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O’Reilly vs. Fonda, Penn, Sarandon and Robbins (Updated)

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Posted on Jan 30, 2007
Sean Penn
Fox News

Jane Fonda, Sean Penn, Susan Sarandon, Tim Robbins and WorldCantWait organizer Sunsara Taylor each spoke to a Fox News reporter at this weekend’s antiwar protest in Washington. Watch Bill O’Reilly attempt to counter their arguments.

UPDATE: Check out WorldCantWait’s refutations of O’Reilly’s talking points.

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By rekzkarz, February 12, 2007 at 12:40 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

Oh O’Reilly.  You are not a respectable journalist, although you have the trappings.

Slandering heroes to further the Christian right of the USA.

You’re frightened by the Left wing.  Good.
You frighten us as well with your outrageous innaccurate statements.

I don’t live in fear of you, though.  I live with an awareness that there’s a propoganda system pushing out lies.

At least you don’t hide the lies too well.  I’d be a bit more concerned if you were more skillfull at your deception.

The war is about military power expansion by the USA, and gaining a foothold on more oil reserves as humans over-tap a very valuable natural resource.

Militant Islamists are bad, I won’t argue that point.  But who has done more damage over the course of history, the militant Islamists or the Christian countries that have had mass weapons?

You go on an on about keeping Iran from getting a nuke.  However, the USA has used nukes against civilians—and Bush actually stated he wanted to reserve the option to use them again in a ground war.

NO NUKES for IRAN, and NO NUKES for the USA.

Same goes for germ warfare, ggas, and mines.

REkzkaRZ.com

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By Bob, February 6, 2007 at 6:51 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

First - You old “Peacenic” Quote - “Thank you JANE,?” Do you really mean “Fonda” Even if you are a Dolt from the seventy’s, Surely you are joking....  She (j. fonda) does not and has not ever deserved respect from anyone who enjoys the freedom of living in the U.S.A. - She has a home in the great state of Montana (where I also reside and let me tell you - She is not a welcome neighbor here!  You are either joking or sadly mistaken in your thinking.. 

And as for Christopher Robin..  I hope you have Pooh Bear and company to bed, And actually from the sound of your reply, You are already into such a Fairy-Tale there is no point in talking to you.  IF you read my post correctly you would realize I am not a Bill O’ fanatic or a Republican Robot.  Unlike You - I have a mind of my own and dont need some Actor or Actress to tell me what to think - I have spent a great deal of my life protecting the flag which you so easily dismiss as Bravado Bullshit… Well let me tell you - This country would be far better off with a few more John Wayne’s and a hell of alot less “roll-over-and-play deads” like you.

Where has your kind gotten us as a nation ??  OH, Thats right - We all get free Bl>w J>b’s under the desk in the OVAL OFFICE.  Thank’s Much for your quite inept philosiphy - I’m sure I can use that after IRAN Nukes Irael.

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By hossein-london, February 6, 2007 at 5:59 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

Its not “the gulf” its always been Persian Gulf and always will be!

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By Louise, February 5, 2007 at 2:54 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

Dear Julio.
Thank you for your military service.
I commend you for your love of country.

We all love our country, which is why so many of us are so concerned.

I’m glad you had an opportunity to speak to some Muslims. No doubt you meant a few.

Perhaps if we all made the effort to listen to Islam instead of just speaking at it, we might all be better off. Because the likelihood that one billion Muslims, fewer than one fifth of whom are Arab, are all fighting us in Iraq is extremely remote.

No doubt there are a few who are mentally ill or really insane. That’s easy to believe, because we also see the mentally ill and really insane in other religions ... and in more than a few politicos. And sometimes their language sounds more like lunatic raving than thoughtful observation.

We all love our country.

Maybe that’s why it’s so hard to listen to the diatribe spilling out of mouths like the one belonging to Mr. O’Reilly.

Seems pretty clear he is far more concerned with denigrating and defaming than looking for a grain of truth to help re-cement the good relations we all worked so hard to rebuild after the tragedy of Vietnam shattered this nation. But no, he would much rather promote hate and back-biting, resurrect that tragedy, driving the knife deeper into the shattered backbone of this country.

