe that cheney doesnt get along with these people
good show, just more of the same old propaganda surprise ,surprise
Good Evening Mr.Williams, A fine broadcast from College Station, Texas at the George H. W. Bush Presidential Library. It was interesting hearing them all speak about the first Gulf War, Desert Storm. Different objectives then as to the second Gullf War and learning why they made certain decisions.
First of all the report by Kristan Welker from Tucson and the progress of Congresswoman Gabrielle Gifford which is truly remarkable in such a short amount of time. It is wonderfu she will be able to leave the hospital tomorrow. She is a real fighter and hearing she has made interactions with her husband and standing up is such wonderful news. One hopes she will continue to make great strides at Memorial Hospital in Houston which seems to have the best facilities and staff to treat head injuries. A truly remarkable woman. Thoughts and prayers are with her and her family.
The gathering of all the Former President George H. W. Bush and his inner circle of Commanders during Desert Storm was interesting and showed how they all wanted to achieve the objective of getting Saddam Hussein out of Kuwait. The decision to end the war on the ground of achieving the objective seemed as Former President George H. W. Bush stated, "enough". The second Gulf War having far different objectives after 9/11. The ideas of all the different commanders showed all kinds of ideas and not always agreeing with eachother. Truly a historic gathering of leaders.
So sad to learn of more attacks in Iraq killing around 50 people. So tragic the loss of innocent people. One always hopes for peace.
Your account of all the things that happened on this date January 20th was incredible. The 50th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy's Inuagural Speech, the 30th anniversary of the release of the American hostages in Iran and 2yrs ago today President Obama took the Oath of Office. A Majorly Historic Day.
On a weather note the winter storm heading towards the Northeast is certainly not needed since too much snowfall has come already. Keep Extra Warm and Safe Everyone!
Thank You for the broadcast Mr.Williams. Safe travels! Peace to You and to All!
Be Well Everyone!
Stay Extra,Extra Safe and Well Richard! Excellent Report on the Today Show this morning!
Take Extra Good Care Richard and Crew!
Lisa
u r a r-tard
and we all know that bush's' father prescott bush was directly profiting from companies supporting and building the nazi war machine so in essence bushs father was helping support hitler and the nazis
its the same thing now, war profiteering ,its not even the oil thats the real money ,the real money to be made is our tax dollars ,when its funded to these big corporations and defense contractors like mr.cheneys' companys like halliburton and its subsidiaries like kellog brown and root and the rest of them,the same old people profiting from the same old schemes ,think of these wars like huge corporate wellfare giveaways of your tax money to big corporations and defense contractors,you know companies like M$ who made tons of money on the last iraq war selling phraselators and other of its products to the government ,sales that were gaurenteed by no-bid contracts like the no-bid contracts mr.cheneys companies recived,oh no thats not a direct conflict of interest ,ok M$ or msnbc ,we will give you a huge lucrative contract for you to sell us your products ,if you,say, help us spread our war propaganda through your media outlets,im sure it goes way deeper than that but its just an example
Brian: I watched your interview with President Bush 1 and all his power team, discussing Desert Storm. It surely was a one of kind assembly of former statesmen, and you posed some interesting questions. Have you been invited to go hunting with Vice President Chaney and Secratary Baker? Jiust think of all the other information you could obtain from them on a hunting outing. If weren't asked to join them, ask next time. That would make a great news segment. I'll catch you tomorrow evening.
hahaha thats awesome you suggested he go hunting with cheney lol ,just what are you implying there marv??hilarios just hilarious
maybe they can take jan brewer along ,i have a fabulous fur coat id be willing to donate for her to wear on the trip lol
They wouldn't let me post the link so you can go to YouTube and type in BEYOND TREASON and watch the full story.
Here is the link to the documentary of BEYOND TREASON you'll be shocked I was...
if you like that maybe you should watch iraq for sale,the shock doctrine,the panama deception,the american drug war,the corporation,the world according to monsanto,crude awakening,
EXCELLENT interview by Brian Williams - hard questions - not fluff - - love it! He deserves to be #1 - - this is what a mass appeal mainstream newscast should be like - - way to go Brian!!!
your either a sheep or an nbc plant
schill
who was it gave Hussain weapons of mass destrcution?
oh yes Regan and BUsh Senior.
Then AFTER Kuwait what did Bush do to the Shiites Helped ?
Let Hussain Turn Gunships on them and slaughter them.
what did bush junior do?
Turned on and Attacked The Shiites.
They Are ALL War Criminals.
FBI Rounds Up 127 Mobsters in Biggest Bust in NY History...
How many people were really excited when they first saw that headline on Drudge and then really let down when they found out it wasn't the mafia they were hoping for? bwahahahaha
Gotta hold out hope for the best though. Some where in the FBI or other law enforcement there must be honest people still working on it.
As expected, Mr. Williams couldn't conceal his admiration for this collection of corporatist imperialist warmongers who continue to push the 9/11 lie to this day (it was Saddam's fault!). He was completely deferential to them. Maybe they've convinced themselves that what they did was honorable and justified in order to sooth their own consciences, but I think we all now know their sinister motivations (or at least we should). Mr. Williams, being the hawkish military worshipper that he is, supports these recent wars as being the patriotic thing to do, but he's either misguided or complicit. It's as though he feels that because these people were in the positions of power that they held, they must be extremely wise, thoughtful, serious and infallible with the decisions they made, and if they were wrong about anything, well, it would be imprudent to hold them accountable. The only highlight of watching this gathering (more like a coven, really) was seeing the disappointment and hurt on Poppy Bush's face when asked about his bumbling son.
