War Is A Crime .org

Press Release from Congresswoman Waters

Inglewood, CA – Supported by veterans, activists and concerned citizens, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (CA-35) addressed an overflowing audience as the featured speaker at the Downing Street Town Hall coordinated by the Out of Iraq Coalition—Los Angeles last Saturday, July 23rd. The four hour event, one of over 300 national events organized by Rep. John Conyers and AfterDowningStreet.org, was held at the Convenant Worship Center in Inglewood on the third anniversary of the Downing Street Memo. The phrase ‘Downing Street Memo’ refers to the minutes taken at a meeting between Prime Minister Tony Blair and his senior aides where the Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service said that he felt that war was inevitable, and that President Bush was ‘fixing’ the intelligence to fit his decision to go to war.

TruthOut.org
Downing Street Memo Teach-In
Part III | Tim Goodrich: 'The Air War Began
before Bush Went to Congress' -- 07.26.05
http://www.truthout.org/multimedia.htm

White House Effort To Discredit Critic Examined in Detail
By Walter Pincus and Jim VandeHei
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, July 27, 2005; A01

The special prosecutor in the CIA leak probe has interviewed a wider range of administration officials than was previously known, part of an effort to determine whether anyone broke laws during a White House effort two years ago to discredit allegations that President Bush used faulty intelligence to justify the Iraq war, according to several officials familiar with the case.

Prosecutors have questioned former CIA director George J. Tenet and deputy director John E. McLaughlin, former CIA spokesman Bill Harlow, State Department officials, and even a stranger who approached columnist Robert D. Novak on the street.

Metro Times
Detroit's Alternative Weekly

What’s that? You say you didn’t hear about the 300 or so people who packed an auditorium to overflowing at Wayne State University last week to participate in a town hall meeting marking the creation three years ago of what has come to be known as the Downing Street memo?

What’s that? You say you didn’t hear that the Detroit forum was one of five being held around the country by congressional Democrats wanting a definitive answer to the question: Did George Bush use a quarry-full of lies to pave this country’s path to war in Iraq?

Fauquier Times Democrat (Virginia)
By Huel Meadows, Warrenton

It would be easy to overlook ugly world events as something happening "over there," living as we do in beautiful Fauquier County. As responsible citizens we have been blessed with liberty, freedom and abundance that must not be taken for granted.

The world came closer to Fauquier County last week when the Democrat published "We can define a path toward truth," Linda Swanson's op-ed piece on the Downing Street Minutes.

This was a report of a secret meeting held on July 23, 2002, at Number 10 Downing Street, London, the Prime Minister's residence, at which President Bush's plans to invade Iraq and to "fix" the intelligence and facts around this policy were reported to high-level British officials.

Huffington Post
By Steve Cobble

The 3rd-year-anniversay town halls, house parties, and dramatic readings of the Downing Street Minutes on Saturday were a smashing success. From coast to coast, we had enthusiastic, overflow crowds, passionate and intelligent speakers, and committed Congresspeople. The sense that the Downing Street Minutes have struck a nerve was palpable. This story is far from over.

The public gets it. The people of this country know that a secret set of minutes from the highest levels of Bush's strongest ally in the war on Iraq is stating the truth.

By David Bacon

CHICAGO, IL (7/26/05) - On the second day of its convention in Chicago, the AFL-CIO took an historic step, calling for the rapid withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, and an end to the country's occupation. Public attention has focused largely on the split in US labor, and the decision by two of the federation's largest unions to leave. Yet the impact of this call will reverberate for years, with as profound effect on the future of US workers and their unions. Brooks Sunkett, vice-president of the Communications Workers of America (CWA), started a train of passionate speeches on the convention floor, saying that the government had lied to him when it sent him to war in Vietnam three decades ago. "We have to stop it from lying to a new generation now," he implored. Henry Nicholas, a hospital union leader in the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, told delegates that his son, who has served four tours of duty in Iraq, is now threatened with yet another.

Chicago: In a major change of course, the AFL-CIO Convention delegates voted this afternoon in favor of a resolution calling for a "rapid" return of all U.S. troops from Iraq.

Eighteen AFL-CIO state federations, central labor councils and unions had submitted resolutions to the convention calling for an immediate or rapid end to the occupation and return of the troops. The General Executive Council, meeting on the eve of the convention, submitted a resolution that borrowed heavily from elements of those eighteen but failed to clearly call for a prompt end to the occupation.

