How could it have been a "secret" when it was reported on at the time? Are democrats admitting to being incompetent? All they had to do was make a Lexus Nexus search. At least they made it abundantly clear they are not competent to hold the highest office.
Bush rallies US for strike on Iraq
War on Iraq? Discuss it here
Iraq: Observer special
Peter Beaumont and Paul Beaver
Sunday July 21, 2002
The Observer
President George Bush has told US troops to be ready for ’pre-emptive military action’ against Iraq, as security sources warned that a massive assault against President Saddam Hussein could be likely at ’short notice’.
Whitehall sources confirmed that Tony Blair had decided Britain must back any US assault and had ordered defence planners to begin the preparations for a new war in the Gulf.
’President Bush has already made up his mind. This is going to happen. It is a given,’ said one Whitehall source. ’What we are waiting for is to be told the details of how and when and where.’
Although Britain has not decided on its level of commitment, defence sources say planners have been told to expect to send 20,000-30,000 British troops.
The sources added that British Challenger II main battle tanks and other key armoured fighting vehicles were being pushed through a crash servicing and refit programme. The Ministry of Defence has explained the crash repairs programme by saying it is for a military exercise planned for Scotland.
However, expectation of a large British involvement in a US-led war to topple Saddam Hussein has been raised by reports that Britain will issue an emergency call-up of reservists in September and by reports of other preparations, including a big increase in RAF training flights.
’The combat indicators are all there,’ said one source. ’This is going to happen. And perhaps sooner than we think.’
Whitehall sources claim, however, that the Prime Minister is hesitating in declaring his full endorsement of Bush’s plans until Washington puts in a formal request for British troops.
Unlike Bush, Blair is understood to be concerned that Britain can make a legal case for intervening in Iraq to remove Saddam, because of concern that his support for the war could split the Cabinet and lose the support of the Parliamentary Labour Party.
Blair ordered the preparation of a document that would lay out the justification for attacking Iraq three months ago. Sources say the document - expected to set out a ’legal framework’ for a war -has been completed.
The latest disclosures came as Bush used a visit to the troops that fought al-Qaeda forces in Afghanistan to renew his vow that the United States would strike pre-emptively against countries developing weapons of mass destruction, telling troops that ’America must act against these terrible threats before they’re fully formed’.
Surrounded by troops of the 10th Mountain Division, among the first sent to Uzbekistan and Afghanistan, one of the soldiers yelled: ’Let’s get Saddam!’
Bush’s address came amid reports of efforts by Iraqi diplomats to court Arab neighbours in countries that might be used for a US assault.
Iraq began to end a decade of diplomatic isolation in March at the Arab summit. Since then - according to the Washington Post - it has signed up to economic agreements with Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, and discussed prisoner exchanges with Iran, putting pressure on Washington to act swiftly.
War clouds gather
14.07.2002: PM and Bush plan Iraq war summit
14.07.2002: Focus: Hawks lay their plans
Comment
14.07.2002: Leader: What would we be fighting for?
14.07.2002: John Pilger: The great charade
Special reports
Iraq: Observer special
War on Terrorism
Observer Worldview
More from Guardian Unlimited
Special report: Iraq
Observer investigation: what is the evidence?
17.03.2002: Should we go to war against Saddam?
17.03.2002: Timeline: From friend to foe
17.03.2002: Key sources: who to believe?
The Iraq debate
23.06.2002: John Sweeney: How Saddam ’staged’ fake baby funerals
17.02.2002: Will Hutton: Support for America could be Blair’s nemesis
02.12.2001: David Rose: Why the doves are wrong - again
10.03.2002: Nick Cohen: Blair’s just a Bush baby
24.02.2002: Andrew Rawnsley: How to deal with the American goliath
03.03.2002: Mary Riddell: Let go of Dubya’s coat-tails
16.12.2001: David L Mack: Iraq after Saddam
03.03.2002: ’Bombing Saddam is ignorance’
17.02.2002: Terry Jones: OK, George, make with the friendly bombs
17.02.2002: Steven Everts: Why should Bush take Europe seriously?
The military build-up
17.03.2002: Army fear over Blair war plans
10.03.2002: Bush wants 25,000 UK Iraq force
07.04.2002: Blair to back US war on Iraq
24.02.2002: Blair and Bush to plot war on Iraq
02.12.2001: Secret US plan for Iraq war
Is this the same as the Boss mentioned earlier, that secret Downing Street Memo. You remember that memo right? It’s written by some British guy who got the information from another British guy who got the information from some un-named Administration officials who were guessing at what the President thought. Sounds like a smoking gun to me. LOL
How could it have been a "secret" when it was reported on at the time? Are democrats admitting to being incompetent? All they had to do was make a Lexus Nexus search. At least they made it abundantly clear they are not competent to hold the highest office.
