Senator Kennedy speaks to "Downing Street Minutes" bluntly.

[understandinglife]

"We never should have gone to war for ideological reasons driven by politics and based on manipulated intelligence. The Downing Street Minutes provide even more proof that this is exactly what happened on Iraq. The Administration’s dishonesty, lack of candor, and lack of planning have brought us to where we are today, with American soldiers dying, Iraqi civilians living in constant fear, and with no clearer picture of our strategy for victory in Iraq than when we started.”

More at link:

http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Kennedy_speaks_out_on_Downing_Street_Memo_Twisted_intelligence_Distorted_f_0607.html

Peace.




www.missionnotaccomplished.us - We have all the evidence of mendacity and illegal war-making we need to indict and prosecute Bush, Blair and every other neoconster scum-bag on the planet having any involvement in the Bush's illegal war on Iraq and all the torture and other atrocities that have been committed since August 2002.

[jojo54]

1. "IT'S LIES! ALL LIES I TELL YOU!"

I can just invision Kennedy and Kerry, one on each side of CCB, dragging him out of the W.H., CCB kicking and screaming all the way.

[Cleita]

9. It should be Gore and Kerry with Kennedy following. n/t

[jojo54]

15. Sounds good to me

I don't care who does the dragging, I just want to see it played over and over again on the MSM. :popcorn: Popcorn anyone?

[Shadowen]

24. And once they get him out past the gate onto the sidewalk...

Teddy sits on his chest and reads to him the names of all the soldiers killed in Iraq.

[mod mom]

28. I wouldn't care if it was Eminem (like the storming on MOSH) just get the

man in shackles!

[Ellipsis]

2. ...

[Coexist]

3. kicked

recommended

[earth mom]

4. You GO Ted! KICK some Ass!

:bounce:

"We know the Administration had been planning to invade Iraq for many months before the invasion actually began. We know the Administration twisted the intelligence to make the facts fit their plan. We know that the Administration never really intended to give the U.N. weapons inspectors a reasonable chance to succeed. The Downing Street Minutes demonstrate that the Administration knew their case for war was paper thin, and that in order to go into war with the support of our allies, we had to demonstrate some willingness to go along with the UN inspection process. But the Administration continued to misuse its intelligence, distort the facts and pay only lip-service to the UN’s role in disarming Iraq."

"We never should have gone to war for ideological reasons driven by politics and based on manipulated intelligence. The Downing Street Minutes provide even more proof that this is exactly what happened on Iraq. The Administration’s dishonesty, lack of candor, and lack of planning have brought us to where we are today, with American soldiers dying, Iraqi civilians living in constant fear, and with no clearer picture of our strategy for victory in Iraq than when we started.”

[donkeyotay]

17. Not letting Bush pretend he was mislead

"We know the Administration twisted the intelligence..."

"...continued to misuse its intelligence..."

"based on manipulated intelligence"

"The Administration’s dishonesty, lack of candor, and lack of planning have brought us to where we are today..."

Actually HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE for lying for war? Bush has been lying since he RAN for office. I hope it all catches up.

Viva Sen. Kennedy!

[Terran]

5. Well said, Ted.

Now get the ball rolling. Every single Democratic Senator needs to get on the floor and repeat this, and they need to convince the moderate Repubs to go along. This goes well beyong partisanship, and the Senate needs to realize that. Bush's actions are crimes that have harmed this nation and brutalized Iraq.

[JerseygirlCT]

8. Yup. If enough are willing to stand up

we put the GOP on the defensive. They're forced to defend this policy. The only way to do that is to be part of the cover-up and continue the lie.

[gordianot]

19. That is the only way this will work.

Over and over until the Senate grinds to a halt. OMG did I just use the F-word? (Filibuster)

[libhill]

10. Tar and feather the dirtbags

and run their asses outta D.C. on a rail.

