thi3rdeye

RIP: Comedian Richard Pryor dies at 65

2005-12-10T15:54:00.000-08:00

Richard Pryor, the groundbreaking comedian whose profanely personal insights into race relations and modern life made him one of Hollywood’s biggest black stars, died of a heart attack Saturday. He was 65.
Richard Pryor

Richard Pryor
Richard Pryor

It’s never too late to appreciate Bill Hicks
Bill Hicks

Bill Hicks
Bill Hicks

SacredCow-Bill Hicks
SacredCow-Bill Hicks

What Good is Government?

2005-09-08T22:25:00.000-07:00

Katrina and the End of Illusions by Justin Raimondo
My advice to our rulers: forget that other insurgency in the Middle East, and attend to the one germinating in your own backyard – before it overtakes you.

Hurricane Katrina
Online Donation.

FAILURE$ & MI$TAKE$
FEMA
WHITEHOUSE
Department of Homeland Security

BUSH IRAN NUKE TERROR DRILL AUG. 17TH

2005-08-14T18:53:00.000-07:00

Key General fired as nuke terror drill set for Aug 17
News is flying in regard to the nuclear terror drill set for this month. It is feared by informed researchers that an actual nuclear detonation may be piggybacked on the drill, as was the modus operandi in the 9/11 and 7/7 inside jobs.

Bush hints at military option for Iran
"The use of force is the last option for any president. You know we have used force in the recent past to secure our country," he said in a clear reference to Iraq.

Israel’s Nuclear Puzzle Resolved: But To What End?
The BBC’s striking revelations regarding the secretive and disconcerting British role in making an Israeli nuclear bomb possible, deserves more than a quick pause and a few dozen news reports.

What's the NWO Planning?

2005-08-08T23:42:00.000-07:00

In Washington it is hardly a secret that the same people in and around the administration who brought you Iraq are preparing to do the same for Iran.

The Pentagon, acting under instructions from Vice President Dick Cheney’s office, has tasked the United States Strategic Command (STRATCOM) with drawing up a contingency plan to be employed in response to another 9/11-type terrorist attack on the United States. The plan includes a large-scale air assault on Iran employing both conventional and tactical nuclear weapons. Within Iran there are more than 450 major strategic targets, including numerous suspected nuclear-weapons-program development sites. Many of the targets are hardened or are deep underground and could not be taken out by conventional weapons, hence the nuclear option. As in the case of Iraq, the response is not conditional on Iran actually being involved in the act of terrorism directed against the United States. Several senior Air Force officers involved in the planning are reportedly appalled at the implications of what they are doing—that Iran is being set up for an unprovoked nuclear attack—but no one is prepared to damage his career by posing any objections.

THE "SELLING OUT" OF AMERICA
“Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America”.
“Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America”.

WHY THE BORDER PATROL CAN’T DO ITS JOB
Finally, what happens when we allow the next 10 or 20 million uneducated, unskilled, antagonistic and un-American people into our country? Will we survive their rancor, their anger, their loud music, their drunken driving and their disrespect to our nation?

Congress Wastes Billions Overseas

2005-07-22T14:04:00.000-07:00

Congress Wastes Billions Overseas
by Rep. Ron Paul BEFORE THE US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES - July 20, 2005

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this foreign relations authorization bill. Something has gone terribly wrong with our foreign policy when we feel we must take almost 21 billion dollars out of the pockets of the American taxpayer and ship it overseas. Imagine what the Founders of this country would say if they were among us to see this blatant disregard for the Constitution and for the founding principles of this country. This bill proceeds from the view that with enough money we can buy friends and influence foreign governments. But as history shows us, we cannot. The trillions of dollars we have shipped overseas as aid, and to influence and manipulate political affairs in sovereign countries, has not made life better for American citizens. It has made them much poorer without much to show for it, however....

Ron Paul-Congress Wastes Billions Overseas
Ron Paul-Congress Wastes Billions Overseas

H.R.2601
Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 2006 and 2007 (Introduced in House)
Search H.R.2601

A SLICE FROM THE BILL:

TITLE I--AUTHORIZATIONS OF APPROPRIATIONS

SEC. 101. ADMINISTRATION OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.

