# Scott McClellan Says Helen Thomas Opposes 'War on Terrorism' **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 14, 2005, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-says-helen-thomas-opposes-war-on-terrorism/326240 "2005-10-14T16:39:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Syntropy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@Syntropy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syntropy)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-says-helen-thomas-opposes-war-on-terrorism/326240/21 "2005-10-14T18:51:23Z")
More like “don’t swallow it.” Iraq is _not_ part of the war on terror and never was. 9/11 was a horrible thing, but it sure helped sell the load of goods that Iraq=terrorists. How I’m not sure. I guess some people will believe anything if you [repeat it often enough.](http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/gate/archive/2005/10/12/fiorereuse.DTL) ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-says-helen-thomas-opposes-war-on-terrorism/326240/22 "2005-10-14T18:55:23Z")
> [@Debaser](#): > > The war in Iraq is a part of the war on terror. > > It’s funny that some of you guys still don’t get this. The war in Iraq has nothing at all to do with TWAT. It’s staggering that some of you guys still don’t get that. ---
**Author:** ![Debaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@Debaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debaser)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-says-helen-thomas-opposes-war-on-terrorism/326240/23 "2005-10-14T18:56:46Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > It is NOW. But it was only, at most, marginally related to the WoT before we invaded. Yes, but so what? This is like saying the US wasn’t related to the second world war until we declared war on Germany and Japan. Technically, it’s true. But, it’s an empty and meaningless statement because we certainly were involved after that so it’s moot what the situation was before. ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-says-helen-thomas-opposes-war-on-terrorism/326240/24 "2005-10-14T18:57:46Z")
> [@Maus Magill](#): > > The thing that gets me - and why I was moved to post a Pit OP - is that I thought we were through with this whole “if you dare question us, then you’re with the terrorists” bullshit. Dude, that’s politics. If I oppose abotion, I can expect that it will be said or implied that I want to control women’s bodies. If I oppose nationalized healthcare, I can expect that it will be said or implied that I am uncaring about sick children. If you oppose the admins’ policy, you can expect it to be implied that you are “soft on terror.” None of it is really fair or honest, but it’s the way the game is played by both parties. This is an utterly unremarkable incident. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-says-helen-thomas-opposes-war-on-terrorism/326240/25 "2005-10-14T19:00:38Z")
Scotty didn’t say Helen was against the “War on Terror[sup]TM[/sup]”. He said “I’m sure you’re opposed to the broader war on terrorism”. Is this a copywrited catch phrase for the administration as well? Or a clear slam against Helen? It’s petty fucking play with words that this administration keeps on pulling. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-says-helen-thomas-opposes-war-on-terrorism/326240/26 "2005-10-14T19:03:15Z")
It’s not a question of nuance. Claiming that the invasion of Iraq had anything to do with eradicating terrorism is just a flat lie, It’s factually false- especially when the implication is made that iraq had anything to do with 9/11. _Aggravating_ the problem of Islamic terrorism is not the same thing as fighting it. ---
**Author:** ![Debaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@Debaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debaser)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-says-helen-thomas-opposes-war-on-terrorism/326240/27 "2005-10-14T19:06:07Z")
**Diogenes** and **Maureen** : I know you guys don’t like the war in Iraq. That’s fine. We can disagree about such things. However, it just sounds crazy to be in denial about the very existance of it. It’s simply a fact that the US under the current administration is engaging in a global war against terrorism, and that this effort is focused around our military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. To deny this just makes you look like loons. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-says-helen-thomas-opposes-war-on-terrorism/326240/28 "2005-10-14T19:10:12Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > The inference is that one who is opposed to the “broader war on terrorism” indeed supports terrorism. This from an administration that says “you’re either on our side or the terrorists’ side.” So a “lie” was not uttered, but it was “infered”? Now, that’s even more progress! And just how did you think the “lie” was infered? I thought that anyone who attempted to equate opposition to the war with support for terrorists was being unfair. Yet, this is precisely what you have done. It is illogical. It is assumptive. And. yes, unfair. But, no matter. As long as it manages to throw some stank toward The White House all is good. Makes me yearn for the good old days when the left knew what a lie was but claimed it didn’t matter when a perjurious statement was about sex. ---
**Author:** ![Syntropy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@Syntropy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syntropy)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-says-helen-thomas-opposes-war-on-terrorism/326240/29 "2005-10-14T19:10:14Z")
To whom? People who unquestioningly swallow everything that comes out of the mouth of a coke head who believes God talks to him? I’m willing to take that risk. The fact of the matter is, our involvement in Iraq is increasing terrorist activity. But, hey. Job security for the lucky military, huh? ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-says-helen-thomas-opposes-war-on-terrorism/326240/30 "2005-10-14T19:17:13Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > It’s not a question of nuance. Claiming that the invasion of Iraq had anything to do with eradicating terrorism is just a flat lie, It’s factually false- … And what you are apparently incapable of grasping is that that is an _opinion_, not a fact. Just as, in my example above, some might argue that affirmative action addresses the “root causes” of a race riot, so this admin has argued that regime change in the Middle East addressses the root causes of terrorism. It’s fine to disagree; but it’s pathetic to act as if you don’t even comprehend the opposing argument and are intellectually incapable of moving the discussion beyond the differing presuppositions. ---
**Author:** ![Syntropy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@Syntropy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syntropy)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-says-helen-thomas-opposes-war-on-terrorism/326240/31 "2005-10-14T19:20:24Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > So a “lie” was not uttered, but it was “infered”? Now, that’s even more progress! And just how did you think the “lie” was infered? I thought that anyone who attempted to equate opposition to the war with support for terrorists was being unfair. Yet, this is precisely what you have done. It is illogical. It is assumptive. And. yes, unfair. But, no matter. As long as it manages to throw some stank toward The White House all is good. Even better if it manages to stop a few of our troops from dying for that lie. I love the irony of people who loftily lecture against mud slinging while taking as many shots as they can at people who disagree with them. > [@](#): > > Makes me yearn for the good old days when the left knew what a lie was but claimed it didn’t matter when a perjurious statement was about sex. Thank you so much for [proving my point.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=6682609&postcount=82) So tell me. Would you not agree that lying to Congress and getting 2,000 members of the U.S. military is a far more serious lie than whether or not you got blown in the office? And if so, when will we see your outraged letter to your congressman demanding Bush’s impeachment? ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-says-helen-thomas-opposes-war-on-terrorism/326240/32 "2005-10-14T19:21:02Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > So a “lie” was not uttered, but it was “infered”? Now, that’s even more progress! And just how did you think the “lie” was infered? I thought that anyone who attempted to equate opposition to the war with support for terrorists was being unfair. Yet, this is precisely what you have done. It is illogical. It is assumptive. And. yes, unfair. But, no matter. As long as it manages to throw some stank toward The White House all is good. > > Makes me yearn for the good old days when the left knew what a lie was but claimed it didn’t matter when a perjurious statement was about sex. Good heavens. Helen Thomas does not support the Iraq War. She is told that this means that she is against the war on terror. This is a lie since there is no connection between the two. An additional lie is inferred in melding this statement with previous administration statements that you’re either on their side or that of the terrorists. If you don’t think that the White House likes to have people infer things from what they say, look at how little they have done to dispel the notion that Iraq had anything to do with 9/11. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-says-helen-thomas-opposes-war-on-terrorism/326240/33 "2005-10-14T19:21:44Z")
> [@Maus Magill](#): > > The thing that gets me - and why I was moved to post a Pit OP - is that I thought we were through with this whole “if you dare question us, then you’re with the terrorists” bullshit. You _must_ be kidding. As with “the media is controlled by liberal elites,” “the GOP is the party of fiscal responsibility,” and “George W. Bush is an intelligent and competent leader,” there is no bullshit line that the right won’t keep touting even long after it’s been proven as accurate as Colin Powell’s UN presentation. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-says-helen-thomas-opposes-war-on-terrorism/326240/34 "2005-10-14T19:23:20Z")
> [@Debaser](#): > > Tt’s simply a fact that the US under the current administration is engaging in a global war against terrorism, and that this effort is focused around our military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Well, except not in Iraq. Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11, nothing to do with al Qaeda and nothing to do with any terrorism directed against the US. I also haven’t seen much evidence that the insurgency is being directed by aQ or by “terrorists” (unless you’re going to simply define the insurgents themselves as “terrorists” which is completely self-serving and disingenuous. They were neither insurgents nor “terrorists” until we attacked them. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-says-helen-thomas-opposes-war-on-terrorism/326240/35 "2005-10-14T19:30:12Z")