When it came time for the convention to act on the resolution Tuesday afternoon, Fred Mason, President of the Maryland/District of Columbia AFL-CIO, offered a "friendly" amendment that clarified and strengthened opposition to continued occupation of Iraq. The amendment was accepted by the leadership and the modified resolution was adopted by an overwhelming majority of delegates following a parade of delegates who spoke in favor of its adoption (none spoke in opposition).

Rep. McDermott's Speech on July 23, 2005

http://www.bradshow.com/#Archives

Jim Marcinkowski interview is in HOUR 3
Maxine Waters (from LA) and Tony Trupiano (from Detroit) are in HOUR 4

IRVING — Jim Hightower, former Texas Agriculture Commissioner and national radio commentator, will be speaking at the Veterans For Peace National Convention 2005 at the University of Dallas in Irving. This is 20th year for VFP’s annual convention as veterans from all over the nation gather to stand against war and move forward the cause of peace.

Dubbed “America’s most popular populist,

The Age (Australia)
By Sam Varghese
July 27, 2005 - 10:30AM

A US broadband provider and a security services company have been accused of blocking emails relating to an anti-Iraq war protest.

American online activist David Swanson says the provider, Comcast, and security services company Symantec, blocked emails drawing attention to the so-called Downing Street memo, which activists have seized on as further proof that the Iraq war was planned well in advance. The leaked memo was first published in Britain's The Times newspaper.

Swanson, the founder of the AfterDowningStreet.org website, claims emails sent to and from his subscribers were blocked for a week as he tried to co-ordinate events around the United States. He said the events would have had a far bigger turn-out had the block not been in place.

BRAD BLOG

Protesters Outside of D.C. Fundraiser Featuring 'Special Guest Karl Rove'
An EXCLUSIVE Eyewitness Report and Audio From the Protest Recorded Moments Ago...

http://www.bradblog.com/archives/00001633.htm

Good afternoon, and welcome to my e-town hall meeting on the War in Iraq.

For me, as a veteran of the Korean War, our continued occupation of Iraq is the most heartbreaking of issues. Placing our young men and women in harm's way is always difficult. But it is devastating to ask them to sacrifice their lives when every reason, every justification for war given by their leaders is proven false.

No issue is more important to me and to our nation. More than 1,750 American troops have been killed and 12,000 wounded, many maimed for life. Though seldom mentioned, tens of thousands of innocent Iraqi's have been bombed and strafed to their deaths. The land we swore to liberate is now the world's leading training ground for terrorists, and as proven recently in London, a provocation to attackers abroad. Iraq is the most devastating military catastrophe to our nation since the Vietnam War, and there is no end in sight.

BRAD BLOG
Congressional Dems Request 'Investigation' Investigation on '12-Hour Gap' and '67-Day Gap'!
(Includes Copy of Original CIA Letter)

Many are now speaking of the '12-Hour Gap' between the time White House Counsel Alberto Gonzalez was told by the Department of Justice about the official investigation into the unprecedented outting of covert CIA agent Valerie Plame and the time he "officially" notified the White House to preserve all documents relating to the investigation. (He told Chief of Staff, Andrew Card the night before.)

Yesterday it was revealed that, in fact, the White House likely had a full '3-and-a-Half Day Headsup' since MSNBC reported on the matter a full 84 hours before Gonzalez gave "official" notice to the White House.

Take a look at these!
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/sites/afterdowningstreet.org/images/me...

Look at this!

U.S. SENATOR BYRON L. DORGAN (D-ND) HOLDS FORUM ON NATIONAL SECURITY IMPLICATIONS OF DISCLOSING THE IDENTITY OF A COVERT INTELLIGENCE OFFICER - COMMITTEE HEARING

LINK HERE

Let us know how it works.
Get it here!

Santa Cruz Sentinel
By Ruth Hunter

The Downing Street Memo recently hit the media and is creating a rash of political activity here and in Blair country. One of the significant aspects of the document is its potential to further erode the popularity of Bush and Blair whose numbers have been falling. It could also be a portend of the future for the global superpower, the USA.