The following amounts are authorized to be appropriated for the Department of State under `Administration of Foreign Affairs' to carry out the authorities, functions, duties, and responsibilities in the conduct of foreign affairs of the United States and for other purposes authorized by law:

(1) DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR PROGRAMS- For `Diplomatic and Consular Programs', $3,769,118,000 for fiscal year 2006, and $3,896,611,500 for fiscal year 2007.

(A) WORLDWIDE SECURITY UPGRADES- In addition to amounts authorized to be appropriated under paragraph (1), $689,523,000 for fiscal year 2006, and $710,208,690 for fiscal year 2007, are authorized to be appropriated for worldwide security upgrades.

(B) PUBLIC DIPLOMACY- Of the amounts authorized to be appropriated under paragraph (1), $333,863,000 for fiscal year 2006, and $343,699,000 for fiscal year 2007, are authorized to be appropriated for public diplomacy.

(C) BUREAU OF DEMOCRACY, HUMAN RIGHTS, AND LABOR- Of the amounts authorized to be appropriated under paragraph (1), $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2006, and $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2007, are authorized to be appropriated for salaries and expenses of the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor.

(D) ANTI-SEMITISM- Of the amounts authorized to be appropriated under paragraph (1), $225,000 for fiscal year 2006 and $225,000 for fiscal year 2007 are authorized to be appropriated for necessary expenses to fund secondments, hiring of staff, and support targeted projects of the Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) regarding anti-Semitism and intolerance and for the OSCE/ODIHR Law Enforcement Officers Hate Crimes Training Program.

(E) RELIGIOUS FREEDOM-

(i) IN GENERAL- Of the amounts authorized to be appropriated under paragraph (1), $205,000 for fiscal year 2006 and $205,000 for fiscal year 2007 are authorized to be appropriated for necessary expenses to fund activities of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe relating to freedom of religion and belief.

(ii) OSCE PROJECTS, ACTIVITIES, AND MISSIONS-

(I) PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES- Of the amounts authorized to be appropriated under subparagraph (A), $125,000 for fiscal year 2006 and $125,000 for fiscal year 2007 are authorized to be appropriated for necessary expenses to fund for secondments, hiring of staff, and support targeted projects of the Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) regarding religious freedom and for the OSCE/ODIHR Panel of Experts on Freedom of Religion or Belief.

(II) MISSIONS- Of the amounts authorized to be appropriated under subparagraph (A), $80,000 for fiscal year 2006 and $80,000 for fiscal year 2007 are authorized to be appropriated for OSCE Missions in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan for activities to address issues relating to religious freedom and belief and to fund the hiring of new staff who are dedicated to religious freedom and belief.

(F) CHARLES B. RANGEL INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS PROGRAM- Of the amounts authorized to be appropriated under paragraph (1), $1,500,000 for fiscal year 2006 and $1,500,000 for fiscal year 2007 are authorized to be appropriated for the Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Program at Howard University.

(2) CAPITAL INVESTMENT FUND- For `Capital Investment Fund', $131,000,000 for fiscal year 2006, and $131,000,000 for fiscal year 2007.

(3) EMBASSY SECURITY, CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE- For `Embassy Security, Construction and Maintenance', $1,526,000,000 for fiscal year 2006, and $1,550,000,000 for fiscal year 2007.

(4) EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL EXCHANGE PROGRAMS-

(A) IN GENERAL- For `Educational and Cultural Exchange Programs', $428,900,000 for the fiscal year 2006, and $438,500,000 for fiscal year 2007.

(B) SUMMER INSTITUTES FOR KOREAN STUDENT LEADERS- Of the amounts authorized to be appropriated under subparagraph (A), $750,000 for fiscal year 2006 and $750,000 for fiscal year 2007 are authorized to be appropriated for summer academic study programs in the United States (focusing on United States political systems, government institutions, society, and democratic culture) for college and university students from the Republic of Korea, to be known as the `United States Summer Institutes for Korean Student Leaders'.

(C) SUDANESE SCHOLARSHIPS- Of the amounts authorized to be available under subparagraph (A), $500,000 for fiscal year 2004 and $500,000 for fiscal year 2005 is authorized to be available for scholarships for students from southern Sudan for secondary or postsecondary education in the United States, to be known as `Sudanese Scholarships'.

(5) REPRESENTATION ALLOWANCES- For `Representation Allowances', $8,281,000 for fiscal year 2006, and $8,281,000 for fiscal year 2007.