Mr. O’Reilly exhibits a great dearth of love for country.
I hope you wont sully your good works by stooping to his level.
Again, thank you for your service.

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By einsteinstoe, February 5, 2007 at 10:01 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

“...can’t we have a “peace academy?”

Push your local and state political party and or affiliated groups to support Congressman Dennis Kucinich of Ohio’s push for the formation of a cabinet level United States Department of Peace.
http://www.kucincih.us
peace

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By Boggs, February 4, 2007 at 11:43 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

I’m just an old ‘peacenik’ left over from the seventies and I still get a thrill out of the courage and patriotism displayed by my favorite senior americans, like Jane Fonda. Thank you Jane for taking time to be a really caring american.
Mothers and fathers, don’t raise your children to be soldiers.....can’t we have a “peace academy?”

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By Jim Yell, February 4, 2007 at 7:02 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

As someone has observed, “don’t allow people who are lying to define the discussion.

The American People had a right to defend themselves and a right to expect the government to define and defend, but that is not what happened after 9/11. After 9/11, through the lies and bullying of the Bush/Cheney administration we attacked the only Islamic country that had no direct contact with the criminals who attacked us. The result has been chaos and the complete collapse of any moral or ethical excuse for this adventure, one based upon greed, oil and arrogance, not to mention Bush stupidity.

What we have not addressed is the invention of the fundamentalist Islamic schools, which were invented and funded by the Royal Saudi Government and an attack mounted, planned and executed against the US in 9/11 by Saudi, the natural result of what the Saudi’s (not Iraq)conceived.

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By Justin, February 3, 2007 at 9:26 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

This guy is amazing!  Of course it is a “secular progressive” position that preemptive war ought not be waged without provocation—never mind the fact that it is also international law.  A-hole.  ‘They want us to act unilaterally in Darfur...but condemn it in Iraq and Iran (the next Iraq...)’ There is a GENOCIDE happening in Darfur you putz!  It is such sad commentary on us Americans that this puppet is the #1 news personality on the #1 cable news channel.  Regardless of your political affiliations...how can anybody possibly tolerate his smug, sanctimonious farce? This hard-nosed, know-it-all nonsense?  I remember O’ Reilly had this general on one night...retired albeit...but a general, whom had been in Iraq.  This neanderthal had the nerve to dispute the soldier’s recollection, or interpretation, of the state of events...telling him “I know what’s going on over there...” I mean what a prick! 

And John Lennon had to get shot???

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By Christopher Robin, February 3, 2007 at 8:36 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

Reply to Comment #51439 by Bob

Oh Bob, What do you have against actors? Some of your biggest heroes were actors. Ronald Reagan?  remember?..."Bedtime for Bonzo"..."Win one for the Gipper?” that was from a movie too...or our smiling salesman for GE?

Ketchup is a vegetable? Trees cause pollution?

Or how about Arnold?, he has an understanding of world affairs...well,...Austria anyway.

You Republicans are so predictable...Your still living your John Wayne...flag waving, guns and bullets fantasies.

“Hanoi Jane”? original, did you come up with that one with all your independent-minded thinking too? I’m impressed by your wit. You should contact Fox and share your clever names, they’re in sorry need of some new material.

Have you watched this video clip? The part where O’Liar, lectured on Vietnam? You may remember why we were there? That Domino theory...no not the sugar...But that the commies were coming and they had to have Vietnam as a base to come get us?

Maybe you could say we were fighting them there, so we didn’t have to fight’em here?

We lost Vietnam.

Yes,I know us un-patriotic, commie, pinko peaceniks lost that one too...Right? If we just had our hands untied and bombed and killed more.

We forget all those years prior to 67, with blind loyalty,flags and lies? The stage for loss was set. But blame whom ever you want Democrats, Johnson, Hippies or The Pill.

The fact remains is we left, and the commies took over.

Did all those domino theories ever happen after our loss?

I think the most we can blame Vietnam for, besides all the death and destruction, is the inflation of the 70’s.

