Labour MPs leaked Bush's proposal to bomb al-Jazeera

[G_j]

http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/6806

Democrats Sat on Al Jazeera Memo, Guardian Buried Lead

Labour MPs leaked Bush's proposal to bomb al-Jazeera
By David Leigh and Richard Norton-Taylor, The Guardian

Two Labour MPs have defied the Official Secrets Act by passing on the key contents of the British document revealing that President George Bush wanted to bomb the Arabic TV station, al-Jazeera.

The document, a transcript of a meeting with Tony Blair in April 2004, is already the subject of an unprecedented official secrets prosecution in Britain, against an aide to one of the MPs and another man.

<snip>
The document was obtained by Mr Clarke, who in turn consulted his parliamentary colleague, Peter Kilfoyle. The two politicians later decided to pass on part of the contents to a contact in the US.

<snip>
Mr Latham was appalled. "I thought that President Bush must be in the early stages of paranoia." But it was decided not to write to US newspapers at the time. It is understood Democrats feared Mr Bush's behaviour, if exposed, might win him votes, rather than lose them.

As a result, the facts remained secret for more than a year. Within days of the charges being brought against Mr Keogh and Mr O'Connor, however, information in the memo was published by the Daily Mirror. Lord Goldsmith, the attorney general, threatened other newspapers with the Official Secrets Act if they re-published.

..more..

[Vidar]

1. Applauding their heroism.

[Flabbergasted]

2. Anyone know who the contact is in the US?

Early Stages of Paranoia. That's Rich.

[G_j]

4. i was also struck by this:

"It is understood Democrats feared Mr Bush's behaviour, if exposed, might win him votes, rather than lose them."

scary

[KoKo]

5. Witholding information because of "political concerns"....who does that

sound like. Seems our Dem Campaign managers and candidates put "politics before truth" just like the Bushies and the NYT's.

If this is what's going on what's the difference in the two parties? :shrug: And, what else do we know.

[G_j]

6. actually

wrong "Democrats"
this about the Democrats in the UK. :-)

[Z_I_Peevey]

8. And very sad.

That such a thing could be.

[upi402]

3. whistleblowers will be the heroes when history is writ

:patriot:

[G_j]

7. Al-Jazeera asks to see Bush 'bombing' transcript

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2045628