involved in most of the operational stuff, but whose goals was to get the spanish forces out of iraq and they succeeded to the >> host: hundreds were killed in this series of bombings. >> guest: the woodring multiple attacks in transfusions. the next year 2005, the core of pakistan was intimately involved in command again, iraq loomed large over mohammed and the british pakistan is that were involved in that attack. >> host: so each one of those attacks were people who were available to carry them out, were inspired by the iraq war. >> guest: absolutely inspired. >> host: which was in part cannot, at least we were told at that time, to stop the spread of terrorism. of course that was discredited, you know, they were only a tenuous connections between al qaeda and the regime of saddam hussein. and the weapons of mass destruction turns out to have been possibly the campaign by some usian, and the operations campaign to make countries think he had weapons. >> guest: what becomes clear, and i documented some of the chapters is al qaeda and iraq really doesn't form and become an officials aff

war to dignity justice and human rights for all citizen there is no risk of a breakup of iraq and there is no risk of a civil war i got what i wanted i got my war back in iraq and if you people relied on my information you stupid. every year i'm on like us and we meet here to consider the state of the union this year we gather in this chamber deeply aware of decisive days that lie ahead distorted beliefs estimates and guesstimates and he appears that he was misleading the public and the congress that saddam hussein had the materials to produce as much as five hundred tons of sand and mustard and v.x. nerve agent sarin that they were making in one thousand nine hundred nine hundred ninety one had a known shelf life of about two months i have confirmed this with inspectors and analysts who were deeply involved in the one nine hundred ninety s. analyses well if you made it twelve years ago and it had a shelf life two months it may not be safe to drink but it isn't sarah nerve gas any longer and there's no way the agency could not have known that u.s. intelligence indicates that saddam huss

and there are al qaeda terrorists inside iraq regime is seeking a nuclear bomb and with physical façadematerial could build one within a year. the bush administration made up its mind to go to war on september the eleventh two thousand and one that very first day on september twelfth one day after september eleventh. the meeting that was held in the white house in the situation room. led to rumsfeld asking the question should we use this as an opportunity to do something about iraq as well we all said no no al-qaeda is in afghanistan we need to bomb afghanistan rumsfeld said there aren't any good targets in afghanistan and there are lots of good targets in iraq from that time on you were dealing with rationalization and justification for the war you weren't dealing with the real causes for the war or real reasons for the war there was never a clear and present danger there was never an imminent threat with weapons of mass destruction weapons of mass destruction weapons of mass destined weapons of mass destruction was a convenient way of tricking our congress and to giving the president

rumsfeld said there aren't any good targets in afghanistan and there are lots of good targets in iraqfrom that time on you were dealing with rationalization and justification for the war you weren't dealing with the real causes for the war or real reasons for the war there was never a clear and present danger there was never an imminent threat with weapons of mass destruction weapons of mass destruction weapons of mass destined weapons of mass destruction was a convenient way of tricking our congress and to giving the president authority to wage this war saddam has resumed his efforts to acquire nuclear weapons develop nuclear weapons nuclear weapons it was clear that iraq did not have a nuclear weapons program but over and over again president bush secretary of defense rumsfeld particularly vice president cheney but also national security adviser condi rice drummed up the idea of a reconstituted nuclear capability and picture particularly the notion that i think has some resonance among the american people of the mushroom cloud if leaders will use worst case assessments. that point t

and blue. good conduct medal. >> i am dick crawford. i went to iraq and afghanistan. when they gave these may metals, i knew they were meaningless. i only regret not speaking up on how silly the more was sooner. i am giving these up. free bradley manning. >> my name is jason heard. i spent 10 years in the army as a combat medic. i deployed to baghdad in 2004. i am here to return my global war on terrorism service medal in solidarity with people of iraq and afghanistan. i am deeply sorry for the destruction we have caused in those countries and around the world. i am proud to stand on this stage with my fellow veterans and afghan sisters. i am giving them back. >> my name is chris. i was part of the invasion of iraq in 2003. out of love and respect for the iraqi people and the people of the afghanistan, i will return these representations of hate and destruction back where they came from. >> my name is taken. i was in the air force. i'd join the military so i could go to college because it is the working class that fights the ruling class' wars, but i'm not fighting fo

