If the Downing Street Memo is proved to be true...

[Moooooo]

Downing Street Memo, which alleges that President Bush fabricated intelligence on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction.

By the way...  Let's try our hardest to make this poll as non-partisan as possible.

Link to Actual Memo

[Jake]

Summarize what is alleged if you don't mind.

[Moooooo]

"The Downing Street "Memo" is actually a document containing meeting minutes transcribed during the British Prime Minister's meeting on July 23, 2002—a full eight months PRIOR to the invasion of Iraq on March 20, 2003. The Times of London printed the text of this document on Sunday, May 1, 2005, but to date US media coverage has been limited. This site is intended to act as a resource for anyone who wants to understand the facts revealed in this document.

The contents of the memo are shocking. The minutes detail how our government did not believe Iraq was a greater threat than other nations; how intelligence was "fixed" to sell the case for war to the American public; and how the Bush Administration’s public assurances of "war as a last resort" were at odds with their privately stated intentions.

When asked, British officials "did not dispute the document's authenticity." and a senior American official has described it as "absolutely accurate." Yet the Bush administration continues to simultaneously sidestep the issue while attempting to cast doubt on the memo’s authenticity."

[The Duke]

What does this memo tell us about what was going on that we didn't know at the time?

It says the Administration had already chosen to go to war.  This was always commonly accepted as fact, from the Axis of Evil speech onwards.  It is not a shocking revelation.

It says that other nations had superior WMD capabilities.  We knew this as well, especially with North Korea.  However, the judgement was made at the time that going to war with North Korea would be exceedingly hazardous, and therefore unwise, while an invasion of Iraq would be much much easier.

We are told the intelligence was "fixed".  This charge has been amde many times before, but refuted by several independent commission investigations, including Dr. Kay's WMD report and the Senate Intelligence Committee's report on pre-war intelligence.

This memo is yet another partisan spin job by anti-war activists who hate Bush and are set on destroying him.

[TheresNoMoney]

For a Democratic president, the DSM would be huge news.

But since much of our broadcast media is conservative-baised and scared to take on the Bush administration, there's barely been a word about it. The media is too busy analyzing Howard Dean's every word and ignores issues that truly matter (like this memo).

Our media truly sucks. They haven't been doing their jobs since 9/11. Bush and his cronies have basically gotten a free pass on most of their gaffes.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

For a Democratic president, the DSM would be huge news.

But since much of our broadcast media is conservative-baised and scared to take on the Bush administration, there's barely been a word about it. The media is too busy analyzing Howard Dean's every word and ignores issues that truly matter (like this memo).

Our media truly sucks. They haven't been doing their jobs since 9/11. Bush and his cronies have basically gotten a free pass on most of their gaffes.

At least they occasionally criticize Bush now. They never did that in the first year after 9/11.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

1. It's The Times. There's no "of London" on the end (this is a pet hate of mine...)
2. No one cared about it over here when it was a sort of one hit wonder news story.
3. I'd go so far as to call it a non story.

And now for a bit of advice: no one cares about Iraq anymore. Not a single vote can get switched by it now. No one cares whether intelligence was slightly edited or not; most people seem to assume that *all* intelligence is. I think it's time to let the dog die, don't you? If the American left want to get themselves into a hysterical bubble over this they're d*mned fools. And if they do I think it would be time for the Democratic party hysterical to wash it's hands of the American left.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

1. It's The Times. There's no "of London" on the end (this is a pet hate of mine...)
2. No one cared about it over here when it was a sort of one hit wonder news story.
3. I'd go so far as to call it a non story.

And now for a bit of advice: no one cares about Iraq anymore. Not a single vote can get switched by it now. No one cares whether intelligence was slightly edited or not; most people seem to assume that *all* intelligence is. I think it's time to let the dog die, don't you? If the American left want to get themselves into a hysterical bubble over this they're d*mned fools. And if they do I think it would be time for the Democratic party hysterical to wash it's hands of the American left.

It's cost hundreds of billions of dollars, distracted us from actually fighting terrorism, made us lose much credibility. There's a troop shortage there. Why don't you sign up, warmonger?

[TheresNoMoney]

And now for a bit of advice: no one cares about Iraq anymore. Not a single vote can get switched by it now.

It's not about votes!!! It's about truth!

If the shoe was on the other foot you'd be urging Republicans to expose it.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

It's cost hundreds of billions of dollars, distracted us from actually fighting terrorism, made us lose much credibility.

Perhaps, but not the point. How hard is this to understand: No one who matters (ie: swing voters) gives a monkeys about Iraq now. No benifit can be gained from it. Banging on about it is a complete and utter waste of time.