Where do I Find any real news?
I only watch n.b.c and brina but now days not even most of it.
There are no Reporters left.
american show each and evry day they are incapable o facing fact or reality.
All War Criminals.
I tire of you thinking I and the rest the world are as stupid ,uneducted an duninforemd as americans.
FRom fox news to al jazerra waste fo time.
Glorified gossip collumns.
While YOu cover the crimes, and kiling and susicides and murders of your own troops.
Bush senior, Bush Junior, Obam and Clitinnton are All War Criminals.
and you all show each and every day you are waste of words or time.
try frontline,democary now with amy goodman, or the now defunct bill moyers jouranl
i have the 6 cassette tape interview of bill moyers with joseph campbell on 'the power of myth'. we should think of all wars as mythical, methinks, because they are never really what we thought they were about. maybe all of the poor men in saddam hussein's jails were really dead shiites from the first world war when the ottoman empire was split apart. stranger things have happened . . . . . sumeria is in. resurrection is not christian. it makes me think of the old, is it greek, play, 'the magic flute'. the indians of oaxaca, mexico, and central america know that you can bring anyone back at any time, their shamen do it all of the time. revolving doors, that's all that time is, revolving doors. if you look at mesoamerica, they all look mongolian/chinese.
Brian,
An extraordiinary interview. In my mind, Saddam was not just a bad man or dictator, but was the
anti-christ. The devil was in their somewhere. It is a fact that many men in history, such as Napolean,
have been called the anti-christ or anyone who is disliked, even the Pope himself; but I am calling
out Saddam with good reason which I will not discuss because it would get too personal. The face of
Geoge W. Bush should be on Mt. Rushmore for taking out Saddam.
Phyllis
If only W would answer the "get off the hook free" question the proper way.
If you knew then what you know now would you do it again?
It worked for all the democrats but of course Bush doesn't have the 30 pieces of silver to pass out to the "bottom feeders" like the dems did then.
I'm still upset with W for not stopping the Cloward and Piven thing when he had the chance but that's why the make courts and gallows for traitors.
mmmmmm mmmmm mmmmm this new civility is just wonderful.
Hope you checked out Beck and saw how Edward Bernays started the plot to destroy America with bacon. It was funny as heck. -)
Dave, My Uncle, who served in WW2, always said " I wish I knew now what I know now", probably
referring to his version of Pearl Harbor, and I take his word for it, and believe the folly of Churchill
will be eventually manifest to the world.l Have a nice weekend. Phyllis
I am so sorry for you; or maybe I should congratulate you for your complacency. What the US has done is criminal - killing innocent Iraqis and our sons and daughters to line the pockets of defense contractors and politicians. Get the facts, deary. This is the American way, and we are hated world-wide for good reason.
phyllis, i was born with the '666' in blood on my forehead, the catholic priest from 'immaculate conception' said 'just suffocate her and say she died from birth trama'. you can imagine my distress when i found this out from the cia agents in town 5 years ago that were with homeland security. i kept looking in the mirror looking for horns and expecting to grow a tail. and you can imagine all of the things that were done to me from the time i was born, through my infancy, early childhood, grammar school, etc., as i grew up by people that knew what i didn't know. and then the cia agents said, 'well, hell, if she's the '666', can we clone her 1,000 times? we sure could use her out here.' so, go figure. maybe everything is all just a story the the world really is just a stage.
Great job, Brian, but I was disappointed that you let VP Cheney try to establish a link to 9-11 for the Iraq War....there was none.
With the ouster of Keith Olbermann last night, I am thinking that the coverage of this whole "summit" of war criminals is Comcast's doing. If this is a reflection of your broadcast from now on, I will be watching PBS.
This had the potential of being a historical record of the First Gulf War. But instead, it was an hour of backslapping and a mutual admiration society for Bush 1 and his crew.
Brian Williams did a great impression of Larry King lobbing softball questions and not challenging or following up on any answers that were suspect. But I will extend the benefit of the doubt that this was a forum that would not have allowed such a dialogue.
Both Cheney and Powell alluded to the connections between Saddam and the 9/11/01 attacks. This has been proven over and over again that Saddam did not support Bin Laden, he was against him.
When Powell alluded to the fact that Gulf War 2 was in part because of the attacks of 9/11/01, he was wrong. Peter Bergen states in his new book "The Longest War" that it was Gulf War 1 and the presence of western troops in the Middle East that gave Bin Laden the fodder from which the hatred of this country and others was grown.
Revisionist history is a slippery slope and I am disapointed that Brian Williams allowed these men to take him down that path.
Hey Brian - I watched this "historic" interview and thought "hey, while Dick Cheney & Henry Kissinger are still alive, why not have a "historic meeting" of those responsible for the waste that was the Vietnam War? And have a part 2 session while Cheney is in the room with those in the administration responsible for killing innocent students at Kent State? And then a Part 3 session with Cheney still there about the lies that led us to the 2nd Iraq War"?" Same ideology, same players.
It would be low budget not having to fly them in and out - and instead of you asking questions that are clearly soft peddled so you don't lose your job, how about you have a live call in from American citizens?
That would be a show I'd watch without throwing up.
Brian, I TiVo NBC Nightly News and watch daily. In this interview and other big gets one thing is consistent: your questions are too long. It's not an issue when a round table discussion is Webcast, but it gets in the way when it's a 2-3 minute segment during your 16 or so minutes of news each night. Shorten it up and avoid the context and preamble. Give some of those old white guys more time to answer - and don't be afraid to get in their faces a little. Jeremy Paxman does that on the BBC and he still seems to get access.