and selectively take information and try to basically say iraq poses an imminent nuclear threat and therefore action is absolutely necessary and i felt that was absolutely the international atomic energy agency confirmed in the one nine hundred ninety s. that saddam hussein had an advanced nuclear weapons development program the ministration showed photos of nuclear or former nuclear weapon sites in iraq preen one thousand nine hundred one nuclear weapons sites claim that new construction showed they were ongoing nuclear weapons production sites complete nonsense the most troubling thing about the fact of the distortions in the misleading statements that bush gave congress is that it is a federal felony it's a crime to mislead and distort information and president of a congress the british government has learned the saddam hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from africa just sixteen words in the state of the union address words that we now know were misleading at retired career diplomat joe wilson tried to warn the administration. just that nearly a year before the speec

and on? there is one awful case in one of the chapters of the book. al qaeda in iraq kills the local civilians and is the tribal area is trying to get the bodies back, al qaeda and iraq holds onto them for well over the time. mag in that area for muslim practice. and they are rotting in the street. at some point, after it. of time, the family is called to retrieve the bodies. and they have been laced with plosive devices as the family members are gathering the rotting corpses in the street, in the province, they explode and kill more members of the family. the purpose from the al qaeda perspective was to teach locals that they were not to cooperate with the government and they were not to cooperate with u.s. or other allied forces. but the reaction from local tribal places was anger. demonstrable anger where you see by the fall of 2006, large-scale revolt against this kind of brutality. brutality that goes well beyond basic dignity and humanity, and that really causes the population to ship. >> and you are saying that is what drove the local tribes to work with the am

the al-qaeda core in pakistan was greatly involved in, and iraq grew large over khan and the british akistani involved in the attack. >> host: so each one of those attacks, the people available to carry them out were inspiredded by the iraq war? >> guest: absolutely inspired. >> host: which was in part carried out, at least we were told at the time, to stop the spread of terrorism? >> guest: correct. >> host: later, that was discredited that there were only ten u.s. connections between al-qaeda and the regime of hussein and the weapons of mass destruction turns out to have been possibly a sign-off campaign by saddam, a campaign to make countries speaked that he had weapons. >> guest: well, what becomes clear, and this is documented in one of the chapters that al-qaeda in iraq is really not formed and becoming an official affiliate, that's sworn by loyalty to bin laden until late 2004. more than a year after the regime is overthrown, and by that appointment, al-qaeda gets what it had not had for several years, and that is a sanctuary. provinces like umbar suddenly have a growing sanctu

many people your age today are serving in korea and germany and afghanistan and iraq, and places around the country. so i tell you, stand up for them. honor their commitment by standing up for the american ideals. learn, sir, vote. make a difference. -- learned, served, vote. make a difference. [applause] while you are standing up for those ideals, and do it passionately, but civilly. you can turn on tomorrow's news on any station and you will see the talking heads, talking about the ideas of the day, often talking over or around one another. it is no wonder that young people can get turned off to politics. but i don't think it has to be that way. whether you are republican or democrat, believe passionately in what you believe in, but do it in a way that honors the traditions of our nation. the fact is while it does not get much coverage, there are great people everyday that working government and business and education and the other institutions of america that are quietly getting important and big things accomplished. no political party has a monopoly on virtue or patriotism. we all c

he lost both of his legs to a road side balm and iraq years ago. -- bomb in iraq years ago. >>mick is taking down aliens in the film "battleship." in real life, he is a full-time soldier who directs the wounded warrior program after losing both legs and iran it. now he is attending movie premieres. fans recognize him wherever they go. >> you can see the wheels turning and they are really not sure. they are like, it cannot be that guy. clucks the director saw his picture in national geographic. >> i was like, who is this? what's he performed his own stunts and a dolly configured just for him. clucks their>> he learns the real fight is in his cell. -- soul. >> when your whole life is turned upside down and you have to reorient yourself and find your dignity and find your respect, those are real-life struggles. >> what does he want moviegoers to see in his character? >> my ability to represent those who had been wounded. nobody had done anything like this before. >> see if we cannot find the world another day. >> what grade do you give yourself? >> he is modest. i think his comr