(6) PROTECTION OF FOREIGN MISSIONS AND OFFICIALS- For `Protection of Foreign Missions and Officials', $9,390,000 for fiscal year 2006 and $9,390,000 for fiscal year 2007.

(7) EMERGENCIES IN THE DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR SERVICE- For `Emergencies in the Diplomatic and Consular Service', $12,143,000 for fiscal year 2006, and $12,143,000 for fiscal year 2007.

(8) REPATRIATION LOANS- For `Repatriation Loans', $1,319,000 for fiscal year 2006, and $1,319,000 for fiscal year 2007.

(9) PAYMENT TO THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE IN TAIWAN- For `Payment to the American Institute in Taiwan', $19,751,000 for fiscal year 2006, and $20,146,020 for fiscal year 2007.

(10) OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL- For `Office of the Inspector General', $29,983,000 for fiscal year 2006, and $29,983,000 for fiscal year 2007.

NWO: MURDER in LONDON

2005-07-08T18:23:00.000-07:00

London Terror Mystery
What did Bibi know –
and when did he know it?

What's Behind the London Attacks?
The bombing of the London Underground was a false-flag operation designed to keep the West mired in war. Don't believe otherwise.

London has bombed itself before
London

Rise of The G8 New World Order
The attacks conform to a pattern of civilian-directed psychological operations, of which the Bali and Madrid bombings were a precedent. A claim of responsibility from a previously unknown Al-Qaida group provided an immediate scapegoat. Telephone networks in London may have been disabled to increase the psychological effect.

Can the UN Really be Reformed? by Ron Paul
Mark my words, in five years nobody will be talking about UN reform and our dues payments will be higher than ever?

Wash Post desperately trying to ignore liberty-minded bloggers
In UnderReported.com's "media trying to [fill in the blank] blogs" series, we've seen the traditional media first ignore, then attempt to scare blogs. Now today the Washington Post is embracing blogs -- but only those that identify themselves as liberal or conservative. The Post not only is ignoring liberty-minded blogs in today's article (that ran on the front page of the Style section), it mischaracterizes the blogosphere as implying they don't even exist.

The G8 Summit: A Fraud and a Circus
The front page of the London Observer on 12 June announced, "55 billion Africa debt deal 'a victory for millions'." The "victory for millions" is a quotation of Bob Geldof, who said, "Tomorrow 280 million Africans will wake up for the first time in their lives without owing you or me a penny...". The nonsense of this would be breathtaking if the reader's breath had not already been extracted by the unrelenting sophistry of Geldof, Bono, Blair, the Observer et al.

Unknown group says Qaeda carried out London attacks
The "Secret Group of al Qaeda's Jihad in Europe" said in a Web site posting that it was behind the explosions.

London: Terror, False Flag, or Precursor Event?
We're watching the "pile on" press spread terror fears which really plays into the hands of whoever was behind today's attacks.

Explosions In London - Who Stands To Gain? Israel Warned, Cover-up In Progress
"The Israeli Embassy in London was notified in advance, resulting in Finance Minister Binyamin Netanyahu remaining in his hotel room rather than make his way to the hotel adjacent to the site of the first explosion, a Liverpool Street train station, where he was to address and economic summit."

Bush Insider Claim WTC Collapse Bogus Gets 'Huge Response' And Read By Millions Worldwide
Two weeks ago, the former chief economist in the Labor Department during President Bush’s first term told the world he thought the WTC fell from a controlled demolition, indicating 9/11 was "an inside government job."

A former Bush team member during his first administration is now voicing serious doubts about the collapse of the World Trade Center on 9-11
"It is hard to exaggerate the importance of a scientific debate over the cause of the collapse of the twin towers and building 7. If the official wisdom on the collapses is wrong, as I believe it is, then policy based on such erroneous engineering analysis is not likely to be correct either. The government's collapse theory is highly vulnerable on its own terms. Only professional demolition appears to account for the full range of facts associated with the collapse of the three buildings."

Eye Witness Hears Explosions at WTC; Scientific Group SPINE Provides Sophisticated Analysis
Most people admit, 9/11 is the 'mother of all stories.' Now from all corners of the globe, conservatives and liberals are mounting a growing campaign to alert the public that the WTC was leveled by a controlled demolition not burning jet fuel like the government contends?

