On August 7, 2002, President George Bush received the Iraq war plan from General Tommy Franks.
Although general contingency plans exist for many places around the globe, it takes a long time to develop an operational war plan. Bush had his in hand seven months before invading Iraq. According to the National Security Archives, Bush sought an update on the status of Iraq war planning from Defense Secretary Rumsfeld in November 2001, suggesting that he had ordered the development of an operational plan prior to September 11, 2001.
Source:
Mother Jones Magazine, Lie by Lie, How Our Leaders Used Fear and Falsehood to Dupe us Into a Mideast Quagmire: A Timeline.
Top Secret Polo Step, National Security Archive.
Showing posts with label timeline. Show all posts
Showing posts with label timeline. Show all posts
August 7, 2007
August 2, 2007
August 2002: White House Iraq Group
August 2002: White House Iraq Group created to market war. Members include Karl Rove, Scooter Libby, Condoleezza Rice as well as spinmeisters Karen Huges and Mary Matalin. It was only on August 10, 2003 that the public became aware of the Iraq Group.
Source:
Mother Jones Magazine, Lie by Lie, How Our Leaders Used Fear and Falsehood to Dupe us Into a Mideast Quagmire: A Timeline.
Source:
Mother Jones Magazine, Lie by Lie, How Our Leaders Used Fear and Falsehood to Dupe us Into a Mideast Quagmire: A Timeline.
August 1, 2007
Justice Department Memo on Torture
August 1, 2002: A Justice Department memo asserts that Bush's wartime powers supersede international anti-torture laws and treaties, defines torture as only that which is "equivalent in intensity to teh pain accompanying serious physical injury, such as organ failur, impairment of bodily function, or even death."
The public only became aware of this memo on June 8, 2004.
Sources:
Mother Jones Magazine, Lie by Lie, How Our Leaders Used Fear and Falsehood to Dupe us Into a Mideast Quagmire: A Timeline.
The public only became aware of this memo on June 8, 2004.
Sources:
Mother Jones Magazine, Lie by Lie, How Our Leaders Used Fear and Falsehood to Dupe us Into a Mideast Quagmire: A Timeline.
May 1, 2007
Mission Accomplished?
.
Four years and counting....
A look at the Iraq war timeline gives a sense of perspective on this.... place it side-by-side with the Vietnam war time line and one gets a sobering perspective.
We won't be leaving Iraq any time soon:
First, the Democrats don't want to own this war. If they "succeed" in forcing a troop withdrawal in the next year or so, they risk being blamed for what happens thereafter... just in time for the November 2008 elections.
Second, the Democrats understand the concept of a power vacuum. They understand that Iran is poised to fill a vacuum in Iraq. You don't hear Democrats talking about removing the "enduring" bases from Iraq. When they secure the White House, US troops will remain in Iraq for a long time.
It's worth noting that former CIA analyst and briefer Ray McGovern thinks I'm wrong on this (who are you going to listen to, me or a CIA analyst with 26 years of experience?). On the April 23, 2007 Flashpoints radio program, McGovern said not to worry about "enduring" US military bases.
He cites 1.3 billion "ticked off" Muslims, porous boarders, and General Petraus's book on counter insurgency.
Finally, it must be said that there's the public mission, and the covert mission. Many speculate that the unstated mission in Iraq accepts, possibly fosters, the chaos. Why? "I'm a war President." Attorney General Gonzoles says a war president has additional executive powers. If peace broke out in Iraq in 2004, how would the US justify continued dominance of decisions in Iraq? (yea, it's a sovereign state). "Mission Accomplished" might better be measured by the pending petroleum law and other corporate-friendly laws instituted in Iraq.
~
Four years and counting....
A look at the Iraq war timeline gives a sense of perspective on this.... place it side-by-side with the Vietnam war time line and one gets a sobering perspective.
We won't be leaving Iraq any time soon:
First, the Democrats don't want to own this war. If they "succeed" in forcing a troop withdrawal in the next year or so, they risk being blamed for what happens thereafter... just in time for the November 2008 elections.
Second, the Democrats understand the concept of a power vacuum. They understand that Iran is poised to fill a vacuum in Iraq. You don't hear Democrats talking about removing the "enduring" bases from Iraq. When they secure the White House, US troops will remain in Iraq for a long time.
It's worth noting that former CIA analyst and briefer Ray McGovern thinks I'm wrong on this (who are you going to listen to, me or a CIA analyst with 26 years of experience?). On the April 23, 2007 Flashpoints radio program, McGovern said not to worry about "enduring" US military bases.
We may be able to have permanent military bases for a year or two, it's not going to be possible to keep them. It's just not possible in this day and age to invade an occupy a country the size of Iraq with 140,000, or if you put in 500,000 it still wouldn't work.
He cites 1.3 billion "ticked off" Muslims, porous boarders, and General Petraus's book on counter insurgency.
Finally, it must be said that there's the public mission, and the covert mission. Many speculate that the unstated mission in Iraq accepts, possibly fosters, the chaos. Why? "I'm a war President." Attorney General Gonzoles says a war president has additional executive powers. If peace broke out in Iraq in 2004, how would the US justify continued dominance of decisions in Iraq? (yea, it's a sovereign state). "Mission Accomplished" might better be measured by the pending petroleum law and other corporate-friendly laws instituted in Iraq.
~
January 7, 2007
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