and iraq. >> i'm glad there are still young man willing to do that. >> it's awesome to see the support from people in this country. >> he served two tours in iraq and for the first time when he was 21. >> does something i always wanted to do. >> his older brother was able to walk with him to the memorial instead of remembering him. >> it means the most. >> he left the va last summer trying to deal with ptsd. surely afterwards he wrecked his motorcycle and did not make it. >> music and motorcycles could not replace her grief. >> we go home and have to continue on our own. >> for more on today's local events being held and road closures, go to our web site it. >> metro operating on a sunday schedule. metro rail opening at 7:00 this morning and will close at midnight. schedule track work on the green line and red line. off-peak fares in effect all day. parking is free at all metro parking is allowed is. metrobus is on a sunday schedule. metroaccess subscription trips are canceled today. if anybody uses those subscription trips company to make a separate reservation to get. it's monday, me

i mean i don't think we take care of our vets like we should. >> reporter: cal student and iraq war veteran smith led the pledge of allegiance. the ceremony included a memorial to veterans of world war ii and the iraqi war. >> there's a greater significant behind memorial day. it's about those who lost their lives to protect us. >> we are reminded of the sacrifices our service members are doing right now. >> reporter: the national parks service kept the cemetery at the precidio opened until 7:00 this evening extending normal daily hours to allow everyone to pay tribute to servicemen and women. in san francisco, david stevenson, ktvu channel 2 news. >>> 100 people came out to the cemetery in culma to honor fallen soldiers, sailors and marines. those who have died are often remembered as heros but are often so much more. >> they played games as children, went to school as adolescence and as young adults they dreamed of their future. >> reporter: blackey said few of those who died wanted to fight but they picked up weapons when war was thrust on them. >>> a san jose oak hill memorial park, vet

and but he has goals specifically were to get spanish fortunes out of iraq and they succeeded. >> host hundreds of killed in a series of bombings. >> guest: there were multiple attacks on train stations and the al qaeda core in pakistan was intimately involved and iraq loomed large over the british pakistanis involve. >> host: each one of those attacks, the people who were available to carry them out were inspired by the iraq war? which was in part carried out, at least we were told at the time, to stop the threat of terrorism. of course later that was discredited but there were only tenuous connections between al qaeda and the regime of saddam hussein. and the weapons of mass destruction turns out to have been possibly a campaign by saddam and a campaign to let countries think he had weapons. >> guest: i document this in one of the chapters, is al qaeda in iraq really did not form and become an official affiliate as a loyalty to a osama bin laden until late 2004. so over a year after the regime is overthrown. and by that point, al qaeda gets what it hasn't really had for several years

i mean i don't think we take care of our vets like we should. >> reporter: cal student and iraq war veteran smith led the pledge of allegiance. the ceremony included a memorial to veterans of world war ii and the iraqi war. >> there's a greater significant behind memorial day. it's about those who lost their lives to protect us. >> we are reminded of the sacrifices our service members are doing right now. >> reporter: the national parks service kept the cemetery at the precidio opened until 7:00 this evening extending normal daily hours to allow everyone to pay tribute to servicemen and women. in san francisco, david stevenson, ktvu channel 2 news. >>> 100 people came out to the cemetery in culma to honor fallen soldiers, sailors and marines. those who have died are often remembered as heros but are often so much more. >> they played games as children, went to school as adolescence and as young adults they dreamed of their future. >> reporter: blackey said few of those who died wanted to fight but they picked up weapons when war was thrust on them. >>> a san jose oak hill memorial park, vet

the heritage of the cradle of civilization and the history of iraq is more important but those who serve the elites and the global oil companies to them world heritage in antiquities mean nothing to them they're the end of the most important thing is the mighty dollar and they will stop at nothing to get what the what they see is their own resources but would not that country iraq benefit from what you say the mighty dollar the iraqi government has already begun investing the oil revenues into the rebuilding of roads and hotels infrastructure it proves surely that oil is the key to iraq's future get the economy on track the people benefiting that promote stability. i'm not sure the people will benefit any infrastructure the roads and things that have been built there to actually make the transportation of resources out of the country much easier for those that are doing the plundering all the profits will be leaving the country as well these western oil companies these are b.p. chevron dutch shell they're not based in iraq and most of the profits will be leaving the country so the iraqi

