The Atlanta-Journal Constitution published an unascribed editorial (i.e., it represents the overall stance of the Editorial Division, I think) about the Downing Street Minutes. It's a haymaker. Also, it reminds us of an often-forgotten historical factoid: The invasion was timed to affect congressional elections.
http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opinion/0505/20edmemo.html
Please email the editorial division to thank them and please email the news division to ask them why they STILL are not covering these issues. Contact info and bits of the excellent editorial are below the fold.
British memo casts a harsh light
The frame of reference -- clearly coming from the Bush administration -- was elections.
...President Bush repeatedly and solemnly pledged to the American people that he hoped war against Iraq would never be necessary.
It was all a charade...
The memo reveals in frank, clear language what the highest-ranking British leaders were being told at the time by their counterparts in Washington.
..."Bush had made up his mind to take military action."
They then detail all that falls out from this. Lots of clear indictments about the BS of the mushroom clouds, centrifuges for nuclear processing, and the unmanned airplanes spreading diseases, etc. But then they finish up with something that hasn't been talked about in a while. They pound Bush and the Republicans on the politicizing of our national security. This was all rolled out in an effort to win more seats in Congress.
...when Democrats dared to suggest that the pro-war campaign had been timed to maximize Republican advantage in the upcoming midterm elections, Bush supporters erupted in righteous fury...Yet the British memo, written three months earlier, notes that "the most likely timing in U.S. minds for military action to begin was January, with the timeline beginning 30 days before the U.S. congressional elections."
The memo might have said that the timeline would begin in early fall, or in October. But it did not. The frame of reference -- clearly coming from the Bush administration -- was elections.
...the recent past is becoming more and more clear: The American people were deceived.
I think that the AJC editorial desk has done a great job at covering the Downing Street Minutes. Note also that Jay Bookman had a good editorial on this earlier:
http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opinion/bookman/2005/050905.html
Additionally, the following letter to the editor ran in today's paper:
Story contains misperceptions of media, American public
Your article on a British official's intelligence report, while welcome, is misleading on two counts ("Iraq memo fizzles in U.S.," News, May 19).
It asserts "the media have reacted slowly" and the public appears "indifferent or unwilling to rehash the bitter debate over the reasons for the war," as if these were independent developments. Do not the media claim credit for influencing public opinion?
Secondly, despite media inattention, millions of Americans are not indifferent. Military families are in even deeper agony over loved ones killed or gravely wounded because, as they are often quoted as saying, they do not understand why their country is in Iraq. Millions more, without military connections, share this heartache.
ANN MAUNEY, Atlanta
If you'd like to thank the editorial desk, they are at:
Combined: hpost@ajc.com, cynthia@ajc.com, insideajc@ajc.com, jdwallace@ajc.com, jmellott@ajc.com, bsenftleber@ajc.com
National Editor of the AJC, Barb Senftleber:
Publisher - John Mellott, 404-526-5892, jmellott@ajc.com
Editor - Julia Wallace, 404-526-7679, jdwallace@ajc.com
Angela Tuck, 404-526-5819, fax 404-526-5611, insideajc@ajc.com
Editorial Page Editor - Cynthia Tucker, 404-526-5432, cynthia@ajc.com
ajc.com Editorial Director - Hyde Post, 404-526-5341, hpost@ajc.com
If you'd like to encourage the news desk to properly report the NEWS, they are at:
Combined: insideajc@ajc.com, jdwallace@ajc.com, jmellott@ajc.com, bsenftleber@ajc.com, hklibanoff@ajc.com, cwarmbold@ajc.com, pgast@ajc.com
National Editor of the AJC, Barb Senftleber: bsenftleber@ajc.com
Publisher - John Mellott, 404-526-5892, jmellott@ajc.com
Editor - Julia Wallace, 404-526-7679, jdwallace@ajc.com
Managing Editor, News - Hank Klibanoff, 404-526-5416, hklibanoff@ajc.com
Angela Tuck, 404-526-5819, fax 404-526-5611, insideajc@ajc.com
News Editor, day - Carolyn Warmbold, cwarmbold@ajc.com
News Editor, evening - Phil Gast, pgast@ajc.com