The prestigious New York Times urged US President George W. Bush to apologize to the American people for going to war on Iraq after an official investigation into the September 11 attacks found no evidence linking Iraq and Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network.
"Now President Bush should apologize to the American people, who were led to believe something different," the Times editorial, entitled "The Plain Truth", said.
"Of all the ways Mr. Bush persuaded Americans to back the invasion of Iraq last year, the most plainly dishonest was his effort to link his war of choice with the battle against terrorists worldwide."
"This is not just a matter of the president's diminishing credibility, although that's disturbing enough," the daily said in the editorial published Thursday.
"The war on terror has actually suffered as the conflict in Iraq has diverted military and intelligence resources from places like Afghanistan, where there could really be al Qaeda forces, including Mr. bin Laden."
President Bush, the US daily added, is responsible for his government's actions since September 11. "That includes, inexcusably, selling the false Iraq-Qaeda claim to Americans.
"There are two unpleasant alternatives: either Mr. Bush knew he was not telling the truth, or he has a capacity for politically motivated self-deception that is terrifying in the post-9/11 world," the paper concluded. (Albawaba.com)
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