>> well, i view afghanistan and iraq as being completely different. good work in afghanistan at the beginning when we sent the taliban packing, and then we ignored afghanistan and then went to iraq. and that was a big mistake. in the interim, afghanistan then deteriorated. now trying to make it into something better than it was is going to be extremely difficult. so i think those two wars are going to be viewed differently. but in general, i think the history is not going to be very kind to the way the united states used its scarce american resource of the military instrument of power. we tried to do it on the cheap, with as few people as possible, because we didn't want to go into the well of having a draft. we wanted to have an all volunteer service. and we managed to do it, but at enormous cost. enormous cost to the country and to the troops themselves. and you're going to see the results of this in years to come, when all of the people who have served in the military during these wars get a little bit older, and a lot of the manifestations of the d

military force is a very blunt instrument it just doesn't work we've created more terrorists in iraq and we haven't even solve the problem in afghanistan one of the more ironic effects of the attack on iraq was. to buttress other countries in the conviction of the famous remark by an indian general after the first gulf war when he said the lesson of this war is that if you if you have to fight the united states you better have nuclear weapons you don't want your president to be seen as a hot dog and when when your president gets into a job suit gets in the back of a jet and lands on an aircraft carrier and then waddles out with this little straps between his legs and that's not when you want a sign of out of maturity and testosterone blasting through when you're talking about. things so fundamentally important as sending a nation to war and sending young men and women to their deaths there is a sense in washington now that you can't raise. objections to this because you're not supporting the troops in the field i would i would rapidly point out that the unlike almost anybody i know that

he was in afghanistan first and then was involved in the invasion of iraq in march of 2003. the generation kill and the hbo film i'm not really tell what the unit and this classics major at dartmouth once they got to baghdad while to take his platoon down to see babylon and the ancient -- some of the ancient ruins of iraq and i like that, although he said a few years later from a few months later rather he could have taken his platoon down there unless he had armored escort and a bigger unit but there was a time there in that brief window you could do that. he's just coming on the dartmouth board of trustees. he's a remarkable young man. >> this question speaks to the transition program and the military. the questioner says we go through boot camp, where 10 to 12 weeks heartache and to transform a young man or woman to become a military person and there's literally no process to help them in the exit service. your comments in this area and the importance of a transition program, solid transition program? >> i think that's a very good observation. there needs to be a solid tra

in two thousand and three the united states wound up with iraq. staying behind. i believe is actually at the is the ultimate purpose of many of these wars we used to think of military bases being built in order to wage the worse and i think increasingly we see the wars themselves as convenient opportunities to station the bases and to have a more. werman a presence in countries such as iraq such as afghanistan such as kosovo. so have some of. what we have in here is video games. and. some of the things that go. with it and move to want to test first bend it first assume a new gun controls daily see if you can save the environment one being the other first quite a long time and make it that he has the gall to give way pay for college get something i'm going to do for a long time and guns do is active i never never wanted this job so i had to be infantry for me something i could be moving around constantly doing something active so how do you feel about being deployed to iraq or afghanistan. about to become nervous but i'm ready if i get called to go

he was in afghanistan for and was involved in the invasion of iraq in march 2003. the book and film dealt with that. once they got to baghdad he wanted to take his platoon down to see babylon and see some of the ancient ruins of iraq. and i like that, although he said that a few years later, a few months later arrived, he could have taken his passion he couldn't have taken his platoon down there unless he had a bigger escort. there's a brief time you go to the. is just coming on the dartmouth board of trustees. he's a remarkable young man. >> this question speaks to the transition program in the military. the questioner says, we go through boot camp where 10-12 weeks are taken to transform a young man or woman to become a military person. and there's literally no process to help them when they exit the service. your comments in this area and the importance of a transition program, solid transition program. >> i think that's a very good observation. i think there needs to be a solid transition program for those who are leaving the service. leaving the service, i know

