Detroit Free Press: Downing Street memo (simple and easy)

[sabra]

<<SNIP>>
http://www.freep.com/news/nw/downing-box116e_20050616.htm

Downing Street memo

June 16, 2005

What is it: A document that details a meeting of British Prime Minister Tony Blair and several top aides July 23, 2002 -- eight months before the Iraq invasion March 19, 2003. Attendees included foreign and defense secretaries, the attorney general and the head of Britain's foreign intelligence service.


The contention:



Critics of the war and Bush administration critics say the document proves President George W. Bush lied about Iraq's possession of illegal weapons and intelligence to support the view that military action was needed to overthrow President Saddam Hussein.


Supporters of the Bush administration say the document cites personal opinions, not facts, and is being used by partisans to claim the president hyped the war.

What the memo says: The comments include notes from the head of British intelligence based on spring 2002 talks in Washington with Bush administration officials. The following are references to the most-cited passages of the memo.



EDITED BY ADMIN: COPYRIGHT

[IdaBriggs]

1. Snaps for the local paper! Nicely done! nt

[Moderator]

2. sabra

Per DU copyright rules
please post only four
paragraphs from the
copyrighted news source.


Thank you.


DU Moderator

[Supersedeas]

3. intelligence fixed around policy + case was thin

most US media outlets are leaving out the "case was thin" discussion of the memo AND the subsequent findings that there were NO WMDS!!!