Oh,I forgot!… back to O’Liar....he implied we were responsible for the massacres in southeast Asia after our withdrawal from Vietnam. What a humanitarian O’Reilly is!...if it weren’t for that treasonous traitor “Hanoi Jane”...all that humanity would have been spared...Right? But of course.

Of course were in Iraq to bring democracy. You might think of it as pre-emptive democracy.

Have you read any statements from the newly elected Iraq government? the ones regarding the oil concessions? Seems they have that well in hand too.

Explaining to the Iraq people why it’s best to have American companies have those contracts. Contracts of an undetermined length, and with a split of the oil revenue 70% oil companies 30% Iraq government.... They are told these terms are necessary to attract needed investment to their country. Otherwise no investors would want to invest in developing the 2nd largest oil reserve in the world. Right?

“Mission Accomplished”

Quotes: http://david.hedges.name/archive/2007/01/28/mission_ac complished_big_oils_

Who’s gullible?

Of course it’s that antiwar protest which has lost this war in Iraq too...Bush? Cheney? Rumsfeld? and crew have no responsibility for all these years of continued lies and incompetence.

Yes, we’re being greeted, just not with those flowers like we were promised. And we had a few cost over runs ...But that goes with all government jobs uh? And torture? who needs the Geneva conventions? just forget the whole 20th century...What the hell did they ever know?

O’Reilly our humanitarian. He must be losing sleep at night worrying about the massacres in Darfur? huh?....I know Bush wants to send the army there to liberate and bring democracy...and stop the slaughter, because he’s doing god’s humanitarian work.

But were just tied up at the moment, and Iran is next on our dance card. Right?

Those Left-o Hollywood types are doing O’Reilly’s humanitarian efforts in Darfur for him. So Bill just rest easy.

If they could just strike some oil in Darfur. We could finance their liberation too?

“Wake up america?...”

We have. and it wasn’t due to “Tokyo Fox News” or Lord Haw Haw (Mr. Bill O’Reilly) either, it was a hurricane.

Katrina

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By walker, February 3, 2007 at 2:24 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

Because someone is an actor doesn’t mean they’re stupid. It doesn’t mean they’re intelligent, either. What it does mean is that they have a right to express their opinion, as does Bill O’Reilly.

The bottom line, regardless as to who is doing the talking, is if they’re right or not.

There are two ways to determine if someone is right or not: looking at the facts and evidence, and looking at the tactics used to combat what they’re saying.

Bill O’Reilly is wrong, simply because he deliberately underestimated the turnout at the Washington protest. That’s simply a blatant attempt on his part to deny exactly how many Americans are opposed to what Bush is doing.

But what about “Hanoi Jane”? There are emails flying all around the net that are spreading lie after lie about her in an attempt to assassinate her character. I won’t go into them here, since anyone who wants to can look them up. But when people start trashing someone’s character, instead of trying to point out the flaws in what that person is saying, it’s a clear indication that what that person is (or was) saying is (or was) the truth.

This is the standard tactic used for dealing with whistleblowers and truthtellers: character assassination. Michael Ruppert, Joe Wilson, “Hanoi Jane”, Jimmy Carter and The Dixie Chicks all have one thing in common: serious attempts were made to assassinate their characters, as opposed to serious attempts to refute what they were saying.

So what was Michael Ruppert saying? That the “war on drugs” is a scam and that Peak Oil is upon us.

So what was Joe Wilson saying? That Saddam Hussein wasn’t buying yellow-cake uranium from Niger.

So what was Hanoi Jane saying? That the Vietnam war was wrong.

So what was Jimmy Carter saying? That a state of apartheid exists in Israel.

So what was Natalie Maine saying? That she thought George Bush was an embarrassment to Texas.

And they all were right.

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By anechoic, February 3, 2007 at 11:49 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

hard left?! yikes! BOR really ought to travel more and see what a ‘real’ left sounds and looks like!

what he claims is ‘hard left’ or ‘far left’ in the USA is really a watered down, cartoon version of the real thing…

viva la Chavez!

