The AP's "no message" message

The AP has a curious story out entitled, "Bush's Shifting Rationale for Iraq War". The entire piece is nothing but a series of Bush quotes, beginning with the 2002 State of the Union and ending with a recent one. Although there was no included commentary (even they have their limits, I guess) the headline gives it away--Bush started with WMDs, shifted to democracy and recently to staying the course as conditions have worsened.

Thing is, Bush has always talked of freeing the Iraqi people. After all, the mission was called "Operation Iraqi Freedom", not 9/11 Vengence, or somesuch. Speaking of the 2002 SOTU, here's a different quote they could have used:

Our nation and the world must learn the lessons of the Korean Peninsula and not allow an even greater threat to rise up in Iraq. A brutal dictator, with a history of reckless aggression, with ties to terrorism, with great potential wealth, will not be permitted to dominate a vital region and threaten the United States.

Ok, things haven't gone quite as planned and he certainly made a mistake standing on that carrier. But he's been fairly consistent all along, a trait which has at one time or another infuriated just about everyone. The AP could have chosen this comment, for example:

Our war against terror is a one contest of will in which perserverance is power.

But that would be defeating the purpose, wouldn't it?