On the recordSeptember 8, 2004
The only justification for going to war against another country, with the possible exception if it is committing genocide, is self-protection: to protect the United States, to protect our own people, to protect our friends and allies against invasion, against attack. But because we attacked Iraq which was not a threat to the United States, we diverted resources from the real war against the Islamic terrorists. We did not find Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan. Dick Clarke, the former National Security Director, testified we had specialized troops in Afghanistan that could have found him, but they were taken away and the job was given to Afghanistani warlords.
Source
govinfo.gov
