Downing Street MemoGate

On May 1, 2005, a highly confidential memo of minutes of a July 23,2002 meeting was leaked to the Times of London. The memo recorded a meeting between British Prime Minister Tony Blair; Richard Dearlove, head of the British intelligence service; and other British intelligence and military chiefs. On June 12, 2005, additional, related British memos were leaked.

The memos are named after 10 Downing Street, official home of the British Prime Minister, where the July 23, 2002 meeting was held.

Neither George Bush nor Tony Blair, nor any of their representatives, have denied the authenticity of the minutes and memos known as the Downing Street Memos.

The US press hesitated to report the May 1, 2005 leaking of these documents due to authenticity concerns. Of course, Dan Rather, former CBS anchor, suffered great embarrassment in 2004 when he reported on documents later found to be fraudulent. In mid June 2005, the Downing Street Memo disclosures became US headlines.

In October 2002, Congress relied on Bush warnings of WMDs in Iraq when passing legislation granting him the authority to wage war on Iraq. Congress urged, but did not require, UN approval for war. Iraqi leader Hussein was portrayed as an imminent threat to US security.

In November 2002, the UN passed a resolution on the matter, but did not specifically authorize a US strike on Iraq. Instead, the UN continued to inspect for WMDs.

The US and Britain first attacked Iraq in March 2003.

In May, Rep John Conyers (D-MI)submitted a letter to President Bush signed by 94 House members requesting answers to 5 questions about Downing Street Memo disclosures. (See questions below.)

White House press secretary Scott McClellan said that there is "no need" to respond to the letter.

On June 16, Conyers will hold an unofficial hearing into this matter. Unofficial because no Republicans will attend, and House Republicans refuse to schedule a formal hearing.

In addition to 94 US House members, 500,000 American citizens have signed Rep John Conyers, Jr's letter to President Bush. The 5 questions asked in the letter were.....

1. Do you or anyone in your administration dispute the accuracy of the leaked documents?

2. Were arrangements being made, including the recruitment of allies. before you sought Congressional authorization to go to war? Did you or anyone in your administration obtain Britian's commitment to invade prior to this time?

3. Was there an effort to create an ultimatum about weapons inspectors in order to help with the justification for the war, as the minutes indicate?

4. At what point in time did you and Prime Minister Blair first agree it was necessary to invade Iraq?

5. Was there a coordinated effort with the US intelligence community and/or British officials to "fix" the intelligence and facts around the policy as the leaked document states?

View the original article here

Repubs on Occupy Wall Street

Republican political leaders' reactions to the Occupy Wall Street movement range from condescension and the usual hypocrisy to paranoia, fear, and sheer looniness.

As the movement has flourished, a few have softened their public stances to include politically palatable empathy. But none changed their colorful, core reactions, which are listed below for the 2012 presidential candidates and assorted other Republican reactionaries.

For more about the Occupy Wall Street Movement, see:

Mitt Romney, former Massachusetts governor - See Liberal Guide to Mitt Romney in 2012
"I think it’s dangerous, this class warfare." --- October 4, 2011 remarks at Florida retirement community

Herman Cain, radio personality, businessman - See Liberal Guide to Herman Cain in 2012
"... I happen to believe that these demonstrations are planned and orchestrated to distract from the failed policies of the Obama administration. Don't blame Wall Street, don't blame the big banks, if you don't have a job and you're not rich, blame yourself! --- October 5, 2011 remarks to the press

Rick Perry, Texas governor - See Liberal Guide to Rick Perry in 2012
"Liberals are now pointing the finger of blame at successful employers under the guise of fairness, but when they utter phrases like 'fair share' you just know, heh, they’re once again playing fast and furious with the truth.

"And the truth is you can’t reve up the engine of economic growth by heaping higher taxes on job creators, you can’t spread success by punishing it... " --- October 7, 2011 remarks at conservative Value Voters Summit

Karl Rove, Bush administration senior advisor, Republican strategist
"What are these people for? To the degree that they're for anything, it's left-wing nuttiness." --- October 10, 2011 remarks to Fox News anchor Sean Hannity

Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the House
"I think the people who are protesting in Wall Street break into two groups: one is left-wing agitators who would be happy to show up next week on any other topic, and the other is sincere middle-class people who frankly are very close to the Tea Party people who care.

"And actually...you can tell which are which. The people who are decent, responsible citizens pick up after themselves. The people who are just out there as activists trash the place and walk off and are proud of having trashed it, so let’s draw that distinction." --- October 11, 2011 remarks at Republican debate

Rand Paul, U.S. Senator from Kentucky
"I see the president’s rhetoric of envy inflaming the public and saying, ‘Go get yours because rich people don’t deserve it.'