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By Bob, February 3, 2007 at 9:52 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

The fact that these “ACTORS” may appear to be intelligent in their movies’ does not mandate that they should have any more influence over what the average american thinks than Bill O’ does....

“Hanoi Jane” and her little posse’ of Imposters are professional actors-(LIARS)- They make their living pretending to be someone they are not, And yet all you sheep seem to think they are somehow more enlightened about political issues.

Wake up america…

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By Verne Arnold, February 3, 2007 at 6:04 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

Sorry, sorry, give me a moment to recover from my hysterical moment of laughter.  I left the states 4 years ago thinking Fox News was a bad parody of Saturday Night Live.  I find it incredible any body still watches O’Reilly. 
So many mis-statements of facts, I mean, give me a break!  Where is the America I loved and cherished?  Come to think of it, where is the Democratic Republic that used to be the moral rudder of the world?

Verne Arnold
Thailand

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By Julio Desilva, February 2, 2007 at 7:43 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

I served 2 years in Iraq fighting for my beloved USA my homeland! I was fighting evil! The enimies of the USA are evil men and women! I’ve spoken to the islamists and they are without a doubt mentally ill or really insane!

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By Tobiaz, February 2, 2007 at 7:21 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

Dear Mr. O’Reilly, How much do you pay your writers?

Since Mr. Bush took over I’ve had trouble finding a job (like a few others) So, I’d really like a chance to write your script! What’s more, I’ll do it for half what it’s costing you now!

Course, my script would be honest, so ...

Never mind, I doubt if you’d be interested, even if you could put the difference in your pocket.

Maybe if I offered to pay you?

Naw ... come to think of it, I don’t think I could work with you. Nothing tougher than working with the perfect man.

BTW, you are an attractive man, but lately you’ve been looking a little, well ... washed out. Have you thought about hiring a new make-up person?

Maybe you should. Think about it I mean.

Or maybe you just need to get out more ... really out, like cross country walking and talking to folks on the street.

Might run into a few of that 70% of the population that feels the same way as the folks you just ridiculed.

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By HeadlessHessian, February 2, 2007 at 5:58 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

Not a large showing, the man says.  Well I was there.  Here is what I saw.  People from one of the mall to the other, side to side full!  Not enough?  well the steps of some of the museums became bleachers...Not enough?  I saw People with signs up on the ROOF of some of buildings.  Not enough...It took us 3+hours to walk the walk folks.  Best of all...Best of all.  I saw no Shrub supporters!!!

O’Reilly...baby...stick it.  You Nazis are out!

Headless

p.s. Best signs read ‘If you can read this you are not our president’, ‘Can’t be pro-life and pro-war at the same time’, ‘Bush has done too much shit for me to put on this sign’!  grin Loved it

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By menot, February 2, 2007 at 4:53 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

To Brian: You completely misunderstood Ryan’s point.  He claims that in other countries people would soon realize what a buffonish imposter Billy O’Nilly is and stop watching and listening.  No ratings - asta la vista, baby!  Whether Ryan is correct is, of course, debatable.

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By Jon B, February 2, 2007 at 1:37 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

o’reilly’s problems are: he needs to read more and get all the facts before he talk. Then again, if he continues to make a je*k out of himself, then its his decision.

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By Proud Liberal, February 2, 2007 at 12:46 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

Hey Tom,

Wake-up! The war is unjustified(Legally and rationally). We understand that Dems voted for it because they were lied to (Remember Yellow-Cake, chemical labs, etc). Hussein was a tyrant, and the US has supported more tyrants in its bidding to influence world politics than it has democracies. The world is full of tyrants (funny part is they all act like Bill O’Reilly).

If conservatives really do not want war, then stop supporting it! Here’s some rationality for you, is it better to withdraw from a quagmire now or later?

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By Christopher Robin, February 2, 2007 at 12:30 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

Yes I’ve watched this video clip. Fox has burned my cookies just one time too many.

My advice (worth two cents) is as follows, Jane, Sean, Susan and Tim. When fighting political battles tear this page from the political hack book.