A whistleblower in Britain leaked the secret memo from Downing Street, written in July, 2002, which revealed the justification to invade Iraq. The memo has created ripples across the Atlantic to our shores. Michigan Representative Conyers gathered the signatures of 122 Democrat House members demanding an explanation from the White House. In addition, he asked the public to join with him by signing a petition. When he approached the White House with the letter, he also carried the petition with half-million signers. According to the Cox News Service, "The White House dismissed Conyers’ letter (and petitions) as a political shot by Democrats who have long opposed the war." The ‘political shot’ called by White House spokesman Scott McClellan is a secret meeting held by British Prime Minister Tony Blair and his senior aides. The event occurred eight months before the invasion of Iraq. There are references to the determination of President Bush to pre-empt the war against Iraq. One quote in the leaked memo stated that, "intelligence and facts were being fixed" to inflate the rational to wage war.

Photos from July 23, 2005, Rally in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania:
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/sites/afterdowningstreet.org/images/pa...

Plan Peaceful Protests:

Tuesday July 26, 2005
BUSH in Washington, DC: President Bush signs a Presidential Proclamation to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. [White House, 7/25/05]

NEW* LAURA BUSH in Florida: Laura Bush is in Florida for the shuttle launch, including a post-launch visit at Kennedy Space Center. [MSNBC.com, 7/26/05]

UPDATED* ROVE in Washington, DC: Karl Rove will be the star attraction at a fundraiser in Washington for Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele. The fundraiser takes place at the National Republican Senatorial Committee on the Hill at 6:00 pm [Washington Times, 7/11/05, MSNBC.com, 7/26/05]

Our Sacramento party was a huge success. We had close to 100 people show up for the first part of the event, which was an outdoor demonstration. Our demonstration lasted about an hour and a half, and then we had the actual house party. About 70 people joined us for that.

Attached below are some photos from our event.

Best regards,
Stephen Pearcy

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By Bob Fertik, Democrats.com

http://www.democrats.com/node/5455

Everyone please take a bow - because WE DID IT!

The Downing Street Minutes 3rd Anniversary events organized by Rep. John Conyers and AfterDowningStreet.org were an amazing, incredible success.

Reports from around the country are pouring in to AfterDowningStreet.org.

I had the privilege and thrill of hosting the New York City event featuring Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), former Rep. Liz Holtzman, and Randi Rhodes.

Photos from Phoenix, AZ, July 23rd:
http://photobucket.com/albums/y142/lonestarnot/

THE RALLY WAS PUT ON TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THE "DOWNING STREET MEMOS."
Independent Florida Alligator
By DIANA MAZZELLA
Alligator Contributing Writer

More than the local heat index rose this weekend as Gainesville residents gathered to call for a government review of documents challenging the U.S. government's impetus for invading Iraq.

About 80 people sweated, listened, fanned themselves, applauded, ate, performed and made speeches to commemorate the Downing Street Memo Third Anniversary Event at the Florida School of Massage on Saturday afternoon.

Organized by local political groups such as the county branches of Progressives, Democrats and the Green Party, Veterans for Peace and the Community Coalition Against War and Terror, the event called for government action on the Downing Street memos.

Tony Blair takes advice from his security experts when it fits with his foreign policy, and ignores it when it doesn't
Richard Norton-Taylor
Tuesday July 19, 2005
The Guardian

If ministers and MPs cannot bring themselves to acknowledge that the invasion of Iraq has increased the threat from terrorism, then let others do so. We can begin with senior officials responsible for protecting our national security and Britain's interests abroad.

On February 10 2003, a month before the onslaught on Iraq, Whitehall's joint intelligence committee told Tony Blair that "al-Qaida and associated groups continued to represent by far the greatest terrorist threat to western interests, and that threat would be heightened by military action against Iraq". It added that the collapse of the Iraqi regime would increase the risk of chemical and biological warfare agents or technology finding their way into the hands of terrorists.

Video Special: Mike Farrell | Dehumanizing America
http://www.truthout.org/multimedia.htm

This is part two of a five part series from the Los Angeles teach-in on the Downing Street Memo. Today Mike Farrell connects the dehumanizing of Americans to use of the death penalty and torture. Tomorrow Iraq Veterans Against the War Co-Founder Tim Goodrich will describe the increased Bombings of Iraq in 2002, before Bush went to the UN or Congress.

Listen here

Here is the audio of Congressman Conyers' and Ambassador Wilson's conference call to house parties on July 23, 2005:
http://www.johnconyers.com/