WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 11: White House Press Secretary Jay Carney speaks during the daily press briefing at the James Brady Press Briefing Room March 11, 2013 at the White House in Washington, DC. Carney answered questions from members of the media during the briefing. Credit: Getty Images
During a daily press briefing on Tuesday, Fox News' James Rosen clashed with White House Press Secretary Jay Carney over the value of the Iraq war and whether former President George W. Bush deserved any credit for progress made in the country.
After first dancing around the question, Carney eventually admitted that "credit is due" to Bush for sending troops into Iraq as it led to the ouster of Saddam Hussein.
"When you stand here and tell us that Iraq, today, now has the option for a chance for a much better future than her past, that is, as a matter of factual history, only possible because President Bush decided to launch this war," Rosen said. "It seems to me, a matter of logic, that some credit would be due to President Bush and his advisors on this occasion. Do you not see it that way?"
Carney agreed that the people of Iraq have "the potential for a better future" because of the civilian and military service members who served in Iraq. "Historians will make the assessments about the policy judgments made by the administration that was in power at the time," he added.
“It sounds to me, listening to you, what you call the quote-unquote 'welcome development of Saddam Hussein being gone,' you are unwilling to accord President George W. Bush even a single iota of credit for that development,” Rosen pried.
"I’m happy to do that, James," Carney shot back. "But, I -- there is no question that Saddam Hussein was removed from power thanks to the military efforts of U.S. armed forces and they were sent to Iraq by President Bush. So obviously there is a causal relationship and to the extent that credit is due, credit is due to him for that."
Carney went on to say that "historians" will debate the implications of the Iraq war for a long time.
Watch the exchange via Politico below:
Featured image via Getty
