Downing Street Memo Q and A, Bush and Blair deny Intel was Manipulated.

Downing Street Memo Q and A

June 7, 2005

Sean Lewis

 

Today both Bush and Blair Denied that Intel for war in Iraq was manipulated.

 

The question was asked in an open manner. The question asked if there was any credibility in the Statement 'Intelligence was being fixed around policy.' Both Bush and Blair denied this. Both are now on record saying this. There unfortunately was no chace for a follow up question. One that would begin to hammer away at the Denial.

 

The Key statements that should be focused on are..... 'But the case was thin. Saddam was not threatening his neighbors, and his WMD capability was less than that of Libya, North Korea or Iran. We should work up a plan for an ultimatum to Saddam to allow back in the UN weapons inspectors. This would also help with the legal justification for the use of force.'  and 'The Defense Secretary said that the US had already begun "spikes of activity" to put pressure on the regime,' and finally 'Bush wanted to remove Saddam, through military action, justified by the conjunction of terrorism and WMD. But the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy. The NSC had no patience with the UN route, and no enthusiasm for publishing material on the Iraqi regime's record. There was little discussion in Washington of the aftermath after military action.'

 

The first statement admits that proof that Saddam had WMDs was almost non existent. That Saddam was not a WMD threat of any significance. That one way to justify war was to give an ultimatum Saddam would not comply with and we knew he would not comply with, opening the opportunity for invasion and never proving Saddam actually had WMDs.

 

The second statement makes it clear that the air raids to evoke a military action from Saddam had already begun 6 months before UN Resolution 1441 or the Invasion. This are not sorties in the no fly zone, but missions into Iraq to attack hard targets.

 

Finally, this statement makes it already clear that Bush wanted a military solution to Iraq, not Diplomatic. Bush felt a tie in with WMDs and Terrorism was all that was needed to justify invasion. Bush never anticipated the Intel would unravel before the Invasion could begin. After the Forgery and Plagiarism Bush was forced to go to the UN and present a case. One that was obviously inconclusive and haphazardly put together. All of this Intel was wrong, and Powell later admitted as much.

 

If a follow up question addressing these specifics could have been asked then possibly the truth could have been made.

 

A previous post...

 

The Downing Street Memo,

One more Piece to the puzzle

 

Sean Lewis

June 6, 2005

 

OK by itself in a vacuum, the Downing Street Memo is inconclusive. However with other documents and actions of the Bush Administration it is evidence that Bush was bent on war and looking for a reason to justify it.

 

Let's look at the facts.

 

In the winter of 2000-2001, the Bush administration was claiming Saddam was no threat.

 

After the 9/11 attack Bush and other cabinet members stated that Iraq was not involved in the attack.

 

In November of 2001 Bush began to make overtures at Saddam not being in compliance with UN resolutions.

 

First White House Internal Presentation for war with Iraq is shot down. The Intel is inconclusive.

 

Rumsfeld and Cheney begin to look for Intel outside of the established Channels. Use Intel from a republican think tank OSP the Office of Special Plans. The Intel is unvetted and has been already discarded by other agencies as unreliable. Rumsfeld and Cheney present the OSP Intel Directly to the President.

 

Bush begins to escalate actions against Saddam with the help of Britain. They begin a bombing campaign in the spring of 2002.

 

Fall of 2002 Bush pushes for resolution 1441. this now gives Bush a legal justification for invasion if Saddam is in non compliance. Also Bush gets Congress to give him a resolution to Challenge Saddam with military action if he does not comply. The language however does not specify that Bush must come back to Congress to initiate hostile actions against Iraq.

 

In speeches to the UN and the American people Bush gives Intelligence reports that appear to indicate that Saddam has WMDs and Nuclear devices. Most of the Intel proves to be invalid, and most is shown to be incorrect BEFORE we go to war with Iraq.

 

Bush decides that the UN is irrelevant and decides against continued UN inspections, which proves to be the incorrect decision.

 

The Neocon White Paper 'Rebuilding American Defenses, The Project for the New American Century' surfaces. The White paper written in 2000 outlines to advancement of American Global Influence by taking advantage of 'unstable' situation which can be exploited for America. Iraq, North Korea, Iran, Libya and China are specifically mentioned. The list of Project Participants is a Who's Who of the Bush Administration.

 

Bush invades Iraq with the coalition of the 'willing.'

 

Everything to present in hindsight shows a 'push' of Intel in support for war. All of this Intel has since been proven, through proper vetting to be incorrect.

 

The Downing Street Memo is proof of this Intel 'push' because it questions Bush reasons for war and points out the 'thin' reasons. This is OUTSIDE confirmation, of what is apparent now. The importance of this memo is that it came out almost a year before Bush went to war.