The leak that changed minds on the Iraq war

[kentuck]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2092-1650565,00.html

<snip>
It makes clear that both Blair and Bush have a lot to apologise for: “When the prime minister discussed Iraq with President Bush at Crawford in April he said that the UK would support military action to bring about regime change,” it states, adding that “regime change per se is illegal”.

As a prime minister had agreed to do something that was illegal under British interpretation of international law, it was “necessary to create the conditions in which we could legally support regime change”, the briefing paper says.

For Blair, “creating the conditions” meant going to the United Nations to get a unanimous resolution warning Iraq to co- operate with the inspectors or else. Bush needed the backing of Congress and he didn’t get that until October 11, 2002.

<snip>
That is why the wave of public awareness sweeping America is so dangerous to Bush and why he has refused to answer a letter from 89 Democratic congressmen asking if the intelligence was “fixed” and precisely when he and Blair actually agreed to go to war.



...more

[gordianot]

1. "apologise"?

How do you say your sorry to the dead so they will listen?

[damntexdem]

2. Maybe if it's said from the ...

docket of the World Court.

[gordianot]

3. But But the United States does not recognize the World Court.

[Spazito]

4. Here is the White House transcript of that meeting in April/02

and here is what bush said on regime change:

"THE PRESIDENT: Maybe I should be a little less direct and be a little more nuanced, and say we support regime change."

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/04/20020406-3.html

[four more wars]

5. This is huge

The Times is the most established and most respected news paper in Britain.

If they are running it, it's serious...

[Tomee450]

6. This is just so awful.

We have lost the respect of the world. No nation will trust the United States for a long time. We have no credibility whatsoever.

[Douglas Carpenter]

7. Let's keep at the media--we're getting somewhere

:bounce:


Just a reminder of some very, very important links:

To sign Congressman Conyers’ letter

http://www.johnconyers.campaignoffice.com


To put and keep pressure on the Mainstream Media:

http://www.downingstreetmemo.com/takeaction.html#awaken


http://www.afterdowningstreet.org


LISTEN TO THE RANDI RHODES SHOW-to keep up daily with what’s going on with--THE DOWNING STREET MEMO:

http://www.therandirhodesshow.com


Peace
O8)

Here is my standard letter to the Media:


Dear Sir/Madam:

As you know, on May 1 of this year a document now commonly referred to as “|The Downing Street Memo” was released into the British Press. This document raises serious question about how the administration was handling intelligence related to Iraq and appears to suggest that the Bush Administration had already decided on war when publicly it was claiming that no such decision had been made.

This document and perhaps other documents suggest that the Bush administration was determined to “fix intelligence” around a predetermined policy.

It is most disturbing that there has been a virtual media blackout regarding “The Downing Street Memo”. Even more disturbing is the absence in the America media of any credible discussion or coverage regarding strong, credible and independent evidence that the Bush Administration intentionally mislead the U.S. Congress, the media and the American people.

I do hope you will accept the responsibility to address this issue and provide serious investigative journalism into this matter.

Furthermore, on Thursday June 16, 2005, Rep. John Conyers, Jr., ranking minority member of the House Judiciary Committee, and other House members will hold a hearing to consider testimony concerning the Downing Street minutes and questions of possible fixing of prewar intelligence. I do hope you will be giving full coverage to these events.

Sincerely,