[Warpy]

6. The problem is that it's the second time this has happened, and

it has originated within the Pentagon, both times. Specifically, it has originated within a smal cabal of men who consider themselves geopolitically omniscient and superior to all the intelligence offices in other areas but especially the CIA, and generally by men whose military might is burning a hole in their metaphorical pockets and they're just dying to test it all out somewhere.

Once is a horrible mistake. Twice is the beginning of a bad habit.

Any reform has got to center upon that five sided building. It's intelligence functions should be eliminated in peacetime, thus giving those plotters nowhere to turn in cooking up bogus information. The whole place has to be put on a strict diet, along with those congressmen whose districts contain military manufacturers. We've got enough superfluous battleships, aircraft carriers, and fighter jets to supply six enemies, yet they keep getting more, more, more.

When the founders warned against a large military, this is what they foresaw, an economy strangled by the wants of the warriors.

We need a strong defensive military and the infrastructure to support it. We're bristling with nuclear warheads, but we'll still be SOL in the next big war with our manufacturing infrastructure in the far east.

[FredStembottom]

25. Beauty.

That is the simplest, most practical, almost beautiful solution I have ever heard in a single sentence.

If it ain't war, then that building gets just enough money to heat it to 55 degress and keep the pipes from freezing ;-)

Here's the slogan:
Idle the Pentagon!

[Kolesar]

29. I am so-o-o-o-o with you on this one

The first time was Vietnam, was it not?

[understandinglife]

30. Dwight Eisenhower, 1961, offered some important guidance.

<snip>
Until the latest of our world conflicts, the United States had no armaments industry. American makers of plowshares could, with time and as required, make swords as well. But now we can no longer risk emergency improvisation of national defense; we have been compelled to create a permanent armaments industry of vast proportions. Added to this, three and a half million men and women are directly engaged in the defense establishment. We annually spend on military security more than the net income of all United States corporations.

This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence -- economic, political, even spiritual -- is felt in every city, every State house, every office of the Federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources and livelihood are all involved; so is the very structure of our society.

In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the militaryindustrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.

We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together.

More at link (well worth reading):
http://coursesa.matrix.msu.edu/~hst306/documents/indust.html

Peace.


www.missionnotaccomplished.us

[bpilgrim]

7. KICK THEIR A$$ SENATOR!

i got a spot up in the NH mountains to hide out if you need to... fuck it cheney got one, right :evilgrin:

this is AWESOME these MINUTES are the BEGINNING of the END of the neoCONs, bet!

peace

[JRob]

11. More, more, MORE!!! I want more! Good goin' Ted... nt

[DistressedAmerican]

12. Kennedy? But, Where Is Kerry?

John? Come On!

[ginnyinWI]

22. in my opinion,

Kennedy is only the opening act. :) Kerry will do it justice, I'm sure.

[DistressedAmerican]

23. I'm Ready! I Hope He Pounds Them Good!

[Im with Rosey]

31. I agree!

Teddy is getting the crowd warmed up, Kerry will be the main attraction. (fingers crossed)

[understandinglife]

13. A plug for kosack Apian and "AfterDowningStreet.org"

As many of you know, Apian is pushing for 10,000,000 signatures to Congressman Conyers letter to Bush:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/6/6/214643/6438

A suggestion you each may want to consider is to ask all Dems and those balanced Repubs to do two things: issue a press release to their respective constituency asking that each citizen sign Congressman Conyers letter, and, make a statement on the floor of the House or Senate that they have issued such a press release (so it becomes part of the Federal Record).

Thank you for considering these suggestions and for helping Apian any way you can.

Peace.


http://www.intelligencesquad.com/id118.html


www.missionnotaccomplished.us

edit: link repaired.

[understandinglife]

33. Another DSM effort.

Most of you are likely aware of this group, but just want to be sure to recognize those who are diligently supporting Congressman Conyers and who also have posted supportive links in the dKos thread started by Senator Kennedy:

http://www.downingstreetmemo.com/

Peace.


www.missionnotaccomplished.us

[alfredo]

14. I guess the Junior Senator deferred to the Senior Senator.

Let's see who else speaks out.

