Blair's press advisers had the 45-minute claim added to the British dossier of prewar intel on Iraq

[sabra]

http://www1.pressdemocrat.com/article/20080219/WIRE/802190352/1033/NEWS01

Key claim about Iraq WMD threat discredited by British document

ASSOCIATED PRESS

LONDON -- An early version of a British dossier of prewar intelligence on Iraq did not include a key claim about weapons of mass destruction that became vital to Tony Blair's case for war, the newly published document showed Monday.

The 2002 document insisted Saddam Hussein's regime had acquired uranium and had equipment necessary for chemical weapons, but does not contain a claim that Iraq could launch weapons of mass destruction within 45 minutes -- an allegation crucial to Blair's push to back the 2003 U.S.-led invasion -- that later was discredited.

Campaigners allege that the 45-minute claim was inserted into later drafts of the document on the orders of Blair's press advisers, who were seeking to strengthen the case for invasion -- a claim the government has strongly denied.

...

On Monday, opposition Liberal Democrat lawmaker Edward Davey said he believed the Williams document is proof of the role government press officers had in drafting Iraq intelligence reports.

"A press official should never have been drafting a document that ended up being used as the justification for going to war," Davey said.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

1. shows that Blair had the power

[Octafish]

2. As the late Dr. David Kelley said, the case needed to be ''sexed up.''

I wonder if his death is considered a suicide by most Britons?

Steno Judy might not:

http://judithmilleranddrdavidkellyandwmd.blogspot.com/

[The Doctor.]

3. I was about to say un-fucking-believable....

But the outrage fatigue has me capable of believing this adminstration drinks the blood of unbaptized male babies instead of coffee in the morning.

[malaise]

4. Look at the timing of Alistair Campbell's departure

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/3028250.stm
<snip>
Arguably he has been the most famous press secretary the UK has ever seen.

Mr Campbell was appointed as Tony Blair's official spokesman in 1994.

From then up until the announcement that he was leaving his government post, the two men were regarded as so close that his words have often been interpreted as carrying the full authority of Mr Blair.

With his decision to quit the prime minister has lost a man totally devoted to his cause.