and three the u.s. has built dozens of military bases in iraq in two thousand and eight the u.s. and iraqi governments signed an agreement that states that all foreign troops should leave the country by two thousand and eleven. the agreement also says that the u.s. will not seek permanent basis or a permanent military presence in iraq. obama secretary of defense robert gates though has stated that even after two thousand and eleven he expects to see several tens of thousands of american troops as part of a residual force in iraq. hence many fear that iraq may be used as a launching pad for future wars in the region. often in fact bases created in response to an imminent threat have ended up becoming permanent jaeger garcia for example born in the context of the cold war is still operational and has played a crucial role in the iraq war they say don't even if they are. tardy physiatrist idea that you know the ins and outs say for the people to go if they are to return they are but the thing is americans are living there and they have developed they i and i i and. are you going to

many people your age today graduates are serving in korea, in germany, and afghanistan and iraq and places around the country so i tell you stand up for them, honor their commitment by standing up for the americans ideals. learn, serve, vote. make a difference. [applause] and while you're standing up for those ideals let me make a plea for this. do it passionately but civilly. i can tell you turn on tomorrow morning's news and you will see at any moment the talking heads talking about the ideas of the day jauvens times talking over or around one another. and it's no wonder that you young people can get turned off with politics. but i don't think it has to be that way. whether you're republican or democrat you can believe passionately in what you believe in but do it in a way that honors the traditions of our nation. because the fact is while it doesn't get much coverage, there are great people every day that work in government and business and education and the other institution obvious america that are quietly getting important and big things accomplished. no political party has a monopol

and afghanistan the last several years, but with operations in iraq complete and ongoing in iraq and afghanistan, we will have the opportunity to adapt this process to be more wide ranging especially as we rebalance towards the asia-pacific region. as such, we'll implement a progressive readiness model for the active and reserve components to be responsive to all of our combatant commanders. in support of the combat and commanders we will be implementing a concept beginning next year to better meet some theater requirements. the intent is to focus unit or headquarters during training cycle on specific mission profiles and unique environmental characteristics that make them available to a combatant commander in their area of responsibility. we'll conduct a pilot next year when a brigade combat team will from the tenth mountain division will be the first unit to execute this concept in coordination with the u.s. africa command. the regional concept will be especially important in the asia-pacific region as we move forward. home to seven of the ten armie

the rate of any previous conflict. >> we had so many critical injuries in iraq and afghanistan. thousands and thousands of people coming back. >> reporter: many now need long term care. >> they pay the price for us and they are risking their lives for us. >> reporter: the cost is just beginning. it is estimated healthcare cost may not peak for 40 years and may top $900 billion. >> they probably need more mental health facilities and treatment and i think we need to support them. >> they deserve whatever we can get. >> reporter: veterans insist wounded warriors deserve our thoughts today. just as those who made the ultimate sacrifice. >> reporter: another record, 1- 8 disabled veterans is female. john fowler ktvu channel 2 news. >>> www.ktvu.com has complete coverage of today's memorial day services. >>> the sequoia national park is facing a pollution problem. it is the worst air quality of any national park in the country. the pollution is comparable to urban settles and comes from the valleys. researchers are looking into the long term impact of the red woods, the biggest and o

and right. i think people who feel that who have no brings at all. we barely noticed when the iraq war ended. after eight and a half years more than 4,000 americans killed. even if you care about the americans and not the iraqis. after all of that time when did it end? december. it was a shrug. st. louis threw a parade but new york didn't. these are changes that happened over a short period of time i don't not think there was a spears theory although i love them. i think we had a series of understandable decisions made by people looking at short-term political necessity. i see something we ought to do nor national security purposes want price tag is too high for people. let's tell them it's free and hope they don't notice when the grabbed kids have to pay for it. i want to defloi a large number of americans but i don't want to talk about how many i'm deploying. let's have some of them working for private companies. we don't have to answer for what we're paying them and what the lines much accountability if they do something wrong or die or get hurt. nobody will know. i think i want to do somet