> [@Debaser](#): > > It’s simply a fact that the US under the current administration is engaging in a global war against terrorism, and that this effort is focused around our military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Leaving out for the moment that the image of something being focused _around_ something else is a bit, uh, murky, if our operatiions in Iraq and Afghanistan are our best efforts to combat global terrorism, we should quit while we are way behind. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-says-helen-thomas-opposes-war-on-terrorism/326240/36 "2005-10-14T19:32:48Z")
> [@furt](#): > > And what you are apparently incapable of grasping is that that is an _opinion_, not a fact. All the evidence points the other way, Bubba. If I said “The Sun is blue”, would you consider that just an opinion, too? Or does evidence matter at all to those of you wandering around Fantasyland? What the meaning of “is” is depends on the party affiliation of who’s saying it, huh? “Character matters” indeed. ---
**Author:** ![George\_Kaplin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3e96dc/32.png) [@George\_Kaplin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/George_Kaplin)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-says-helen-thomas-opposes-war-on-terrorism/326240/37 "2005-10-14T19:38:09Z")
> [@Debaser](#): > > It’s simply a fact that the US under the current administration is engaging in a global war against terrorism, and that this effort is focused around our military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Yeah, but it _shouldn’t be_. Afghanistan, sure. But not Iraq. There was scant terrorist activity in Iraq before the invasion. Why make them the focal point of a war on terror? Your argument would apply just as well if the US had decided to attack Luxembourg. As regards Helen Thomas, she is only demonstrably against the war on terror insofar as she opposes its nonsensical expansion into Iraq. Of course, that’s not the implication and was never meant to be. The term ‘Broader war on terrorism’ is deliberately vague, suggesting that Thomas is opposed to any and all expansion of the war on terror irrespective of the reasons given for doing so. It was a shitty, sleazy thing to say. ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-says-helen-thomas-opposes-war-on-terrorism/326240/38 "2005-10-14T19:41:29Z")
> [@Debaser](#): > > **Diogenes** and **Maureen** : I know you guys don’t like the war in Iraq. That’s fine. We can disagree about such things. However, it just sounds crazy to be in denial about the very existance of it. I’m confused. When did they said that the war in Iraq doesn’t exist? > [@Debaser](#): > > It’s simply a fact that the US under the current administration is engaging in a global war against terrorism, and that this effort is focused around our military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. > > To deny this just makes you look like loons. Iraq is part of the War againest Terrorism by the virtue of Bush overthrowing Saddam(who had little or nothing to do with AQ), for reasons that turned out to be untrue. Even worse, the adminstration has not only done a horrible job trying to salvage something out of Iraq, Afganistan hasn’t been getting the attention it should either and the country is still in turmoil. And before you paint me as a leftist, I supported Bush and gave him the benefit of the doubt for 4 years. On the WMD thing, on the way the war was run, etc. However, it’s become abundtly clear to me that Bush has no frakken idea what he’s doing over there and doesn’t seem to care either. Anyone who questions that is accused of being unpatriotic or aiding the terrorists. And it sickens me. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-says-helen-thomas-opposes-war-on-terrorism/326240/39 "2005-10-14T19:42:02Z")
> [@Debaser](#): > > The war in Iraq is a part of the war on terror. > > It’s funny that some of you guys still don’t get this. I’m rather surprised anyone’s saying it, too. When we invaded Iraq, it was related to the War on Terror only in the sense that that War provided an excuse, but since Al Qaeda is there now, it’s part of that effort. Be that as it may, “against the war in Iraq” /= “against the war on terror.” That’s not even a rhetorical ploy at this point, it’s a clumsy attempt at Two-Concept Monty. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-says-helen-thomas-opposes-war-on-terrorism/326240/40 "2005-10-14T19:48:07Z")
> [@furt](#): > > None of it is really fair or honest, but it’s the way the game is played by both parties. This is an utterly unremarkable incident. Well it’s a stupid fucking game, and one we need to eradicate. This “game” of polar absolute views is literally sending the country down the shitter. Btw, good comment **Mace**. I was about to say “it is now”, but you beat me to the punch. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-says-helen-thomas-opposes-war-on-terrorism/326240.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scott-mcclellan-says-helen-thomas-opposes-war-on-terrorism/326240.md?page=3)