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At what point in the above post did I say something that can justify that sort of absurd statement? Am I a warmonger? No. Nowt at all. I am not a warmonger and I resent being called one; I hate war. I also hate the whole trendy-modish-counter culture yuppy-scum dominated "anti-war movement" and pretty much all it stands for. I'm an old fashioned war-hating Nonconformist and d*mn proud of it. I strongly take offense to being libeled as a warmonger and I ask you to take it back.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

It's not about votes!!! It's about truth!

One day, when you grow up, you'll understand why that attitude just leads to trouble

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Nope

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

It's cost hundreds of billions of dollars, distracted us from actually fighting terrorism, made us lose much credibility.

Perhaps, but not the point. How hard is this to understand: No one who matters (ie: swing voters) gives a monkeys about Iraq now. No benifit can be gained from it. Banging on about it is a complete and utter waste of time.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

At what point in the above post did I say something that can justify that sort of absurd statement? Am I a warmonger? No. Nowt at all. I am not a warmonger and I resent being called one; I hate war. I also hate the whole trendy-modish-counter culture yuppy-scum dominated "anti-war movement" and pretty much all it stands for. I'm an old fashioned war-hating Nonconformist and d*mn proud of it. I strongly take offense to being libeled as a warmonger and I ask you to take it back.

Do you favor or oppose the war in Iraq?

[Jake]

Why don't you sign up, warmonger?

That seems like an exceedingly stupid question.

[A18]

If Bush eats apple pie, should he be impeached? Because it'd make a lot more sense than impeaching over a non-issue like this.

[TheresNoMoney]

If Bush eats apple pie, should he be impeached? Because it'd make a lot more sense than impeaching over a non-issue like this.

Having proof that the administration twisted evidence and made up intelligence as an excuse to go to war is a non-issue?

Could you be any more of a partisan hack? I am constantly amazed at what comes out of Republican's mouths.

[opebo]

He should be, but cannot be, because of the Republican majority in the legislature.

[Blue Rectangle]

If Bush eats apple pie, should he be impeached? Because it'd make a lot more sense than impeaching over a non-issue like this.

Having proof that the administration twisted evidence and made up intelligence as an excuse to go to war is a non-issue?

Could you be any more of a partisan hack? I am constantly amazed at what comes out of Republican's mouths.

What would the charges be in your articles of impeachment?

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

What would the charges be in your articles of impeachment?

Something considerably more substantial than lying about a blow job.

[Citizen James]

It's not about votes!!! It's about truth!

One day, when you grow up, you'll understand why that attitude just leads to trouble

Please enlighen us, oh ancient and wise one.  Although seeking truth and racking muck can open an ugly can of worms in the short term, how is that less desirable than ignoring coruption and deception in government.   Are you a believer in the Platonian idea of the 'noble lie'?  A monarchist who sees our leaders as chosen by God and thus above reproach?  Why do you consider public scrutiny and critisism of the government to be a bad idea?

I will admit I suspect that the supporters of Bush's faith based presidency wouldn't question him if he publicly pledged loyalty to bezilbub and nuked Canada, but for those of us who believe that the govenment is to be held responsible, asking such questions and seeking true answers is vital.

[Colin]

What would the charges be in your articles of impeachment?

Something considerably more substantial than lying about a blow job.

I do not believe that it is illegal and criminal to mislead the American people, going by the law itself. Unless President Bush lied under oath about the intellegence at hand or if this memo does not  state that he has committed some other sort of criminal activity, fraud, libel, extortion, etc., he cannot be impeached. You may think that Clinton was impeached for lieing about a blowjob but the fact of the matter is is that Clinton lied under oath before a grand jury in a lawsuit thus committing an act of perjury.

[The Duke]

Side note- Clinton's lying about something so small does not make his actions better, it makes them worse.  To drag us through all that over something so small...

[The Dowager Mod]

"Clinton was impeached for perjury about his sexual relationships.
  Comparing Clinton's misbehavior to a destructive and costly war occupation
   launched under false pretenses in violation of domestic and international law
   certainly merits introduction of an impeachment resolution."
    -- Ralph Nader, feeling guilty that he put Bush in office?

[A18]

No one cares about Ralph Nader; nor do they care about his inept opinions about domestic and international law.

If Bush eats apple pie, should he be impeached? Because it'd make a lot more sense than impeaching over a non-issue like this.

Having proof that the administration twisted evidence and made up intelligence as an excuse to go to war is a non-issue?

That's not what the memo says. Try again.

[opebo]

Side note- Clinton's lying about something so small does not make his actions better, it makes them worse.  To drag us through all that over something so small...

He didn't drag us through anything, his political opponents did.

[ATFFL]

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The problem is there are too many definitions of the word "fixed" that can be applied.

Dictionary.com

Looking at that only 2, 6, 9 and 10 do not apply to one degree.  And 11, the incriminating one, is not the most likely.

This is why it is a non-story; the memo is too vague.