Correction

Correction:

In the previous post, I attributed the words “Civil war this, civil war that” to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. Not sure now where I saw it quoted, but I seem to have misread.

Maybe because it sounded like such a natural Rumsfeldism (“Stuff happens.”).

But I’m big enough to admit it: I was wrong, wrong, wrong. It wasn’t Rummy who uttered those pearls of offhanded disdain.

It was President George W. Bush.

Gosh. My bad.

In context:

Upon being reminded that an average of 100 civilians a day had been killed in Iraq in July, Bush said on Aug. 7 during a press conference:

“My attitude is that a young democracy has been born quite quickly. And I think the Iraqi government has shown remarkable progress on the political front. And that is that they developed a modern constitution that was ratified by the people and then 12 million people voted for a government.

“Which gives me confidence about the future in Iraq, by the way. You know, I hear people say, Well, civil war this, civil war that. The Iraqi people decided against civil war when they went to the ballot box. And a unity government is working to respond to the will of the people. And, frankly, it’s quite a remarkable achievement on the political front.

“And the security front is where there has been troubles.”

Um, no shit, Sherlock.

I was, frankly, horrified and infuriated to think that one of the President’s lackeys had said such a childish and terrible thing. “Civil war this, civil war that.”

But it was the Bully in Chief himself who said it.

Now I’m more than horrified and infuriated. I’m ... speechless.

*Thanks to Think Progress for the full quote.