[fooj]

16. Truth is our most powerful weapon!

peace.:patriot:

[Stand and Fight]

18. This is what I like to hear.

I'd love to hear him say more on the issue -- I'm willing to bet he feels the same way many of us here do. These guys are crooks who should be impeached with all due haste.

[Pacifist Patriot]

20. He missed one thing.

"We never should have gone to war for ideological reasons driven by politics and based on manipulated intelligence."

should be

"We never should have gonet o war for ideological reasons driven by politics and personal greed based on manipulated intelligence."

But I'll take it. Go Teddy!!!

[cthrumatrix]

27. totally agree

[Larkspur]

21. I'm waiting for Biden and Edwards to smack Teddy for calling Bush's Admin

dishonest about Iraq. Both signed IWR.

[understandinglife]

26. Statement posted at www.tedkennedy.com and cross posted at dKos

http://tedkennedy.com/journal/98/senator-kennedy-on-the-downing-street-minutes

He has established a "Speak out" weblink:
http://www.tedkennedy.com/page/petition/downingstreet

And, this is the thread at dKos:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/6/7/101849/4431

Peace.


www.missionnotaccomplished.us - We support Apian's effort to have 10,000,000 of our fellow citizens sign Congressman Conyers letter to Bush

[Im with Rosey]

32. Its time to give Teddy a shout out

We must make sure we send Kennedy encouragement and thanks, I emailed a few days ago and received a very quick reply. I'm a Californian and I still got a reply.

[ChiciB1]

34. Let's See... Just How Quickly Will MSM

will hang him out to dry??? I love Kennedy and am thankful that he's speaking out, but "the corrupt ones" will FIND SOME WAY, to make a mockery of this!!

[cthrumatrix]

41. drip drip drip

[followthemoney]

35. The Dems were shamed into speaking up by Galloway...

and the reminder that outrage has its place. Deep Throat brought back memories of how good it feels to puke after eating all that Repug shit. Cough it up boys.

[understandinglife]

36. DU post on DSM and PNAC. Please send to your representatives...

.... and anyone else you can contact.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=3807017&mesg_id=3807017&page=




Peace.


www.missionnotaccomplished.us

[chaska]

37. Blah, blah, blah. Nowhere in that statement does the word 'LIAR' appear.

Grow a fuckin' spine Democrats!

[burrowowl]

38. Dishonesty is

pretty close.

[understandinglife]

39. NYTimes on the Bush/Blair denial.

Bush and Blair Deny 'Fixed' Iraq Reports



By ELISABETH BUMILLER
Published: June 8, 2005

WASHINGTON, June 7 - President Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair of Britain presented a united front on Tuesday against a recently disclosed British government memorandum that said in July 2002 that American intelligence was being "fixed" around the policy of removing Saddam Hussein in Iraq.

"There's nothing farther from the truth," Mr. Bush said .... "Look, both of us didn't want to use our military," Mr. Bush added. "Nobody wants to commit military into combat. It's the last option."

Mr. Blair, standing at Mr. Bush's side in a joint news conference in the East Room of the White House, said, "No, the facts were not being fixed in any shape or form at all."

The statements contradicted assertions in the memorandum, which was first disclosed by The Sunday Times of London on May 1 and which records the minutes of a meeting of Mr. Blair's senior policy advisers more than half a year before the war with Iraq began.

(more at link):
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/08/international/08prexy.html

Peace.


www.missionnotaccomplished.us

[understandinglife]

40. Boston Globe, 8 June 2005, publishes "excerpts" from the DSM

And, of course, they call it a "memo." Even worse, they decided to omit a rather crucial statement.

http://www.boston.com/news/world/europe/articles/2005/06/08/excerpts_of_the_downing_street_memo/


Peace.


www.missionnotaccomplished.us - We support Apian's goal of 10,000,000 signatures on Congressman Conyers letter by June 21, 2005; make it happen! http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/6/6/214643/6438

[burrowowl]

42. So far his replique is

better than Kerry's.