Smoking Gun!

[quilp]

Why does it take an Australian journalist to tell us what our government is doing?

I hope I'm not breaking any rules. This came from Buzzflash. I would give a link if I knew how. The original carrier is NEWS.com.au

" television report by Pilger aired on British screens overnight said US Secretary of State Colin Powell and National Security Adviser Condoleeza Rice confirmed in early 2001 that Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein had been disarmed and was no threat.

But after the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington on September 11 that year, Pilger claimed Rice said the US "must move to take advantage of these new opportunities" to attack Iraq and claim control of its oil.

Pilger uncovered VIDEO FOOTAGE Cairo on February 24, 2001 saying, "He (Saddam Hussein) has not developed any significant capability with respect to weapons of mass destruction. He is unable to project conventional power against his neighbours."

Two months later, Rice reportedly said, "We are able to keep his arms from him. His military forces have not been rebuilt."

Powell boasted this was because America's policy of containment and its sanctions had effectively disarmed Saddam."

Where the hell is the American press????

[Sliverofhope]

1. That's what I'm wondering

And this was too low on the BuzzFlash screen. This should be the story of the day, everywhere. Are the blogs picking it up? Is anybody paying attention?

[buckfush2]

2. Is there actually such a tape?

is probly the question most of us have.

[Sliverofhope]

5. From what I understand

John Pilger is on the level. He has a reputation for honestly. The tape must exist. There ought to be a scramble to get it online, like the Bush 9-11 school tape.

[quilp]

12. You can rely on Fox to air it if it exists!

n/t

[GreenArrow]

13. Supposedly

The clips are part of a BBC documentary narrated by Pilger that was shown a day or two ago either in Australia or UK, at least according to a poster on this topic earlier in the day.

[quilp]

19. The rest of the world seems to know a lot more about the Bush

administration than Americans do.

[quilp]

7. Yes! I was surprised at the low level Buzzflash gave for the story.

n/t

[ikojo]

3. Can you say lapdog?

Many in the press are more concerned about access than about upsetting the apple cart. There are few truly investigative journalists out there. The companies that own the media are not going to want to upset the Republicans after all there are nice defense contracts to be had.

[CWebster]

4. Where the hell is the American press????

Reaping oil and defense investment returns?

[mandyky]

6. How did the Australian President/PM come to decide

to help in Iraq then?

I've all but given up on the US press/media news.

[quilp]

9. Howard seems to be who Pilfer is really after.

n/t

[TexasEditor]

8. The American Press...

is owned these days by large corporations. GE owns NBC. GE builds motors for atomic subs, etc etc. The press has been gradually bought out and pressured ever since Nixon resigned. Lately, however, CBS News seems to be testing the waters for more aggressive reporting and analysis, maybe it's a sign of things to come.

[quilp]

10. It doesn't take much "aggression"

to simply report what our own government is saying. Sorry! Lost my head!

[veganwitch]

11. i saw this on whatreallyhappened

i would love to see the video.

[sirshack]

14. Here's the transcript....

http://www.usembassy-israel.org.il/publish/peace/archives/2001/february/me0224b.html

[kanrok]

15. Says the Secretary of State with respect to Saddam:

"... he has not developed any significant capability with respect to weapons of mass destruction. He is unable to project conventional power against his neighbors. So in effect, our policies have strengthened the security of the neighbors of Iraq, and these are policies that we are going to keep in place, but we are always willing to review them to make sure that they are being carried out in a way that does not affect the Iraqi people but does affect the Iraqi regime's ambitions and the ability to acquire weapons of mass destruction, and we had a good conversation on this issue. "

Query: How do they explain this?

[quilp]

18. I don't want to be insulting, but

you can find it and our multi-billion dollar media can't? Surely even the shreds of the "liberal" press would see the significance of this transcript.

[pa28]

16. This will never make the news

Despite the decay of his popularity Bush continues live in a safe house from the media.
:kick:

[Champion Jack]

17. link

http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,7350504%5E2,00.html