Smile, (all of you have winning smiles!) Be upbeat, take the subject or questioner onto your turf. Do as a politician, and not answer the pointed questions.

To reply not answering the question, but rather to remark on “What a great turn out today!” “Wow look at all these beautiful involved Americans.”
“Isn’t this a fantastic day for a rally!”

Maybe if you haven’t won over your hostile questioner at this point , perhaps those who may have witnessed other great rallies in Washington, could start? as Ronnie might do, to wax nostalgic? “How about for the Martin Luther King’s I have a dream speech?” ..."Don’t you remember that day?” I’d ask my reporter friend....“Not far from this very spot.” “That was sure a pivotal day in American history...wasn’t it?” I ask Fox reporter jr. smiling.

Or maybe recall Marion Anderson? performing her outdoor concert, after “The Daughters of the American Revolution” snubbed her?(on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial I believe?)

See they have to live with the historical record too.

for inspiration? Actors: Recall my favorite acting President (ok really FDR) Ronald Reagan:

Dream back to those days of the helicopter landing on the White House lawn. Big winning smile, Just can’t hear the question?? Avoid the pointed questions...Stay upbeat and confident. Wave to the crowd, sending out love to one and all.

That will be the footage they have of you. Except of one big part, your public speech at the podium.

And it’s there you got’em. They can cut splice take words out of context. But they can’t change historical public record. It can be replayed and refuted showing Fox up for the hatchet job news network it is.

So work thoughtful carefully on your public speech, keep it clear concise, say exactly what you wish to say and no more.

You don’t have to explain yourself to Fox network. Fox just wants to use you for a prop....
let me repeat “use you as a prop”.....add a little “ganda” to the prop.

Funny how the tables have turned? How the Republican mouth pieces are the urgent reporters now with the pointed questions aimed at you?

Evasion and spin has worked in the past for them. Give’em a taste of their own medicine...What’s good for the goose is good for the ganda.

Remember, the fox can’t fly.

Love, The war mongers are in retreat

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By felicity, February 2, 2007 at 12:10 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

#50598 - TOM

You talk about war, then let’s talk about real war not random slaughter.  The US Air Force could in two months time using conventional weapons reduce the entire country of Iraq to rubble.  Now THAT’S a PROPER war.

As it is, Bush and his fellow draft-dodgers are merely “playing war.” No matter that hundreds of thousands lie dead or maimed for life, just so long as the chicken-littles’ asses are not in jeopardy, who cares.  And believe me if Iraq was a “proper war” their asses would likely end up dead.

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By Brian, January 31, 2007 at 10:54 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

Ryan says:

The crudity of O’Reilly’s spin (’hard left’ for anyone of a liberal viewpoint, for instance) would be laughed off the airwaves in most countries. Not so, the good old US, apparently. You really have a problem to solve there.

I say:

WOW!  I thought that was what made the U.S. a great place to live.  Bill O can say what he wants and so can you.  If you don’t like that and believe that is a problem that needs to be corrected...then you should obviously move to a country where Bill O would be taken off the airways!  Have fun and be quiet while you’re there.

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By Gabe O'Rielly, January 31, 2007 at 8:23 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

The best use for O’Lielly would be as an illustration in a proctology textbook.

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By David, January 31, 2007 at 6:55 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

Yep, fear this, fear that, just be afraid, only Bush’s wars can save us, evidence of the sound leadership is in not having been attacked for 5 years,...What a bunch of BS!  He talks to people like their children!  Are there really people out there who actually believe that The United States of America and the world as a whole is a better place since George W. Bush and Dick Cheney took office?  I mean COME ON!  While it seems like a lifetime ago, I remember a world before The Bush Administration and their 9-11 scheme.  Their plan is so obvious that it blows my mind that there are still people out there that believe all this death and destruction was the necessary course to protect the country from terrorism.  So my question to everyone here is, can our country ever be the same again?  Will this false flag of terrorism (it certainly exists, but I refuse to except that it is the threat they claim and that it must be dealt with in this manner) ever disappear - like McCartyism...I, for one, reject the premise of the debate all together.

