I need Downing Street memo help. What proof of authenticity is there?

[seriousstan]

What EXACTLY is the traceable origins of this memo? How many of these sources will stand and proclaim they are the direct evidence of authenticity? I really need to know.

I have seen where this is from top Blair aide Matthew Rycroft. Is he acknowledging this?

I also have seen the downingstreetmemo.com site and it's evidence for authenticity. Nobody seems to be standing up.

As in the elections, do we have a willing witness?

To clarify what I am asking......

I have seen this.....But, the letter said, when the document was leaked Prime Minister Tony Blair's spokesman called it "nothing new." http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/05/11/britain.war.memo/

I also have gone here ..http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/index.php

I also have debunked this statement..."the leaked and subsequently publication by Downing Street..." because the full quote is "The leaking and subsequent publication by Downing Street of the early advice by Lord Goldsmith has reignited the row over the legality of the war." This quote refers to this document http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/28_04_05_attorney_general.pdf not the Downing Street memo as explained by this article .....Hoon saw early Iraq legal advice http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/vote_2005/frontpage/4506943.stm


I need this issue resolved soon as it has already arisen at work and I need a definitive answer that can't be summed up by saying "they haven't denied it".

Thanks

[firefox]

1. kick

As far as I know, you have answered your own question with "they haven't denied it."

[bejammin075]

2. For one, the memos were released a few days

before the election. It was big news over there. If Blair or anyone in the government felt like they were being framed, they would have said so. It was very damaging information. Imagine the situation here if documents like that were in major papers just before the election.

To put it all together, I would watch this incredible 1 hour BBC documentary "Iraq, Tony & the Truth" (3 different links below)

http://www.overcast.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/warofterror/iraqtonytruth.htm
http://www.indybay.org/news/2005/03/1728438.php
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article8579.htm

Furthermore, I think Blair acknowledges the memo here, in an interview shortly after the 5/1/05 publication of the DSM in the Sunday Times:
http://news.ft.com/cms/s/3ec1ddd2-bc76-11d9-b1e3-00000e2511c8.html
"Blair makes final effort to erase Iraq doubts"

I wanted to quote the part I remember from the article, but now it appears you need a subsription to read it. At the time it came out, I remember reading and re-reading it, and book marking it. In the article, Blair basically acknowledges that the DSM is out there, and portrays it that people have a difference of opinion as to the interpretation of what it means. All along Blair has insisted that he didn't lie, but people don't believe it.

[bejammin075]

3. More explanation of the evidence

The above documentary has many interviews with first hand people in US, UK and various other governments. Also, the documentary relies on the DSM and many other documents that have leaked to the press, all of them in the "it's very public, and they didn't deny it" catagory.

The whole picture is that Blair agreed to go to war with Bush about a year before the invastion. At the time, all the evidence on CURRENT WMD was not good. During the runup to war, they looked for more evidence, got stuff like Curve Ball, and then went to war anyway, based on the US pressure to keep a US timetable.

One guy in the documentary, can't remember his name, says Blair was probably the most familiar of any senior official of the evidence and how "thin" it was.

[seriousstan]

10. I just saw the video and all it said was "several high placed sources"

Did I miss something? Also, I have googled and cannot find the quote from Blair. Have you had any success finding your saved quote?

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

4. "they haven't denied it."

It's what you call a non-denial non-denial.

[Dr.Phool]

5. Didn't Blair also say

"Thats old news".

[seriousstan]

7. No, a spokesman said that and he was refering to the

whole minutes subject. The question still stands.....who leaked them and will they stand by it? Do we have a "go to guy"?

[berni_mccoy]

9. When the bad guys are caught with enough evidence out in the open.

An anonymous source will do. Just ask Deep Throat.

[FtWayneBlue]

6. Say "Minutes" not "memo" - please? n/t

[Karenina]

12. And here's why...

See, within the memo is a transcript of the MINUTES. This says it all:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x3759670#3763673

[seemslikeadream]

13. transcript of the MINUTES

[berni_mccoy]

8. Man, you have been shaken by the repubs

And their unbelievable and, at times, unsubstantiated attacks on the media.

Lord Goldsmith's document alone is the fingerprint evidence for the DSM. Why the hell would he need to draft such a memo if what the DSM said was not true? Sure there could be other explanations for Goldsmith's document, but the most likely explanation is the DSM.

And don't forget, that the DSM *IS* an official document that was leaked, and when asked about it, the British Government has said explicitly that they do not deny the authenticity.

The reason why Bush has not responded to Conyers letter is because he CAN NOT. If he does and denies it, he is breaking the law by lying to Congress. If he does and acknowledges it, he admits to breaking the law that took us to war. Either way Bush is screwed. When Congress heads to London to meet with Blair, Blair *must* oblige and he will spill the beans on Bush.

Don't be down or worried about this memo. Stay positive stan. You are being way to serious! :-)

[chalky]

11. Please sign the Conyers letter which contains the following questions:

1)Do you or anyone in your administration dispute the accuracy of the leaked document?
2) Were arrangements being made, including the recruitment of allies, before you sought Congressional authorization to go to war? Did you or anyone in your Administration obtain Britain's commitment to invade prior to this time?
3) Was there an effort to create an ultimatum about weapons inspectors in order to help with the justification for the war as the minutes indicate?
4) At what point in time did you and Prime Minister Blair first agree it was necessary to invade Iraq?
5) Was there a coordinated effort with the U.S. intelligence community and/or British officials to "fix" the intelligence and facts around the policy as the leaked document states?

Then (maybe) we can ALL get the answers you're looking for.

http://www.johnconyers.campaignoffice.com/index.asp?Type=SUPERFORMS&SEC={A04AC483-8779-41AA-8106-20065E7FD43F}