from lexington and concord to iraq and afghanistan. later we will join vietnam's veterans and their families at the wall. we will begin to mark the 50th anniversary of the vietnam war. it is another chance to honor those we lost. we will be coming -- we will be calling on you, the american people, to help us joy and honoring veterans in your communities. we reaffirm our commitment to care for those who served alongside them. the veterans who came home. this includes our newest generation of veterans from iraq and afghanistan. we have to serve them and their families as well as they have served us. making sure they get the health care benefits they need. by giving veterans the chance to go to college, find a good job, and enjoy the freedom they risked everything to protect. a our men and women in uniform took an oath to defend the country at all costs. as members of the finest military the world has ever known, the up hold that with dignity and courage. i have no higher honor than serving as the commander in chief. that comes a solemn r

and don't get even more involved in iraq or and afghanistan. so that's one option, the military option. the other option is allowing iran to go forward with their nuclear program and facing the reality that a nuclear armed iran probably would ignite a nuclear arms race in the most volatile region of the world. you can have a nuclear armed iran with missiles that can already each israel and could probably within two or three years reach europe and an iran emboldened to behave even more aggressively around the region. >> rose: so you're suggesting containment is not an alternative? >> well, i'm saying containment has huge risks associated with it, just like a military attack does. the thd option is... and the only good option is putting enough pressure on the iranian government that they make the decision for themselves. that continuing to seek nuclear weapons is actually harming the security of the country and perhaps more importantly to them putting the regime itself at risk and there are signs that those sanctions are bebe againing to really b

and stripes. when was the last time you visited iraq? a critique and 15 well-chosen words, so much more effect than the usual long e-mails i get an espy was interesting. at least it interested me. after all as i wrote back i was then a 65-year-old guy who had never been anywhere near iraq in and undoubtedly never would be. i have to assume my e-mail has been sometime possibly more than once and disagreed with my assessments. first-hand experience is not to be taken lightly. what after all do i know about iraq? only reporting i've been able to read from thousands of miles away for analysis on the blogs of experts like juan cole. on the other end, even from thousands of miles away, i was one of many who could see enough by early 2003 to go into the streets and demonstrate against an onrushing disaster of an invasion but a lot of people theoretically far more knowledgeable than any of us consider just the cat's meow, cakewalk of a new century. it's true i've never strolled down a street in baghdad or basra armed or not and if you want to rea

that we knew before but we know also from the documents that al qaeda and iraq is certainly not an asset and i wonder whether bin laden knew that this was a mistake and he stopped doing this. but all the other regional he had the groups that have become into the fold of al qaeda and been admitted into the fold of al qaeda came through ayman al zawahiri not bin laden. what makes it more intriguing is that this 2010 letter from bin laden to the leader of shabab in somalia is that bin laden was reluctant to franchise al qaeda. he made the mistake once he's not going to do it again. so, if that is the case why did ayman al zawahiri accept the group? why did he bring him into fold. now, there is a sort of a letter, one of the letters which is open to several interpretations. and it could be addressed to bin laden but it could be addressed to somebody else. and i want seems to be about bin laden's refusal to admit al shabab into the fold. and the an anonymous author of this letter is critical of the fact why aren't we including them into the fold and the more we include in the fold is a sign b

over the last few years against the background of war in afghanistan, and iraq, we have seen a resurgence of feeling of both major maerts parties to tu attention home ward fall back from foreign troubles and commitments what are the reasons strategic and moral that would justify continued american efforts to remain the world's greatest s power? and what do you both say to those who will go to the polls this november with the belief that fixing our own problems is our first priority? >> i'll start. i think they should be equal priorities. i am one who believes we can substantially reduce a worldwide military expenditures at no cost s to our security. there is an element of people, argument for maintaining status quo and as the republicans would do going beyond increasing military spending unlike what we have now agreed to try to restrain it, i would look to restrain it more. what we have is the notion that it is part of america's purpose that america sthuhouldn't be a nation of shop keepers, we have a moral responsibility to be the leaders of the world. i think we overestimate the ability