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By d.o., January 31, 2007 at 5:17 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

If you must, do it here:

Bill O’Reilly
oreilly at foxnews dot com

John Moody, Senior Vice President
Fox News Channel
john dot moody at foxnews dot com

BUT complaining to Faux News or O’Reilly is a waste of time anyway, instead they need to be confronted in public space. The more lame they are made to look the more people will tune them out. Linking your responses to media research on Faux would also be helpful (eg. http://mediamatters.org/issues_topics/search_results?q string=bill+o'reilly )

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By sns, January 30, 2007 at 9:42 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

the man is a buffoon.

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By KARLA LINDQUIST, January 30, 2007 at 9:19 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

Much as I love a good ole fashioned protest this cause would be better served had EVERYONE who was willing to attend made appointments with their lawmakers and provided an endless stream of visits, coupled with phone calls and letters every day till their each office is so overwhelmed they pray for us to go back to our quiet little marches.
With regard to the MSM, try looking at WHO advertises what product during these phony news shows and BOYCOTT THEIR MERCHANDISE. 
WRITE the MSM and alert them to your intentions.
WRITE the Corporations and alert them to your intentions.
We were more than ‘tens of thousands’ and our only power is to harass and hit them in their pockets.
Civil Disobedience is another great tool.  If we all had sat down and refused to move once in the streets we would’ve had media coverage on a scale that mattered.  We would’ve overwhelmed and exhausted the resources of the security there that day.
MLK didn’t just march. He IMPACTED the system.
Till we all are ready to make some sacrifices we are not going to see any changes.

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By tom, January 30, 2007 at 6:40 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

You people are disturbingly narrow-minded. Look, Nobody WANTS war, you’re ignorant to believe that conservatives Do. The alternative to war (and ridding the Earth of Hussein) was to turn a blind eye to Human Atrocities and a sympathetic Country to Terrorist activities. Undisputed. Simple. Hill and Ted and all the others voted on it, so shut up. War is ugly, people die. It’s terribly sad, but it’s the World we live in. Things have gone bad, This is True, but it does NOT mean to Quit and Walk Away! Are you Stupid??? Truth is, if it were Bill, or Al or any other Lib, you’d be touting their Initiative, and reiterating what I just wrote above. Quit arguing emotionally and try thinking rationally. No one else in this World CAN or WILL stand up against Despots, Tyrants and Terrorists. What Don’t you Understand? Where were you on 9-11? I was too close. I remember my friends. You belittle their deaths, their murders.
Its obvious you do NOT watch O’Reilly either, rather, just jump on the ‘Bash O’Reilly’ bandwagon because ‘everyone else does’, or you would see that, while certainly having his own and definate opinions (we all do, remember?) he Absolutely invites any and all to come on and voice theirs. You looney liberals believe anyone with dissenting points of view are just plain Wrong, and that is simply too disturbing to support this party any longer.
Signed, a USN Veteran, Registered Dem, disgusted member of the party.

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By August West, January 30, 2007 at 5:48 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

BOR the legal expert

Many of us question the legality of the justification for war.  There clearly was no imminent threat or response to attack that would justify war under the UN charter.  But back in 2002 and early 2003, the US government was making the case that we couldn’t wait for a mushroom cloud before responding, and otherwise tried to scare the crap out of everybody that Iraq was a clear and present danger to the security of the United States, thereby asserting a case for pre-emptive war.

