In July 2002, Bush Illegally Shifted $700 Million to Begin War on Iraq

[evermind]

Buzzflash, revisiting a Sun Herald story from 04/18/2004, forwarded by one of their readers.

June 10, 2005

In July 2002, Bush Illegally Shifted $700 Million to Begin War on Iraq

A BUZZFLASH NEWS ANALYSIS

Repeat after me... "no decision was made to go to war by July 2002...no decision was made by 2002..."

Woodward said he found that the administration quietly shifted money around to pay for early preparations for war in Iraq, without the approval of Congress. He said those preparations included building landing strips and addressing other military needs in Kuwait.

The money, about $700 million, was taken in July 2002 from a budget item that had been approved for the war in Afghanistan, Woodward wrote.

"Some people are going to look at that document called the Constitution, which says that no money will be drawn from the Treasury unless appropriated by Congress," Woodward says in his CBS interview.

- Woodward: Administration had 'fever' to take down Iraq Sun Herald, April 18, 2004

http://www.buzzflash.com/analysis/05/06/ana05019.html

Another one of those pieces that's worth re-examining in the light of the DSM situation?

[whistle]

1. That's grounds for impeachment right there....

[Bluebear]

26. So many things are, nothing seems to rile the people up!

Are they just not hearing these things or don't they care anymore?

[Bravo411]

31. Unfortunately Congress will never...

vote to bring about impeachment proceedings. The Republicans control it and will never let it happen. It doesn't matter how much these people lie, as long as they don't do it under oath. That's why whenever they have to testify regarding anything, it's always done behind closed doors and not officially on-the-record, such as was the case in the 9-11 hearings.

[LifeDuringWartime]

2. how did that one fly under the radar?

the first i've heard of this!

yet another article of impeachment right there

[ComerPerro]

4. It was never really reported

You know how the liberal media is...

[FloridaPat]

13. It was reported. It was ignored. I remember it well. Couldn't understand

why the Democrats didn't use this to start impeachment proceedings or even mention it during the election. In fact, Iraq was pretty much hands off for the election.

[ComerPerro]

14. Well, that's what I meant

I don't remember hearing much about it though from the MSM

[Karenina]

17. I remember it too.

Just another item in a L-O-N-G list of :freak:

[shadowknows69]

22. I remember it too.

Thought it was the straw to break the cowboys back.

[kentuck]

28. I remember it too.

More "proof" that he intended to invade long before 2003.

[FreedomAngel82]

32. Yep

And that the DSM is for real. Someone should send this to Conyers.

[Just Me]

29. Me, too. Another clear basis for impeachment.

It's still hard to swallow the incredible corruption and criminality of the BushCo/neoCON cabal.

[Bluebear]

33. I remember it well.

[GetTheRightVote]

3. Time for the punishment to fit the crime, impeach them all

"Some people are going to look at that document called the Constitution, which says that no money will be drawn from the Treasury unless appropriated by Congress".

Time for the lies to be punished, put them all in jail, it is treason to act the way this adminstration has these past years.

:kick:

[FloridaPat]

20. All should include most of congress too.

[ComerPerro]

5. I think the classic FReeper/Limbaugh/dittohead response to this is

"Well, it doesn't matter. The money was for the War on Terror. Anyone who doesn't see that the Iraq Liberation is part of the War on Terror is just an idiot!"

[evermind]

6. That's a good point. I can imagine it going that way in court too, but

in the light of recent events (DSM controversy), shifting that amount of money is more supporting evidence against the idea that Lush was undecided about going to war. That's still pretty relevant, I think.

[ComerPerro]

8. Well, its not actually a good point

And could be part of the reason we never caught bin Laden.

Bush took money from what was tagged for Afghanistan and used it to send over 1600 American servicemen to their deaths for no real reason and with no real plan.

[evermind]

10. I have only hazy notions about how US budget oversight works

(or perhaps in this case, fails) so I'll take your word it's not a good point!