Bush rallies US for strike on Iraq
War on Iraq? Discuss it here
Iraq: Observer special
Peter Beaumont and Paul Beaver
Sunday July 21, 2002
The Observer
President George Bush has told US troops to be ready for ’pre-emptive military action’ against Iraq, as security sources warned that a massive assault against President Saddam Hussein could be likely at ’short notice’.
Whitehall sources confirmed that Tony Blair had decided Britain must back any US assault and had ordered defence planners to begin the preparations for a new war in the Gulf.
’President Bush has already made up his mind. This is going to happen. It is a given,’ said one Whitehall source. ’What we are waiting for is to be told the details of how and when and where.’
Although Britain has not decided on its level of commitment, defence sources say planners have been told to expect to send 20,000-30,000 British troops.
The sources added that British Challenger II main battle tanks and other key armoured fighting vehicles were being pushed through a crash servicing and refit programme. The Ministry of Defence has explained the crash repairs programme by saying it is for a military exercise planned for Scotland.
However, expectation of a large British involvement in a US-led war to topple Saddam Hussein has been raised by reports that Britain will issue an emergency call-up of reservists in September and by reports of other preparations, including a big increase in RAF training flights.
’The combat indicators are all there,’ said one source. ’This is going to happen. And perhaps sooner than we think.’
Whitehall sources claim, however, that the Prime Minister is hesitating in declaring his full endorsement of Bush’s plans until Washington puts in a formal request for British troops.
Unlike Bush, Blair is understood to be concerned that Britain can make a legal case for intervening in Iraq to remove Saddam, because of concern that his support for the war could split the Cabinet and lose the support of the Parliamentary Labour Party.
Blair ordered the preparation of a document that would lay out the justification for attacking Iraq three months ago. Sources say the document - expected to set out a ’legal framework’ for a war -has been completed.
The latest disclosures came as Bush used a visit to the troops that fought al-Qaeda forces in Afghanistan to renew his vow that the United States would strike pre-emptively against countries developing weapons of mass destruction, telling troops that ’America must act against these terrible threats before they’re fully formed’.
Surrounded by troops of the 10th Mountain Division, among the first sent to Uzbekistan and Afghanistan, one of the soldiers yelled: ’Let’s get Saddam!’
Bush’s address came amid reports of efforts by Iraqi diplomats to court Arab neighbours in countries that might be used for a US assault.
Iraq began to end a decade of diplomatic isolation in March at the Arab summit. Since then - according to the Washington Post - it has signed up to economic agreements with Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, and discussed prisoner exchanges with Iran, putting pressure on Washington to act swiftly.
War clouds gather
14.07.2002: PM and Bush plan Iraq war summit
14.07.2002: Focus: Hawks lay their plans
Comment
14.07.2002: Leader: What would we be fighting for?
14.07.2002: John Pilger: The great charade
Special reports
Iraq: Observer special
War on Terrorism
Observer Worldview
More from Guardian Unlimited
Special report: Iraq
Observer investigation: what is the evidence?
17.03.2002: Should we go to war against Saddam?
17.03.2002: Timeline: From friend to foe
17.03.2002: Key sources: who to believe?
The Iraq debate
23.06.2002: John Sweeney: How Saddam ’staged’ fake baby funerals
17.02.2002: Will Hutton: Support for America could be Blair’s nemesis
02.12.2001: David Rose: Why the doves are wrong - again
10.03.2002: Nick Cohen: Blair’s just a Bush baby
24.02.2002: Andrew Rawnsley: How to deal with the American goliath
03.03.2002: Mary Riddell: Let go of Dubya’s coat-tails
16.12.2001: David L Mack: Iraq after Saddam
03.03.2002: ’Bombing Saddam is ignorance’
17.02.2002: Terry Jones: OK, George, make with the friendly bombs
17.02.2002: Steven Everts: Why should Bush take Europe seriously?
The military build-up
17.03.2002: Army fear over Blair war plans
10.03.2002: Bush wants 25,000 UK Iraq force
07.04.2002: Blair to back US war on Iraq
24.02.2002: Blair and Bush to plot war on Iraq
02.12.2001: Secret US plan for Iraq war
Is this the same as the Boss mentioned earlier, that secret Downing Street Memo. You remember that memo right? It’s written by some British guy who got the information from another British guy who got the information from some un-named Administration officials who were guessing at what the President thought. Sounds like a smoking gun to me. LOL