2004 Iraq document leak
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Newspaper publishing |
| Founded | June 29, 1855 in London, United Kingdom |
| Headquarters | London , United Kingdom |
| Website | www |
On 18 September 2004, the British Daily Telegraph published two reports by Michael Smith that exposed six leaked British government documents marked either "secret" or "confidential," detailing events leading up to the Iraq conflict.
These documents attracted greater attention in the United States on 18 June 2005 when the Associated Press (AP) released complete copies, supplied by the journalist who destroyed the originals to safeguard sources. An unnamed senior official verified their legitimacy.
Contents
The memos disclose that half a year following the September 11 attacks, US National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice steered conversations toward "regime change" in Iraq rather than focusing on Osama bin Laden or Al-Qaeda, laying groundwork for the US-led invasion.
In a memo, British Foreign Office political director Peter Ricketts observed that "regime change" appeared to be driven more by a personal animosity between Bush and Saddam. While the memos highlight legal apprehensions, they also reveal Prime Minister Tony Blair’s resolve to back military action alongside Bush.
Iraq specialist Tony Dodge commented that these documents confirm that intelligence regarding weapons of mass destruction was sparse and manipulated to justify war. Blair placed a high priority on preserving the UK-US special relationship despite political challenges and questionable legality. The memos further suggest Blair foresaw instability in Iraq after the conflict.
David Manning, Blair's principal foreign policy adviser, conveyed to Blair details of a Washington meeting with Rice:
Bush values your support despite criticism. You maintain a firm stance on regime change but must carefully handle UK public and parliamentary opinion. Failure is not an option. The US might proceed unilaterally but would need to consider coalition partners, particularly concerning UN endorsement and weapons inspections to uphold international legitimacy.
Following lunch with Paul Wolfowitz, Sir Christopher Meyer wrote to Manning:
We endorse regime change but it requires thorough planning; failure is unacceptable. Although the US could act independently, it needs a strategy to secure backing for military action through UN resolutions and efforts toward Middle East peace.
A 22 March memo from Ricketts to Foreign Secretary Jack Straw stated:
Iraq’s WMD programs show no recent significant progress but remain concerning. Attempts to connect Iraq with al-Qaida lack persuasiveness. To secure public and parliamentary support for military intervention, the threat must seem serious and immediate—distinct from other proliferators like Iran.
Documents
- Overseas and Defence Secretariat, Cabinet Office, "Iraq: Options Paper", 8 March 2002 (pdf)
- David Manning, letter to Prime Minister regarding dinner with Condoleezza Rice, 14 March 2002 (pdf)
- Christopher Meyer, note on Sunday lunch with Paul Wolfowitz, addressed to David Manning, 18 March 2002 (pdf)
- Peter Ricketts, correspondence to Jack Straw, 22 March 2002 (pdf)
- Jack Straw, letter to the Prime Minister, 25 March 2002 (pdf)
- Foreign Office Legal Briefing (pdf)
- pre-Downing Street memo (Letter to Ministers: IRAQ: CONDITIONS FOR MILITARY ACTION), 21 July 2002 [1]
- Downing Street memo, 23 July 2002 [2]
- Goldsmith memo, 7 March 2003 [3]
- Deputy Legal Advisor to the Foreign Office – resignation letter, 18 March 2003 [4]
See also
- Downing Street memo
- Office of Special Plans
- Operation Southern Focus
- David Kelly
- September Dossier
- Dodgy Dossier
- Declaration of war by the United States
- Executive Order 13233
- Executive Order 13303
- Governments' pre-war positions on invasion of Iraq
- The UN Security Council and the Iraq war
- Resignations of UK cabinet members Robin Cook and Clare Short
- Legal opinion on war by UK Attorney General
- Bush-Blair memo
News sources
- Michael Smith, "Secret documents reveal Blair was cautioned about Iraq turmoil". The Daily Telegraph, 18 September 2004
- Michael Smith, "'Failure is unacceptable, yet it may still occur'". The Daily Telegraph, 18 September 2004
- Richard Norton-Taylor, "The imperative to outmaneuver Saddam". The Guardian, 21 September 2004
- Larisa Alexandrovna Horton, "DSM Inquiry Resolution" Raw Story. 25 May 2005. "Timeline of the War Path" Raw Story. 25 May 2005. "Confirming the DSM" Raw Story. 14 June 2005 "Senate Leadership Demands Answers on DSM" Raw Story. 24 June 2005.
- John Daniszewski, Newly Released Memos Outline Early Iraq Invasion Plans, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2005.
- Michael Isikoff and Mark Hosenball, "Leaked Memos Raise Concerns Over Possible Intel Manipulation to Justify Iraq War.", Newsweek/MSNBC, 15 June 2005
- Thomas Wagner, "British Memos Reveal Worries About Iraq Strategy". