Iraq, the secret US visit, and an angry military chief

[liveoaktx]

http://politics.guardian.co.uk/iraq/story/0,12956,1474258,00.html

The legality of the Iraq war exploded on to the agenda last week, causing chaos to Labour strategy. Here we reveal the key US officials who persuaded Britain that invasion was legal - and the astonishing reaction from our military chiefs
...
Goldsmith, who had been expressing doubts about the legality of any proposed war, was sent to Washington by the Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, to 'put some steel in his spine', as one official has said.

On 11 February, Goldsmith met Taft, a former US ambassador to Nato who was then chief legal adviser to the Secretary of State, Colin Powell. After a gruelling 90-minute meeting in Taft's conference room 6419, Goldsmith then met the US Attorney General, John Ashcroft, followed by a formidable triumvirate including Judge Al Gonzales, Bush's chief lawyer at the White House.

Goldsmith also met William 'Jim' Haynes, who is Defence Secretary's Donald Rumsfeld's chief legal adviser, and John Bellinger, legal adviser to Condoleezza Rice, then the National Security Adviser. This group of lawyers is as renowned for fearsome intellect as it is for hard-line conservative politics. Bellinger is alleged to have said: 'We had trouble with your Attorney; we got there eventually.' From copies of Goldsmith's legal advice to the Prime Minister published last week, it is clear that these meetings had a pivotal role in shaping Goldsmith's view that there was a 'reasonable case' for war.

[htuttle]

1. 'We had trouble with your Attorney; we got there eventually,'...

...Bellinger said as he wiped off a short length of rubber hose and slipped it into a gym bag.

[CHIMO]

2. Well Well

Now the voters will have their choice. Do they agree with the war and the actions that their government has taken. Hard choice.
Maybe a lot of voters will stay away?

[MeDeMax]

3. it was illegal, period !

[MontageOfFreedom]

4. More of the same coverups....

It just seems so predictable now and I can tell when they are going to make the next move and rush around to get it blacked out.

[MeDeMax]

5. if the US prez was questioned like the prime minister...

was for the last few days, it would have been a hands down victory for Kerry.

The level & form of accountability we saw here was a scratch, compared to the BBC's grilling of PM Blair.

We had powder face "O'Really" and powder face "Brit Whom" do fake interviews of the prez.

And all campaign events where orchestrated with "invited only" audiences.

At the end of the day, I can only fault the repubs so much. They wouldn't be getting away with it if the people didn't let them.

I still can't figure out why the repub voting public tolerated the things that happened during campaign '04, if the public refused to attend these orchestrated events wouldn't the 'pubs have given in to a more serious dialogue of accountability ?

[EC]

6. Would there be a way Bushy can get away with

not allowing any of these people to testify if the legality of the war comes to question here, since he has now given them all executive posts?

[autorank]

7. Why does the Taft family hate America?

First, Taft IV pulls this bull shit with the Iraq war justification then Taft,Gov. OH steals the election in that state. What a disgusting gene pool!

I cannot, for the life of me, figure out how Parliamentary rule works in GB but I do hope that Labour loses, to either my preference, the Liberal Democrats, or the Torries. They must lose!

[GoBlue]

8. Now, now...

except for the false evidence necessary to support their conclusions, the Iraq war is perfectly legal. Tony Scalia couldn't argue it better.

[xchrom]

9. love to hear the details of those meetings.

but as far as a formidible intellect goes -- if it was so formidible then why all the hard arm twisting and resorting to lies at the u.n. bush's lies on television?

formidible logic implies they have something legitimate to work with.
they didn't.

[Disturbed]

10. The Iraq invasion was illegal and so is the Occupation.

Since the U.S. Govt. does not abide by any Intl. Court the Bush Junta will never be held accountable. The UK may be another matter.

[donsu]

11. they finally told Goldsmith they would kill his family if he

didn't follow orders. or that he himself would want to commit suicide.