Morgan Reynolds: Why Did the Trade Center Skyscrapers Collapse?
If we put the murder of 2,749 innocent victims momentarily aside, the only unusual technical feature of the collapses of the twin towers was that the explosions began at the top, immediately followed by explosions from below. WTC-7, by contrast, was entirely conventional, imploding from bottom up.

Need a washing machine? Buy it from an American company....buy a Maytag! Better hurry, though, because it looks like Maytag is about to be bought out by China's Haier Group
Buy American! (While You Still Can)

Chinese snap up brand-name U.S. firms
By 2025, Chinese investors could own two-dozen of the Fortune 500 companies

237 Documented Administration Lies to Public, Congress, About Iraq 'Threat,' bin Laden Ties
237 Administration Lies.

Our currency and our economy are held hostage by Asia
The hardest blow on Americans will fall when China does revalue its currency. When China’s currency ceases to be undervalued, American shoppers in Wal-Mart, where 70 percent of the goods on the shelves are made in China, will think they are in Neiman Marcus. Price increases will cause a dramatic reduction in American real incomes. If this coincides with rising interest rates and a setback in the housing market, American consumers will experience the hardest times since the Great Depression.

Three reasons Washington’s empire-builders don’t have to worry about ’60s-style dissent—not including the volunteer Army
How They Get Away With It.

The Futility of Throwing Money
Why does poverty exist even in the richest nations?

FBI PROTECTS OSAMA BIN LADEN’S “RIGHT TO PRIVACY” IN DOCUMENT RELEASE
Judicial Watch Investigation Uncovers FBI Documents Concerning Bin Laden Family and Post-9/11 Flights.

Summertime Reading by Ralph Nader
Ah, summertime reading. Set aside the e-mails, close down the computer and pick up some good books. Here are some worthy suggestions ala non-fiction.

Database of 11 million job applicants' honesty/psych tests
Even before the candidates had stepped through the door for the group interview, their fate had been largely determined by a computer. They had taken a 50-minute online test that asked them to rate to what degree they agreed or disagreed with statements such as, "It's maddening when the court lets guilty criminals go free," "You don't worry about making a good impression" and "You could describe yourself as 'tidy'."

Declaration of Independence

2005-07-04T10:09:00.000-07:00

Bush administration annexes internet
In a worrying U-turn, the US Department of Commerce (DoC) has made it clear it intends to retain control of the internet's root servers indefinitely. It was due to relinquish that control in September 2006, when its contract with overseeing body ICANN ended.

Source Confirms Karl Rove as Plame Leaker
"I revealed in yesterday's taping of the McLaughlin Group that Time magazine's e-mails will reveal that Karl Rove was Matt Cooper's source. I have known this for months but didn't want to say it at a time that would risk me getting dragged into the grand jury.

China-Russia statement on new world order
Setting forth their common stand on major international issues, such as UN reforms, globalization, North-South cooperation, and world economy and trade.

For the gifts, or for the people? Live 8 Philly performers get freebies
The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that celebrities at the event will be given designer suits, satellite radio subscriptions, Gibson guitars, $125 ties, $330 sweat suits and watches worth between $1,500 and $6,000. Total worth: $12,000.

LIVE8LIVE
live8live.

US Border Agents Under Siege at the Mexican Border
Two U.S. Border Patrol agents were shot with high-powered firearms just north of the Mexican border Thursday afternoon-The Tucson Sector recorded 195 assaults including rock throwing, vehicle attacks and shootings against agents since Oct. 1, the start of the federal fiscal year.

US Codex delegation poised to betray the will of the American people
Codex is a joint venture between the United Nation's World Health Organization and Food and Agriculture Organization. (WHO/FAO) The World Trade Organization (WTO) has already stated that it will enforce Codex "guidelines" as the world standard for trade in dietary supplements. This will mean that gradually, pill-by-pill, our access to the dietary supplements we depend on will disappear.
Codex News.

Russia and the United States have agreed to make two to four flights per year over each other’s military objects and regions of military training
Open Skies is one of the most wide-ranging international efforts to date to promote openness and transparency of military forces and activities.

Military Fatalities: By Time Period
icasualties.org.

According to a March 2003 publication of Fields of View -- put out by FLIR Systems, which sells the surveillance equipment -- FLIR can be used in fixed wing planes just like the ones flying over Lodi. Using it, a plane flies in left-hand circles over the area under surveillance, using thermal imaging to track people
Mystery planes continue to circle over Lodi.
FBI spy planes patrol U.S.

