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Bush defends Iraq intelligence use

PRETORIA (AP) - U.S. President George W. Bush defended his use of prewar intelligence on Iraq, saying July 9 he is "absolutely confident" in his actions despite the discovery that a claim he made about former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's weapons pursuits was based on false information.

Democrats have argued that the White House's acknowledgment that Bush misspoke earlier this year when he said Hussein tried to buy uranium in Africa justifies a broad review of how the administration used prewar intelligence on Iraq.

"There's no doubt in my mind that when it's all said and done the facts will show the world the truth," Bush said at a news conference. "There's going to be, you know, a lot of attempts to try to rewrite history, and I can understand that. But I'm absolutely confident in the decision I made."

Bush did not directly address the misstatement itself, made during his State of the Union address in January. Instead, he defended his decision to go to war based on a larger body of information.

Democrats said more was needed than the several investigations now under way in Congress.

"This is a very important admission," Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle said July 8. "It's a recognition that we were provided faulty information. And I think it's all the more reason why a full investigation of all of the facts surrounding this situation be undertaken."

Shukan ST: July 18, 2003

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