Molly Ivins: They lied to us

[Dudley_DUright]

Meanwhile, back in Iraq. I was going to leave out of this column everything about how we got into Iraq, or whether it was wise, and or whether the infamous "they" knowingly lied to us. (Although I did plan to point out I would be nobly refraining from poking at that pus-riddled question.)

Since I believe one of our greatest strengths as Americans is shrewd practicality, I thought it was time we moved past the now unhelpful, "How did we get into his mess?" to the more utilitarian, "What the hell do we do now?"

However, I cannot let this astounding Downing Street memo go unmentioned.

On May 1, the Sunday Times of London printed a secret memo that went to the defense secretary, foreign secretary, attorney general and other high officials. It is the minutes of their meeting on Iraq with Tony Blair. The memo was written by Matthew Rycroft, a Downing Street foreign policy aide. It has been confirmed as legitimate and is dated July 23, 2002. I suppose the correct cliché is "smoking gun."

more...

http://www.workingforchange.com/article.cfm?itemid=19022

[babylonsister]

1. Molly Ivans rocks! She's bringing the memo to the

forefront! I hope many more will follow suit!

[Hissyspit]

2. Recommended for 'Greatest' n/t

[Dudley_DUright]

7. She definitely is the greatest

I have been posting her column for quite a long time now, and with the possibe exception of Paul Krugman, no one is as consistently spot on as Molly is, week after week.

[Jack Rabbit]

3. As usual, Molly Ivins displays great common sense.

We have to get out of Iraq in order for that country to proceed with the business of governing itself.

Unfortunately, I suspect that is the last thing Bush and his neoconservative aids want now or wanted in July 2002 when they were fabricating WMDs and terrorist ties to Saddam.

[smoogatz]

14. Bingo.

If we were planning to leave, why would we be sinking billions of dollars into military infrastructure? We don't even trust the Shia-led government with control of their own intelligence service, for cryin' out loud. If Bush has his way, we're staying put for a generation, 'til the last barrell of crude has been loaded onto the last tanker out of Umm Qasr.

[flygal]

15. We can't get out

who would protect all those Halliburton workers?

[ewagner]

4. I'll second the nomination n/t

[dogday]

5. One of the best things to come out of Texas

[ananda]

6. cheer

Yay Molly! My shero.

Sue

[dsnail]

8. Where's the outrage?

I'm glad someone of media prominence in the US is finally taking note of this. Granted, no one in the US is going to raise hell about this memo if they don't know about it, but I've been disheartened to see that many liberal/leftists who have seen it are treating this important story as old news or not that big of a deal.

Tens of thousands of innocent Iraqis killed, 1,600 US troops killed with many more injured and psychologically damaged (maybe irreparably), the economy being gutted by this war, and plans afoot for possibly more wars on flimsy pretexts (all signals point to an Iran attack in June). . . all this because of a lie (and we have a smoking gun, in the form of this memo, like no other), and all I hear thus far is a collective yawn.

It really makes you want to weep for this country and its sheeple.

[whatelseisnew]

9. Outrage wilts under intense propaganda. Reich Leaders were Executed for it

That's right , a hanging offense.

[mzmolly]

10. Another recommendation for the Greatest Page. I adore Ms. Ivans

Captivating title:

"Memo proves leadership knew Saddam was not a threat"

[understandinglife]

11. "MNA 1608" - 1608 deaths charged to war criminal Bu$h. Stop the atrocities

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x3632200

Peace.

[Briar]

12. Molly is wonderful

but she is mistaken if she thinks the memo has made a ha'porth of difference here. It is still forbidden to call Bliar a liar, and he continues to exercise absolute power with absolute contempt for an electorate which plainly signalled its distrust of him last Thursday and a party which is no longer prepared to stomach his alien, neo-thatcherite tendencies.

[Dudley_DUright]

13. I thought you all across the pond had renamed Tony Blair

Tony B-liar? Hopefully you won't have to put up with him for another full term assuming his ego will allow him to give way to Gordon Brown.

[wallwriter]

16. This memo is the stained blue dress of the Bush admin.

Why don't more people refer to it as such?

[Name removed]

17. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.