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Cheney: By Jan. 2009, Iraq Will Be A True ‘Democracy In The Heart Of The Middle East’

By Amanda | ThinkProgress.org

Today in a new interview with Politico, Vice President Cheney said that he is “confident” Iraq will eventually be in a “good” enough place that the administration will be able to look back and say, “That was the right decision. It was a sound decision going into Iraq.” When will that time be? According to Cheney, Jan. 2009:
    But Cheney said that by the middle of January 2009, it will be clear that “we have in fact achieved our objective in terms of having a self-governing Iraq that’s capable for the most part of defending themselves, a democracy in the heart of the Middle East, a nation that will be a positive force in influencing the world around it in the future.”

    All of that by 2009? “Yes, sir,” he replied.
The Bush administration has been pledging this flourishing democracy since the United States invaded almost five years ago. Some of Cheney’s promises:
    We would act in that same spirit after a regime change in Iraq. With our help, a liberated Iraq can be a great nation once again. Iraq is rich in natural resources and human talent, and has unlimited potential for a peaceful and a prosperous future. Our goal would be an Iraq that has territorial integrity, a government that is democratic and pluralistic, a nation where the human rights of every ethnic and religious group are recognized and respected. [8/26/02]
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