Chewing on the Quds

Updated with the, apparently, preferred spelling of "Quds."

Notes from today's presser...

Bush announced a deal with North Korea, which — as one reporter pointed out — Dubya's former UN Ambassador has totally blasted:

The tentative deal reached with North Korea on its nuclear weapons program is "a charade, a hollow agreement" and "might lead to an increased chance of war on the Korean peninsula," the Bush administration's recently departed U.N. ambassador just told CNN.

John Bolton's words were even sharper than earlier remarks he made on the cable news network. Among his criticisms of the deal: "It covers only a very narrow aspect of North Korea's nuclear program ... rewards bad behavior ... (and) is everything the administration criticized in President Clinton's 1994 framework" deal.

Not sure what #1 Bolton-and-Bush fan Atlas Shrugs Pam is supposed to make of this.

Today's phrase that pays is "Quds force," an Iran special ops group that Bush repeatedly cited as if it were common knowledge.

Apparently "Quds force" is the "incubator babies" of the forthcoming Iran War.

In response to David Gregory's "Critics say you are using the same quality of intelligence about Iran that you used to make the case for war in Iraq," Bush replied:

"I can say with certainty that the Quds force, a part of the Iranian government has provided these sophisticated IEDS that have harmed our troops."

In case you're wondering if Mr. "Dead or Alive" plans to act on this Quds factoid:

"To say it is provoking Iran is just a wrong way to characterize the Commander-in-Chief's decision to do what is necessary to protect our soldiers in harm's way."

And:

"We do know that they're there, and I intend to do something about it, and I've asked our commanders to to something about it, and we're going to protect our troops."

And, for the coup de grâce, he's outrageous:

"What matters is is that we're responding. The idea that somehow we're manufacturing the idea that the Iranians are providing IEDs is preposterous."

Major Bushism:

"Let me step back on Iran itself. We have a comprehensive strategy to deal with Iraq. There's a variety of issues that we have with Iraq, one of course is influence inside of Iraq. Another is whether or not they end up with a nucular weapon."

Oh-no-you-di'in't award winner:

"Victory in Iraq is not going to be like victory in World War II, and that's one of the challenges I have explaining to the American people, what Iraq will look like in a situation that will enable us to say we have accomplished our mission."

Best out-of-context quote #1 (said about Iran and those pesky Quds forces):

"What's worse, that the government knew, or that the government didn't know?"

Best out-of-context quote #2 (said about allies' interests in Iran):

"Money trumps peace sometimes. In other words commercial interests are very powerful interests...."

Best out-of-context quote #3 (said about Iran nuke threat):

"People are going to look back and say, you know, how come they couldn't see the impending danger? What happened to them?"

They got mirrors where he comes from?

"The message to the Iranian people is is that your leaders are making decisions that are isolating you in the world, thereby denying you a brighter future."

He frequently noted that he was paying attention to various developments. But apparently not that much attention. Asked if Iraq is in a civil war:

"I can only tell you what people on the ground whose judgment, it's hard for me in the, living in the uh, this beautiful White House to give you an assessment, a first-hand assessment. I haven't been there. You have, I haven't."

After pretending to be magnanimous about war opponents being "for the troops," he pulls the rug out:

"The proof will be whether or not you provide them with the money necessary to do the mission."