Critics of the Iraq War Put Rumsfeld on the Defensive - Los Angeles Times

Critics of the Iraq War Put Rumsfeld on the Defensive - Los Angeles Times: "'Was that a lie, Mr. Rumsfeld, or was that manufactured somewhere else? Because all of my CIA colleagues disputed that and so did the 9/11 commission,' McGovern asked near the start of the 45-minute question-and-answer session. 'Why did you lie to get us into a war that was not necessary?'

At the start of the exchange, Rumsfeld remained his usual unflappable self, insisting, 'I haven't lied; I did not lie then,' before launching into a vigorous defense of the administration's prewar assertions on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction.

But Rumsfeld became uncharacteristically tongue-tied when McGovern pressed him on claims that he knew where unconventional Iraqi weapons were located.

'You said you knew where they were,' McGovern said.

'I did not. I said I knew where suspected sites were,' Rumsfeld retorted.

McGovern then read from statements the Defense secretary had made that weapons were located near Tikrit, Iraq, and Baghdad, which led Rumsfeld to briefly stammer. The Defense secretary recovered after admonishing a security guard who was trying to push McGovern away from the microphone.

'It is easy for you to make a charge,' Rumsfeld said, recovering his composure and insisting U.S. troops believed they would encounter che"