Eminent Domain
Eminent Domain

Eminent Domain Ruling Emboldens City Governments
The center's owners say it reminds them of the communism they left behind.

RATner: An honest discussion will put the public price tag at $1 billion or more, not $100 million (a token down payment referenced by the Manhattan news media)
brooklynpapers.com.

lie lie lie lie lie lie lie lie lie after lie

2005-06-18T10:19:00.000-07:00

This volume of documents is meant to provide you, the reader, with evidence necessary to make up your own mind
Amidst a bitterly contested vote count that resulted in unprecedented action by the Congress of the United States, here are some news accounts that followed this election, which was among the most bitterly contested in all US history.

I can't stop thinking about what a Major said to me the other day. "The whole country of Iraq, every man, woman, and child... Kill every one of them and it still won't be worth one American's life."
A Soldier's Thoughts

Former Bush Cabinet Member Appears On Alex Jones Show; Says Government Complicit In 9/11
Government Complicit In 9/11.

"If demolition destroyed three steel skyscrapers at the World Trade Center on 9/11, then the case for an 'inside job' and a government attack on America would be compelling."
A former Bush team member during his first administration is now voicing serious doubts about the collapse of the World Trade Center on 9-11.

INTERNATIONALIZING U.S. ROADS-Trans-Texas Corridor (TTC) project
Imagine this: your state government puts a transportation corridor in your neighborhood. It’s nearly a quarter-mile wide. It will serve vehicles and trains and incorporate oil, gas, electric and water lines. Try to fight it and you’ll not only face the combined might of your local, state, and federal governments, but foreign interests as well. The internationalization of U.S. roads has begun.
Interstate 69, for example, is a planned 1600 mile national highway connecting Mexico, the U.S., and Canada. Eight states are involved in the project: Once completed, I-69 will extend from Port Huron, Michigan to the Texas/Mexico border.
Trans-Texas Corridor (TTC) project

Is 'Downing Street Memo' a smoking gun?
Bush critics say it shows he lied to Americans about Iraq, but others say memo offers nothing new.

AfterDowningStreet.org is a coalition of veterans' groups, peace groups, and political activist groups, which launched on May 26, 2005, a campaign to urge the U.S. Congress to begin a formal investigation into whether President Bush has committed impeachable offenses in connection with the Iraq war
"Bush wanted to remove Saddam, through military action, justified by the conjunction of terrorism and WMD. But the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy."

The Downing Street "Memo" is actually a document containing meeting minutes transcribed during the British Prime Minister's meeting on July 23, 2002—eight months PRIOR to the invasion of Iraq in March 2003
No one in the Bush or Blair administrations has denied the authenticity of any of these documents.

WHR: THE LIE OF THE CENTURY
There is nothing new in a government lying to their people to start a war. Indeed because most people prefer living in peace to bloody and horrific death in war, any government that desires to initiate a war usually lies to their people to create the illusion that support for the war is the only possible choice they can make.

The Liberty Dollar Bill by Ralph Nader
Go to the website www.libertydollarbill.org for action advice, updates on sponsors and sense the fervor of the students.

Administration's Offenses Impeachable

2005-06-06T20:59:00.000-07:00

Our president and all of his administration are war criminals
We live a lie when we fail to hold leaders accountable for their lies. By not calling now for impeachment, we are saying that we condone hypocrisy, pseudo-democracy, and murdering thousands of Americans and Iraqis for strategic control of energy resources that we have no right to. Patriotism demands that we insist on the ideals of democracy, not that we support the "leaders" who cynically destroy them.

memorial

2005-06-01T12:39:00.000-07:00

IS ISRAEL PREPARING TO USE US TROOPS AS HUMAN SHIELDS?
WHR

Why Did Feith Resign?
Could it have had something to do with the Larry Franklin spy scandal?

Get Out of Putin’s Face
Let us pray that Mr. Bush will not let his neoconservatives—whose expertise lies in starting wars on countries that have not attacked us and making enemies of countries that wish to befriend us—kick it away?

Justice Dept. to indict two AIPAC staffers under U.S. Espionage Act
The U.S. Justice Department is expected to file indictments against two former senior American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) staffers - Steve Rosen and Keith Weissman - and, according to sources familiar with the affair, the charges will be subsumed under the Espionage Act.