[ComerPerro]

12. LOL, well, what I meant was

My original post was just an example of bullshit rethug talking points.

They may argue that its ok for that reason, and according to Congress and the Media they may get away with it.

But it doesn't change the fact that these people are the worst kind of hypocrites.

[proud patriot]

7. The legislative Branch only can appropriate money

bush broke the law

[SammyWinstonJack]

9. How many times does that make?

I've lost count.

[dogday]

11. Shall We Review

Downing Street Minutes asking to fix the intelligence to go to war...

Moving money for the express purpose of preparing for war without the consent of congress


Impeachment-Priceless....

[Disturbed]

15. Why are the majority of Dems complicit with this scam?

Why was nothing done about it?

[rodeodance]

16. I too, have read this story a few months ago---? during the campaign.

[LightningFlash]

18. Not surprised these freaks want to shut down hearings....

There's too many crimes to cover, we'll have to bring in international assistance from Galloway and company to hold good old fashioned hearings in the capital buildings, just like before....

[jazzjunkysue]

19. At the time, it was unpatriotice to question the Boy King. NIce that we've

forgotten those dark days, isn't it? I was so depressed, then. I feel like I'm getting my america back, now.

[DrDebug]

21. Very good find.

Just like those words at the Panorama documentary ( Iraq, Tony & the Truth ).

Blair trying to twist and turn at the press conference and then Bush "WE WANT REGIME CHANGE!"

http://www.overcast.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/warofterror/iraqtonytruth.htm
(If you haven't downloaded it, why didn't you? It's awesome)

[seabeyond]

23. we have known about this one too

they keep bringing back things we already know as new. we knew this. dems in the house made a deal of it for a while but another one of those things that were ignored by media and repug ignored and it got no where. i was going to ask about it the other day

so much was also transfered down to miami for the riot cops during a big rally>?

on edit: i thought it was 800m

[Straight Shooter]

24. "Fuck Saddam. We're taking him out." (March 2002)

As he marched the nation to war, Bush presented himself as a Christian man of peace who saw war only as a last resort. But in a remarkable though little noted disclosure, Time magazine reported that in March 2002 – a full year before the invasion – Bush outlined his real thinking to three U.S. senators, “Fuck Saddam,” Bush said. “We’re taking him out.”

Time actually didn’t report the quote exactly that way. Apparently not to offend readers who admire Bush’s moral clarity, Time printed the quote as “F--- Saddam. We’re taking him out.”

Bush offered his pithy judgment after sticking his head in the door of a White House meeting between National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice and three senators who had been discussing strategies for dealing with Iraq through the United Nations. The senators laughed uncomfortably at Bush’s remark, Time reported.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article2835.htm

My question: Who were those three senators? They must know that the Downing Street Minutes are genuine and grounds for impeachment.

[ThomWV]

25. How Did The Language Read?

How did the appropriation language read that originally put the money up? Was the Afghanastan pot it came from a result of a single purpose suplemental? You really need to know how it read to see if George may have had some latitude in moving the funds around. I hate to have to say that but you know how it goes.

[berni_mccoy]

27. Kick! the outrageous thing is

It seems like only the 75k people or so at DU and the democratic legislature are upset about this... WTF is going on with this country? I feel like I'm in an episode of the twilight zone where suddenly, one day, all the criminals in the country are running the country.

:kick: :wtf:

[schrodingers_cat]

30. I was just thinking about a workplace conversation

before the war started. The contract administrator at our company was talking about how one of his buddies at Bechtel was writing up a MAJOR contract for work in Iraq. It absolutely chilled me to see not only the envy in his eyes for his buddy's important 'work', but it cemented for me then and there, that although the war had not yet begun, and Bush was still in his saber rattling phase, that this thing was locked down, nailed shut and decided upon way before the vote in congress. That was when I knew that there was no turning back.

[ROH]

34. Has this been passed to Conyers? (n/t)