Nearly three years after it was written, the downing street memo on prewar intelligence on iraq is spotlighted in the u. Jun 16, 2005 nearly three years after it was written, the downing street memo on prewar intelligence on iraq is spotlighted in the u. It dates from july 23, 2002, just as the bush administration was starting to make a case for invading iraq but before it had officially declared its intention to do so. The downing street memos and the revenge of the bloggerswhen michael smith of the london times wrote about a further leaked british cabinet document on decisionmaking about the iraq war in july 2003, he did not simply report the revelations in the document. Most commentators on the smith story have missed his open acknowledgment of the role of the blogging world in turning the downing street. Circling the wagonscontaining the downing street memo storys impact in america article pdf available in journal of communication inquiry 3. The principal memo is a recounting of a secret cabinet meeting on july 23, 2002, in which. Mar 19, 2012 as the link in the original online text indicates, thats a reference to the famous downing street memosthe notes on a 2002 british government meeting about the u. Us media citations of downing street memo fear of clowns. Bill keller remembers the downing street memos sort of.
Other articles where downing street memo is discussed. More than 11 years later, this key document, referred to as the downing street memo is of crucial significance. Pdf circling the wagonscontaining the downing street memo. Defence secretary, foreign secretary, attorneygeneral, sir richard wilson, john scarlett, francis richards, cds, c, jonathan powell, sally morgan, alastair campbell. The secret downing street memo and the politics of truth.
It described a visit to washington by sir richard dearlove, the head of mi6, and his conclusion that george w bush wanted to remove saddam through military action, justified by the conjunction of terrorism and wmd and that the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy. Memo the socalled downing street memo a secret british preiraq war memo that some critics believe proves bush administration officials fixed. A performance text reading forward from the recently released secret downing street memos, to the 2001 no child left. The secret downing street memo national security archive.
Downing street memo wikisource, the free online library. Abstract reading forward from the recently released secret downing street memos, to the 2001 no child left behind act, in this performance text i critique the bush administration and its. Basing in diego garcia and cyprus, plus 3 sf squadrons. The document now known as the downing street memo is a summary of a meeting between richard dearlove, the head of british intelligence, and senior bush administration officials. So the obvious first point is that it comes from the cummings wing of downing street which as i first reported on the day before the benn act vote has always. Save pdf abstract reading forward from the recently released secret downing street memos, to the 2001 no child left behind act, in this performance text i critique the bush administration and its reliance on science, or evidencebased models of inquiry sbr. Bush and prime minister tony blairs plans for war in iraq, was revealed by the united kingdoms the sunday times, may 1, 2005.
Conyers blasts deafening sound of silence ray mcgovern was a 27year career analyst with the cia. The secret downing street memo, july 23, 2002, also known as the smoking gun memo regarding u. Downing street is a street in central london that houses the official residences and offices of the prime minister of the united kingdom and the chancellor of the exchequer. The washington post in its lead editorial yestreday writes. But in context, media behavior makes perfect sense. Jun 12, 2005 the downing street memo, sometimes described as the smoking gun memo, is a document obtained from an undisclosed source that contains the minutes taken during a meeting among united kingdom government and defense and intelligence figures on 23 july 2002 discussing the buildup to the 2003 iraq war. Behind the downing street memos by justin raimondo posted on june 17, 2005 august 7, 2009. The memos add not a single fact to what was previously known.
The secret downing street memo, july 23, 2002 sourcewatch. The downing street memo clearly indicates, however, that facts and intelligence were being fixed around the policy. Jun 21, 2005 the first internal paper to earn the tag downing street memo was published in the sunday times of london last month. For over nine months before their march 2003 invasion of iraq, the u. Dan rather, a news anchor for cbs tv, was no doubt ushered. Request pdf the secret downing street memo and the politics of truth. Basing in san diego and cyprus, plus a land contribution of up to 40,000 perhaps with a discrete role in northern iraq entering from turkey, tying down 2 iraqi divisions. British journalist michael smith, downing street memo. The downing street memo, detailed a meeting held at downing street on 23 july 2002. Analyzed behavioral economics is a spray of the public, its a serial killer what she cannot be determined download pdf. Downing street memo this work is in the public domain in the united states because it is a work of the united states federal government see 17.
Everyone is talking about the downing street memos. The downing street memo, as the report has been called, was cited by panelists as an example of important news that has failed to receive adequate attention from u. Situated off whitehall, a few minutes walk from the houses of parliament, downing street was built in the 1680s by sir george downing for more than three hundred years, it has held the official residences of both the. Well the downing street memo isnt mentioned in the resolution the resolution is much broader, but the resolution was a direct consequence of the downing street memo and related documents being released, and the downing street memo and related documents were released in part to support the civil case in europe challenging the legality of the war. Responding to the reporter, he stated, somebody said, well, you know, we had made up our mind to go to use military force to deal with saddam. S drive for war with iraq, where british officials discuss the u. Jun 17, 2005 everyone is talking about the downing street memos, and they are important although not for the reasons generally assumed naturally, we covered these on when they were first published, but now that the mainstream media is finally paying attention it behooves us to go over them with a finetooth comb, in an attempt to tease some meaning out of the daily slaughter on the. Downing street memo wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
The secret downing street memo the original publication on may 1st, 2005 of the leaked memo. Defence secretary, foreign secretary, attorneygeneral, sir richard wilson, john scarlett, francis rich. The downing street memo seems like one of the stranger episodes in media historywith major media virtually ignoring dramatic new evidence in a major story, and then inventing peculiar excuses for why they hadnt covered it. United kingdom, iraq, historical documents the downing street memo occasionally dsm, sometimes described by critics of the iraq war as the smoking gun memo, contains an overview of a secret 23 july 2002 meeting among united kingdom labour government, defence and intelligence figures, discussing the buildup to the warincluding direct reference to classified united. Analysis and text of the downing street memo stony brook. Revolution received the following correspondence from san francisco.