U.S. Military Personnel who died in German hospitals or en route to German hospitals have not previously been counted. They total about 6,210 as of 1 January, 2005. The ongoing, underreporting of the dead in Iraq, is not accurate. The DoD is deliberately reducing the figures...
A review of many foreign news sites show that actual deaths are far higher than the newly reduced ones. Iraqi civilian casualties are never reported but International Red Cross, Red Crescent and UN figures indicate that as of 1 January 2005, the numbers are just under 100,000

Justice Dept. to indict two AIPAC staffers under U.S. Espionage Act
The U.S. Justice Department is expected to file indictments against two former senior American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) staffers - Steve Rosen and Keith Weissman - and, according to sources familiar with the affair, the charges will be subsumed under the Espionage Act.

Israel, American Jews & Iraq War
What if the U.S. military were enforcing UN Security Council resolutions that say Israel should withdraw from the occupied territorities?

Things to Remember on Memorial Day
Things to Remember on Memorial Day.

What if JFK Weren't Assassinated? Where Would We be Today?
Let us first follow the money trail, and show how it connects directly to JFK, and what JFK did to try to help the American people regarding the national debt and banking.

McCain Still Can’t Come Clean on Iraq
What’s amazing is, years later, the people still aren’t being told a the straight story.

Our Presidents New Best Friend Boils People Alive

2005-05-15T19:21:00.000-07:00

President Karimov government was awarded $500m in aid from the Bush administration in 2002. The SNB (Uzbekistan's security service) received $79m of this sum
The U.S. State Department web site states "Uzbekistan is not a democracy and does not have a free press - Now I would like to introduce you to Muzafar Avazov, a 35-year old father of four. Mr Avazov had a visit from our presidents friends security force (SNB), the photographs below detail the brutality and inhuman treatment our tax dollars subsidize, with the full knowledge of our president and his administration.

Assassinating the Intelligensia
The conversation wandered like a Bedouin, touching on questions of health and elder care and personal freedom vs. social order. But by the third microbrew all had agreed on one thing: a civil society cannot exist unless critical thought is promoted, from kindergarten through the university level.

For months on end, these seven independent photographers and filmmakers have worked exclusively in Iraq documenting US troops and Iraqi civilians, resistance fighters and child laborers, imprisoned women and incarcerated youths
Iraq Uncensored.

Last Chance to Stop National ID

2005-05-11T20:26:00.000-07:00

Last Chance to Stop National ID by Rep. Ron Paul
National ID Cards Won't Stop Terrorism or Illegal Immigration.
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a spending bill last week that contains provisions establishing a national ID card, and the Senate is poised to approve the measure in the next few days.

Today is the day of the vote. Call your Senators. The bill you're calling about is H.R. 418 RFS. Tell them they need to remove the Real ID Act from this bill.
Take Action Against the Real ID Act.

Secret Memo proves leadership knew Saddam was not a threat by Molly Ivins
They lied to us.
Bush Lied and the UK proves it.

THE SMOKING GUN
READ IT HERE

May 01, 2005

The secret Downing Street memo

SECRET AND STRICTLY PERSONAL - UK EYES ONLY

DAVID MANNING
From: Matthew Rycroft
Date: 23 July 2002
S 195 /02

cc: Defence Secretary, Foreign Secretary, Attorney-General, Sir Richard Wilson, John Scarlett, Francis Richards, CDS, C, Jonathan Powell, Sally Morgan, Alastair Campbell

IRAQ: PRIME MINISTER'S MEETING, 23 JULY

Copy addressees and you met the Prime Minister on 23 July to discuss Iraq.

This record is extremely sensitive. No further copies should be made. It should be shown only to those with a genuine need to know its contents.

John Scarlett summarised the intelligence and latest JIC assessment. Saddam's regime was tough and based on extreme fear. The only way to overthrow it was likely to be by massive military action. Saddam was worried and expected an attack, probably by air and land, but he was not convinced that it would be immediate or overwhelming. His regime expected their neighbours to line up with the US. Saddam knew that regular army morale was poor. Real support for Saddam among the public was probably narrowly based.

C reported on his recent talks in Washington. There was a perceptible shift in attitude. Military action was now seen as inevitable. Bush wanted to remove Saddam, through military action, justified by the conjunction of terrorism and WMD. But the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy. The NSC had no patience with the UN route, and no enthusiasm for publishing material on the Iraqi regime's record. There was little discussion in Washington of the aftermath after military action.