However, the legal justification supported by BOR (based on some fairly disputed legal analysis from 2002-2003) that sidesteps the U.N. Charter’s limits on states’ war making ability is that the war was authorized by virtue of the UN Security Council resolutions from the 1990 Persian Gulf War to enforce terms of peace.  There was a resolution authorizing the liberation of Kuwait from Iraqi control and another resolution for a cease-fire with mechanisms for enforcement. Thus, the argument was made and continues to be made that the 2003 invasion was justified as enforcing the 1990 cease-fire resolution.  However, even the British Attorney General recognized that under this legal theory the purpose of attack could only be to exert the force necessary to disarm Iraq of its (alleged) WMD’s, with removal of Saddam Hussein only possible as an extension of that goal.  The British AG did warn that the purpose of invasion could not be for regime change. The final paragraph of his opinion of 3-7-03 states:
“Finally, I must stress that the lawfulness of military action depends not only on the existence of a legal basis, but also on the question of proportionality. Any force used pursuant to the authorisation in resolution 678 (whether or not there is a second resolution):
“must have as its objective the enforcement the terms of the cease-fire contained in resolution 687 (1990) and subsequent relevant resolutions;
be limited to what is necessary to achieve that objective; and
“must be a proportionate response to that objective, ie securing compliance with Iraq’s disarmament obligations.
“That is not to say that action may not be taken to remove Saddam Hussein from power if it can be demonstrated that such action is a necessary and proportionate measure to secure the disarmament of Iraq. But regime change cannot be the objective of military action. This should be borne in mind in considering the list of military targets and in making public statements about any campaign.”

The fact that the initial salvo of the war was a missile attack on a house believed to contain Saddam suggestst that regime change was the primary purpose of the war.

Resolution 1441 in 2002, which declared Iraq in material breach of its obligation to cooperate with UN inspectors supposedly gave the US justification to initiate hostilities.  However, that resolution also gave Iraq “one last chance” to come clean.  UN inspectors went back in and were doing their job until the US decided that it could no longer wait and had to attack.  Therefore, the US took the position that it had the power as an affected member state to independently determine the objective fact that Iraq was in material breach of its obligations such that the US could invade.  This is not a plausible explanation when the US agreed to resolution 1441.  However, because the evidence of WMD programs was starting to fall apart due to the inspectors’ work, Bush could no longer accept the terms of 1441. 

Bottom line: BOR is either reciting easy-soounding talking points or got a legal opinion from the same guys who thought it would be a good idea for Fox to sue Al Franken for the subtitle of his book, “Lies and the Lying Liars that Tell Them.  A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right.” Don’t forget, an unflattering mug of BOR appears on the cover.

“For every complex problem, there is a solution that is simple, neat, and wrong.” --H.L. Mencken

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By Quy Tran, January 30, 2007 at 4:54 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

O’Reilly against everybody, including his parents, but not with Bush/Cheney. When money talks GOD will run away !

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By walker, January 30, 2007 at 4:42 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

O’Reilly began his attempt to refute the “Far Left” with a lie, so if what you’re saying is founded on a lie, it’s all downhill from there.

So what was the lie?

He said there were tens of thousands of protesters, when the truth is that there were hundreds of thousands of protesters. About 500,000, by most estimates.

And that’s the big spin.

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By Paul, January 30, 2007 at 4:29 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

Ah, O’Reilly, the man who declared kidnapped teen Shawn Hornbeck actually “liked” being a traumatized sex-toy.  He has LOADS of authority… Really, does anyone take O’Reilly as more than bad entertainment at this point?

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By D Mitchell, January 30, 2007 at 4:18 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

Now, isn’t this odd?: I answered “YES!” to all of his questions.  Each statement made to that reporter was proveably true. The problem seems to be that the facts which contradict the authoratirian types are inadmissable as part of the discussion, as far as O’Liely is concerned.  Those things don’t matter, he says.  I’ll defend to the death his right to choose to be ignorant, poor guy.

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By Ray, January 30, 2007 at 2:20 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

The crudity of O’Reilly’s spin (’hard left’ for anyone of a liberal viewpoint, for instance) would be laughed off the airwaves in most countries. Not so, the good old US, apparently. You really have a problem to solve there.

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By Reid, January 30, 2007 at 2:06 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

O’Reilly placing words in mouths of Penn, Sarandon, Robbins, etc. again.  Did he even watch the coverage of the rally?  He is just a “mouth-piece” for the the White House.
He asks the news media to confront the Left (and these actors) and challenge their statements.  Hmm, how about confronting him and challenging his statements?

Regarding sending a complaint to Fox and O’Reilly - ha! I tried that few weeks ago when O’R interviewed Sunsara Taylor - could not find any email link to him or the news agency.  Maybe they really do not want to hear from anyone who disagrees with them??

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