Basing in diego garcia and cyprus, plus maritime and air assets. Downing street memo blog this blog is dedicated to exploring ways to publicize the contents of the downing street memo of june 23, 2002 which revealed that the bush and blair administrations fixed the facts to fit the policy to fool the american and british people into a war of aggression against iraq. The memos add not a single fact to what was previously known about the administrations prewar deliberations. Markup of house resolution on the downing street memo, and.
Conyers released an analysis by congressional research service that found the downing street memo received no coverage from evening news shows on major cable tv. May 1, 2005 the secret downing street memo secret and strictly personal uk eyes only david manning from. The secret downing street memo global policy forum. The downing street memo or the downing street minutes, sometimes described by critics of the iraq war as the smoking gun memo, is the note of a 23 july 2002 secret meeting citation needed of senior british government, defence and intelligence figures discussing the buildup to the war, which included direct reference to classified united states policy of the time. The first internal paper to earn the tag downing street memo was published in the sunday times of london last month. It shows that massive military action was contemplated 89 months prior to the march 2003 invasion. A leaked british government memo reveals that bush did not believe iraq was a serious threat, intelligence was fixed to sell the war to the american public, and bushs public assurances of war as a last resort were at odds with their privately stated intentions. This memo summarized a july 23, 2002, meeting of blair and top advisers. It shows that massive military action was contemplated 89. Lead time of 90 days 30 days preparation plus 60 days deployment to kuwait.
As the link in the original online text indicates, thats a reference to the famous downing street memosthe notes on a 2002 british government meeting about the u. The downing street minutes full text the last of the downing street memos, and the one that caused the most stir both in britain and more particularly the united states, was the minutes of the meeting of blairs war cabinet, held in 10 downing st on 23 july 2002. The downing street memo occasionally dsm, or the downing street minutes, sometimes described by critics of the iraq war as the smoking gun memo, 1 is the note of a secret 23 july 2002 meeting of senior united kingdom labour government, defence and intelligence figures discussing the buildup to the war, which included direct reference to classified united states policy of the time. Downing street memos and revenge of informed comment. Jul 29, 2005 the whole episode reveals that lenins thesis on imperialism, monopoly capitalism and the inevitable struggle among the banking and corporate monsters to redivide the globe, peacefully at times but primarily by force, is a law that will remain in force until imperialism, and capitalism upon which it rests, is destroyed. Downing street memo how is downing street memo abbreviated. The downing street memo occasionally dsm, or the downing street minutes, sometimes described by critics of the iraq war as the smoking gun memo, 1 is the note of a secret 23 july 2002, meeting of senior british labour government, defence and intelligence figures discussing the buildup to the war, which included direct reference to classified united states policy of the time. Downing street memo united kingdomunited states history.
Circling the wagonscontaining the downing street memo. The downing street memo and the iraq wars buried history by mark danner to breathe againand breathe deeplyfor the decades. Jul 06, 2005 the downing street memos june 19, 2005 hearings center on british memo on u. Bush caught redhanded the case of the downing street memos. Criticism of the mainstream media has come not only from the left.
Its possible its less a dud than a bomb with a long, slow fuse, dan froomkin wrote may 17, 2005, in the washington post. Lenins imperialism and the downing street memo by fred goldstein published jul 29, 2005 7. Jul 23, 2002 the downing street memo or the downing street minutes, sometimes described by critics of the iraq war as the smoking gun memo, is the note of a 23 july 2002 secret meeting citation needed of senior british government, defence and intelligence figures discussing the buildup to the war, which included direct reference to classified united states policy of the time. The downing street memos june 19, 2005 hearings center on british memo on u. Bush claimed, and still claims, that military force was the last option. Benjamin eveloff southern illinois university at edwardsville abstract first appearing in the united states national media during the summer of 2005 the downing street memo is a document that was leaked from a 2002 meeting with the british prime minister tony blair. The downing street memo or the downing street minutes, sometimes described by critics of the iraq war as the smoking gun memo, is the note of a 23 july 2002 secret meeting of senior british government, defence and intelligence figures discussing the buildup to the war, which included direct reference to classified united states policy of the time. The eightpage memo, written in advance of a july 23, 2002, downing street meeting on iraq, provides new insights into how senior british officials saw a. Use forces already in theatre 3 x 6,000, continuous air. Markup of house resolution on the downing street memo. A slow buildup of 250,000 us troops, a short 72 hour air campaign, then a move up to baghdad from the south.
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