David Corn: George W. Bush's Omission Points

[marmar]

from Mother Jones:



Like Blair, like Bush.

When former British Prime Minister Tony Blair released his memoirs two months ago, I noted that the long volume detailed many of the meetings he had with then-President George W. Bush during the run-up to the invasion of Iraq—but he neglected to mention a key (and controversial) January 31, 2003, talk they held in the Oval Office. According to a memo written by a Blair aide documenting the meeting, Bush and Blair in that session each said they doubted any weapons of mass destruction would soon be discovered by the UN inspectors then searching for such arms in Iraq. Without any WMDs, it could be harder to win support for the war. But Bush had an idea—or two.

The memo—portions of which were published in the New York Times and in Philippe Sands' Lawless World —noted that Bush raised the notion of provoking a confrontation with Saddam Hussein. "The US was thinking," the memo said, "of flying US reconnaissance aircraft with fighter cover over Iraq, painted UN colours. If Saddam fired on them, he would be in breach" of UN resolutions. A retaliatory attack would then be fully justified; the war could begin. In other words, Bush raised the prospect of staging a phony event to justify a military attack on Iraq. Bush also discussed producing some "defector who could give a public presentation about Saddam's WMD." The two men also agreed that it was unlikely that "internecine warfare" would break out between "different religious and ethnic groups" after an invasion of Iraq.

Now, Bush, too, is keeping the cover-up alive. In his new book, Decision Points, Bush does write about this particular meeting. He notes that he and Blair discussed squeezing another resolution out of the UN Security Council that would declare that Iraq had failed to meet its disarmament obligations under a previous resolution—in effect, handing Washington and London a go-to-war-free card. Blair felt it was politically necessary for him to obtain such a resolution in the face of the widespread British opposition to an invasion of Iraq. Bush writes, "I dreaded the thought of plunging back into the UN." After all, both Dick Cheney and Colin Powell opposed an effort to obtain a new resolution. "But if Tony wanted a second resolution," Bush recalls, "we would try." ..............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://motherjones.com/mojo/2010/11/bush-decision-points-blair-Iraq

[gratuitous]

1. All those people, killed on a phony pretext

All that money, sent where the woodbine twineth. All those weapons fired, bullets shot, missiles launched for a pack of lies. Anyone still selling that "they hate us for our freedom" line? Because I can posit a couple of other reasons why the United States might inspire fear and loathing around the world.

[Blue Owl]

2. Were there not a few "Fabrication Points" as well?

n/t

[librechik]

4. good "point"

[dennis4868]

3. But but but Jon Stewart told Rachel Maddow....

That Bush is not evil and he did not mislead the people into war...