"I see it as inflaming this Paris mob that I hope doesn't result in a lawlessness where they say, 'Well, gosh, those nice iPads through the window should be mine and why don't I throw a brick through the window to get them because rich people don't deserve to have them when I can't have them.'" --- October 7, 2011 remarks to Fox Business News

Eric Cantor, House Republican Leader
"If you read the newspapers today, I, for one, am increasingly concerned about the growing mobs occupying Wall Street and the other cities across the country. And believe it or not, some in this town, have actually condoned the pitting of Americans against Americans...." --- October 7, 2011 remarks at conservative Value Voters Summit

Michele Bachmann, Congresswoman from Minnesota
"Barack Obama’s policies have put us in one of the worst tailspins economically that we have. Maybe that’s why the protest I saw was within shouting distance of the White House." --- October 9, 2011 remarks to Fox News

Rick Santorum, former U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania
""These are the same old folks who have been protesting since the Vietnam war ... they really don't curry much favor in my book." --- October 7, 2011 remarks to CNBC

Paul Broun, Congressman from Georgia
"Well, if you look at what they’ve been telling in the media, they don’t know why they’re there, they’re just mad. And I see people angry in my district too, but this attack upon business, attack upon industry, attack upon freedom, and I think that’s what this is all about." --- October 7, 2011 remarks to ABC News

View the original article here

Repubs on Occupy Wall Street

Republican political leaders' reactions to the Occupy Wall Street movement range from condescension and the usual hypocrisy to paranoia, fear, and sheer looniness.

As the movement has flourished, a few have softened their public stances to include politically palatable empathy. But none changed their colorful, core reactions, which are listed below for the 2012 presidential candidates and assorted other Republican reactionaries.

For more about the Occupy Wall Street Movement, see:

Mitt Romney, former Massachusetts governor - See Liberal Guide to Mitt Romney in 2012
"I think it’s dangerous, this class warfare." --- October 4, 2011 remarks at Florida retirement community

Herman Cain, radio personality, businessman - See Liberal Guide to Herman Cain in 2012
"... I happen to believe that these demonstrations are planned and orchestrated to distract from the failed policies of the Obama administration. Don't blame Wall Street, don't blame the big banks, if you don't have a job and you're not rich, blame yourself! --- October 5, 2011 remarks to the press

Rick Perry, Texas governor - See Liberal Guide to Rick Perry in 2012
"Liberals are now pointing the finger of blame at successful employers under the guise of fairness, but when they utter phrases like 'fair share' you just know, heh, they’re once again playing fast and furious with the truth.

"And the truth is you can’t reve up the engine of economic growth by heaping higher taxes on job creators, you can’t spread success by punishing it... " --- October 7, 2011 remarks at conservative Value Voters Summit

Karl Rove, Bush administration senior advisor, Republican strategist
"What are these people for? To the degree that they're for anything, it's left-wing nuttiness." --- October 10, 2011 remarks to Fox News anchor Sean Hannity

Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the House
"I think the people who are protesting in Wall Street break into two groups: one is left-wing agitators who would be happy to show up next week on any other topic, and the other is sincere middle-class people who frankly are very close to the Tea Party people who care.

"And actually...you can tell which are which. The people who are decent, responsible citizens pick up after themselves. The people who are just out there as activists trash the place and walk off and are proud of having trashed it, so let’s draw that distinction." --- October 11, 2011 remarks at Republican debate

Rand Paul, U.S. Senator from Kentucky
"I see the president’s rhetoric of envy inflaming the public and saying, ‘Go get yours because rich people don’t deserve it.'

"I see it as inflaming this Paris mob that I hope doesn't result in a lawlessness where they say, 'Well, gosh, those nice iPads through the window should be mine and why don't I throw a brick through the window to get them because rich people don't deserve to have them when I can't have them.'" --- October 7, 2011 remarks to Fox Business News

Eric Cantor, House Republican Leader
"If you read the newspapers today, I, for one, am increasingly concerned about the growing mobs occupying Wall Street and the other cities across the country. And believe it or not, some in this town, have actually condoned the pitting of Americans against Americans...." --- October 7, 2011 remarks at conservative Value Voters Summit

Michele Bachmann, Congresswoman from Minnesota
"Barack Obama’s policies have put us in one of the worst tailspins economically that we have. Maybe that’s why the protest I saw was within shouting distance of the White House." --- October 9, 2011 remarks to Fox News

Rick Santorum, former U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania
""These are the same old folks who have been protesting since the Vietnam war ... they really don't curry much favor in my book." --- October 7, 2011 remarks to CNBC

Paul Broun, Congressman from Georgia
"Well, if you look at what they’ve been telling in the media, they don’t know why they’re there, they’re just mad. And I see people angry in my district too, but this attack upon business, attack upon industry, attack upon freedom, and I think that’s what this is all about." --- October 7, 2011 remarks to ABC News

View the original article here