CDS said that military planners would brief CENTCOM on 1-2 August, Rumsfeld on 3 August and Bush on 4 August.

The two broad US options were:

(a) Generated Start. A slow build-up of 250,000 US troops, a short (72 hour) air campaign, then a move up to Baghdad from the south. Lead time of 90 days (30 days preparation plus 60 days deployment to Kuwait).

(b) Running Start. Use forces already in theatre (3 x 6,000), continuous air campaign, initiated by an Iraqi casus belli. Total lead time of 60 days with the air campaign beginning even earlier. A hazardous option.

The US saw the UK (and Kuwait) as essential, with basing in Diego Garcia and Cyprus critical for either option. Turkey and other Gulf states were also important, but less vital. The three main options for UK involvement were:

(i) Basing in Diego Garcia and Cyprus, plus three SF squadrons.

(ii) As above, with maritime and air assets in addition.

(iii) As above, plus a land contribution of up to 40,000, perhaps with a discrete role in Northern Iraq entering from Turkey, tying down two Iraqi divisions.

The Defence Secretary said that the US had already begun "spikes of activity" to put pressure on the regime. No decisions had been taken, but he thought the most likely timing in US minds for military action to begin was January, with the timeline beginning 30 days before the US Congressional elections.

The Foreign Secretary said he would discuss this with Colin Powell this week. It seemed clear that Bush had made up his mind to take military action, even if the timing was not yet decided. But the case was thin. Saddam was not threatening his neighbours, and his WMD capability was less than that of Libya, North Korea or Iran. We should work up a plan for an ultimatum to Saddam to allow back in the UN weapons inspectors. This would also help with the legal justification for the use of force.

The Attorney-General said that the desire for regime change was not a legal base for military action. There were three possible legal bases: self-defence, humanitarian intervention, or UNSC authorisation. The first and second could not be the base in this case. Relying on UNSCR 1205 of three years ago would be difficult. The situation might of course change.

The Prime Minister said that it would make a big difference politically and legally if Saddam refused to allow in the UN inspectors. Regime change and WMD were linked in the sense that it was the regime that was producing the WMD. There were different strategies for dealing with Libya and Iran. If the political context were right, people would support regime change. The two key issues were whether the military plan worked and whether we had the political strategy to give the military plan the space to work.

On the first, CDS said that we did not know yet if the US battleplan was workable. The military were continuing to ask lots of questions.

For instance, what were the consequences, if Saddam used WMD on day one, or if Baghdad did not collapse and urban warfighting began? You said that Saddam could also use his WMD on Kuwait. Or on Israel, added the Defence Secretary.

The Foreign Secretary thought the US would not go ahead with a military plan unless convinced that it was a winning strategy. On this, US and UK interests converged. But on the political strategy, there could be US/UK differences. Despite US resistance, we should explore discreetly the ultimatum. Saddam would continue to play hard-ball with the UN.

John Scarlett assessed that Saddam would allow the inspectors back in only when he thought the threat of military action was real.

The Defence Secretary said that if the Prime Minister wanted UK military involvement, he would need to decide this early. He cautioned that many in the US did not think it worth going down the ultimatum route. It would be important for the Prime Minister to set out the political context to Bush.

Conclusions:

(a) We should work on the assumption that the UK would take part in any military action. But we needed a fuller picture of US planning before we could take any firm decisions. CDS should tell the US military that we were considering a range of options.

(b) The Prime Minister would revert on the question of whether funds could be spent in preparation for this operation.

(c) CDS would send the Prime Minister full details of the proposed military campaign and possible UK contributions by the end of the week.

(d) The Foreign Secretary would send the Prime Minister the background on the UN inspectors, and discreetly work up the ultimatum to Saddam.

He would also send the Prime Minister advice on the positions of countries in the region especially Turkey, and of the key EU member states.

(e) John Scarlett would send the Prime Minister a full intelligence update.

(f) We must not ignore the legal issues: the Attorney-General would consider legal advice with FCO/MOD legal advisers.

(I have written separately to commission this follow-up work.)

MATTHEW RYCROFT

(Rycroft was a Downing Street foreign policy aide)

IT'S GETTING DRAFTY
S.89
H.R.163