TV presenter apologises for backing weapons claims

[farina]

TV presenter apologises for backing weapons claims

A conservative TV news anchor in the United States has apologised to his viewers for supporting pre-war claims that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction.

Bill O'Reilly is the anchor of his own show on Fox News.

He says he is sorry he gave the US Government the benefit of the doubt over claims that Saddam Hussein's weapons program posed an imminent threat to the world - the main reason cited for going to war.

Mr O'Reilly says he has become much more sceptical about the Bush administration since former weapons inspector David Kay said he did not think Saddam had any weapons of mass destruction.

However, while critical of President George W Bush, Mr O'Reilly says he does not think the President intentionally lied.

He instead blamed CIA director George Tenet, who was appointed by former president Bill Clinton.

link http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s1042306.htm

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My question: Now that slowly people are realising that WMD claims were all lies and speculations on adminisrations part - Will other people in the media come forward and admit they were wrong in spporting and beating the war drums?

[gf0012-aust]

I'm getting confused over this. The CIA has argued that their reports were restructured by the Executive to emphasise a point of view that they didn't aspire to, and the Govt is blaming the CIA for the information they got?


Who's at fault here?

[Winter]

My question: Now that slowly people are realising that WMD claims were all lies and speculations on adminisrations part - Will other people in the media come forward and admit they were wrong in spporting and beating the war drums?

A few, but nowhere near all. :roll

[farina]

gf0012, obviously both parties do not want to deal with the fact that they both lied to the American people and rest of the world about Iraqs weapons. Only option and face saving would be to plant those weapons but with people dying everyday and choas that is following after the capture of Saddam Hussain, that is very unlikely.

[ullu]

good piece of news. i never liked O'Reilly since he is so arrogant and snotty, but its good to see people like him in the media bending to towards the truth!

here is something related to this story

Defence Expert Fears Public Backlash on Wmd Threat

By Gavin Cordon, Whitehall Editor, PA News


A retired intelligence official who gave key evidence to the Hutton Inquiry warned today that efforts to counter the spread of weapons of mass destruction could be undermined by “false expectations” raised about Iraq’s arsenal.

Dr Bryan Jones, the former head of the branch in the Defence Intelligence Staff looking at nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, said he did not expect any weapons stockpiles to be discovered in Iraq.
more http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=2512349