UK memo reveals US plan to provoke an invasion of Iraq

[HuskyCaucasian]

Guardian.co.uk

 

A confidential record of a meeting between President Bush and Tony Blair before the invasion of Iraq, outlining their intention to go to war without a second United Nations resolution, will be an explosive issue for the official inquiry into the UK's role in toppling Saddam Hussein.

 

The memo, written on 31 January 2003, almost two months before the invasion and seen by the Observer, confirms that as the two men became increasingly aware UN inspectors would fail to find weapons of mass destruction (WMD) they had to contemplate alternative scenarios that might trigger a second resolution legitimising military action.

 

Bush told Blair the US had drawn up a provocative plan "to fly U2 reconnaissance aircraft painted in UN colours over Iraq with fighter cover". Bush said that if Saddam fired at the planes this would put the Iraqi leader in breach of UN resolutions.

 

The president expressed hopes that an Iraqi defector would be "brought out" to give a public presentation on Saddam's WMD or that someone might assassinate the Iraqi leader. However, Bush confirmed even without a second resolution, the US was prepared for military action. The memo said Blair told Bush he was "solidly with the president".

 

The five-page document, written by Blair's foreign policy adviser... outlines how Bush told Blair he had decided on a start date for the war.

 

Paraphrasing Bush's comments at the meeting, Manning, noted: "The start date for the military campaign was now pencilled in for 10 March. This was when the bombing would begin."

 

The memo notes there had been a shift in the two men's thinking on Iraq by late January 2003 and that preparing for war was now their priority. "Our diplomatic strategy had to be arranged around the military planning," Manning writes. This was despite the fact Blair that had yet to receive advice on the legality of the war from the Attorney General, Lord Goldsmith, which did not arrive until 7 March 2003 - 13 days before the bombing campaign started.

[lostfan]

Don't touch fire, it's hot.

 

Also if you go outside in the rain you will get wet.

Edited June 22, 2009 by lostfan

[Balta1701]

Didn't we hear about both of those brilliant ideas like 3 years ago?

[Nixon]

That's kind of a stupid plan.

[Nixon]

I'm seriously upset that the best plan these two world leaders could come up with was painting a U2 plane in UN colors. What the f***. I mean not that saying 9/11 over and over and just going ahead with it was a better plan but at least you wouldn't have had to explain why Iraqis captured a bunch of USAF personnel riding around in a cold war era plane w/ a bad paint job. f***.

[bmags]

ahh, first time I read this I thought they were flying Bono's aircraft.

[lostfan]

I'm seriously upset that the best plan these two world leaders could come up with was painting a U2 plane in UN colors. What the f***. I mean not that saying 9/11 over and over and just going ahead with it was a better plan but at least you wouldn't have had to explain why Iraqis captured a bunch of USAF personnel riding around in a cold war era plane w/ a bad paint job. f***.

I don't know why I missed this the first time.

[Texsox]

ahh, first time I read this I thought they were flying Bono's aircraft.

 

I was thinking about the WMD and thinking, they still haven't found what they're looking for.

[knightni]

I was thinking about the WMD and thinking, they still haven't found what they're looking for.

 

Made up stories about Iraqi memos are even better than the real thing.

[NorthSideSox72]

I was thinking about the WMD and thinking, they still haven't found what they're looking for.

That was never the prime motivation for the war, despite their claims otherwise.

 

 

[Texsox]

That was never the prime motivation for the war, despite their claims otherwise.

 

I guess the reference was too obscure.

[FlaSoxxJim]

I guess the reference was too obscure.

 

Yeah, U2 song references are incredibly obscure and arcane.

 

[NorthSideSox72]

I guess the reference was too obscure.

No I got it, I own the album (Joshua Tree I think), but also took the opportunity to clarify.

 

[Texsox]

No I got it, I own the album (Joshua Tree I think), but also took the opportunity to clarify.

 

IIRC the administration did talk quite a bit about those WMD prior to the war.

[knightni]

I guess the reference was too obscure.

I commented.

[santo=dorf]

So are there countries that have the balls to arrest Bush as a war criminal if he steps foot there?

[The Critic]

I commented.

So yeah, the reference had to be VERY obvious then...

 

[Balta1701]

So are there countries that have the balls to arrest Bush as a war criminal if he steps foot there?

No one has indicted anyone from that administration internationally yet...but frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if 5-10 years down the road, the answer was yes. Not just for him, but for Cheney, Gonzalez, Yoo, Rumsfeld, etc. Henry Kissinger, for example, has this odd habit of fleeing his hotel rooms overseas before the police arrive every time he goes to certain countries.

[NorthSideSox72]

IIRC the administration did talk quite a bit about those WMD prior to the war.

Yes they did. And it was B.S. if you were willing to take a close look at the arguments they were making.

 

 

[NorthSideSox72]

So are there countries that have the balls to arrest Bush as a war criminal if he steps foot there?

Being ignorant and really, really bad at managing or leading, which is what Bush was, is not a war crime.

 

[Balta1701]

Being ignorant and really, really bad at managing or leading, which is what Bush was, is not a war crime.

Specifically ordering torture or deliberately turning a blind eye while your subordinates order torture however, is a war crime.

[NorthSideSox72]

Specifically ordering torture or deliberately turning a blind eye while your subordinates order torture however, is a war crime.

As much as I despised Bush as a President, I don't think he did either of those things. Torture or not torture has shades of gray, Bush's line was in a place not the same as me, but I think he was talked into it because he didn't have the balls to go against the hawks he chose to surround himself with.

 

Cheney, who was more intimately involved in that end of things, MAYBE you talk about that. Maybe,.

 

[Texsox]

As much as I despised Bush as a President, I don't think he did either of those things. Torture or not torture has shades of gray, Bush's line was in a place not the same as me, but I think he was talked into it because he didn't have the balls to go against the hawks he chose to surround himself with.

 

Cheney, who was more intimately involved in that end of things, MAYBE you talk about that. Maybe,.

 

I agree.

 

Plus, it is really hard to imagine our leadership as war criminals. I am not saying it could not happen, just saying it is hard to imagine.

[Balta1701]

As much as I despised Bush as a President, I don't think he did either of those things. Torture or not torture has shades of gray, Bush's line was in a place not the same as me, but I think he was talked into it because he didn't have the balls to go against the hawks he chose to surround himself with.

 

Cheney, who was more intimately involved in that end of things, MAYBE you talk about that. Maybe,.

Let's put it this way. Under international treaties, those memos out of the DOJ are evidence of a conspiracy to commit torture. George W. Bush was in the room while they were discussed. At the very least then, he is an accessory.

[jasonxctf]

so say Bush/Cheney etc doesnt get tipped off that a particular country is planning on arresting them. They get arrested and thrown into jail. Does the US Military invade to free them? If its Bush, does Secret Service have a shoot out with the arresting officers from the other country?