Hubris: Selling the Iraq War - The Rumsfeld memos

[ProSense]

Hubris: Selling the Iraq War - The Rumsfeld memos

By Will Femia

Among the new revelations in tonight's documentary about how the Bush administration convinced the American people to go to war in Iraq are newly declassified talking points and handwritten notes from November, 2001 in which can be seen then-Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld's team trying to find the most compelling reason to justify war.

Hubris co-author Michael Isikoff explains:

By late November, Rumsfeld was meeting with Gen. Tommy Franks, Centcom commander, to plot the “decapitation” of the Iraqi government, according to the now declassified talking points agenda from the sessions (shown on television for the first time in the documentary). The talking points suggest that Rumsfeld and his team were grappling with a tricky issue: “How (to) start?” the war. In other words, what would the pretext be? Various scenarios were outlined: “US discovers Saddam connection to Sept. 11 attack or to anthrax attacks?” reads one of them. “Dispute over WMD inspections?” reads another. “Start now thinking about inspection demands.”

See the documents yourself after the jump.

- more -

http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/02/18/17005939-hubris-selling-the-iraq-war-the-rumsfeld-memos

Emphasis added. Here's what this shows: Bush and his cabal were playing to the American people.

They already had Senate floor speeches by key Senators, including Feingold, denouncing Saddam and expressing grave concern about Iraq's WMD, which was based on the bogus intelligence.

That wasn't enough. They had to get the American public overwhelmingly behind the prospect. Solution: Al-Qaeda in Iraq.

Note, that is not...not something they could have sold to Congress. It was aimed at justifying the war to everyone else. After lying in his SOTU, the 16 words, Bush included the link to the 9/11 attacks in his letter to Congress.

He didn't need Congress. All he needed was the media to report it. March 19, 2003:

Bush sends Iraq war letter to Congress

White House: Americans need to be prepared for deaths

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- In a letter to Congress, President Bush on Wednesday offered the administration's formal justification for war with Iraq, declaring that diplomacy had failed to resolve the crisis and tying military action to the battle against terrorism.

<...>

In the letter, Bush said that further diplomatic efforts would not "adequately protect the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq."

Bush sent the letter as part of one of the conditions set forth by a resolution passed by Congress in October when it authorized the use of force, if necessary, against Iraq.

Bush said any action against Iraq would be "consistent" with "necessary actions" against terrorists following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks against the United States.

- more -

http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/03/19/sprj.irq.bush/index.html

The WMD justification wasn't enough. The U.N. inspectors could have taken more steps and time. Bush ramped up the urgency by lying about Iraq's link to the 9/11 attacks.

Iraq: Bush lied
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022389965

[yodermon]

1. Hope they mention the Downing Street Memos.

That was supposed to be the beginning of the End of Bushco. Bwahaha.
I'm looking forward to this "Hubris" presentation, but I'm also getting that old Fitzmas feeling, if ya know what i mean :/

[ProSense]

2. At the very least, this will

expose the Bush cabal, and the timing couldn't be better. Americans now know the Iraq war was bullshit, and they're sick of war. They know the WMD aspect was a lie. This is a good time to focus on the lies that led to the death of thousands of troops, hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, destroying a country, complicating the fight against terrorism, and fueling anti-American sentiment.

[Ikonoklast]

4. And using the Truth to ratfuck Jebbie.

Anyone associated with the Bush Cabal needs to be made radioactive.

[russspeakeasy]

3. Thank you ...........again.

[kentuck]

5. I am very happy that Rachel is doing this show...

The Repubs were doing a fine job with revision. For example, John McCain, in his criticism of Hagel for criticizing the "surge".

[ProSense]

11. Rachel is focusing on the Iraq a-Qaeda link justification. n/t

[arely staircase]

6. prosense

do you know when that will be available on msnbc's web page?

[ProSense]

7. I'm not sure what you're asking? n/t

[arely staircase]

8. this is maddow's documentary based on the Corn/Isakoff book, right?

i don't have cable and watch everything on the web. i was wondering if it will be available there there as well.

[ProSense]

9. I'm not sure. Here's the page

for the special: http://www.nbcnews.com/id/3036750/ns/msnbc-documentaries/

I'm not sure if the video will be available on her site: http://www.nbcnews.com/id/26315908/ns/msnbc-rachel_maddow_show/

[ProSense]

10. Suggestions for viewing

here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022395896

Links in the comments too.

[RobertEarl]

12. K&R

Never forget. And don't let anyone else ever forget.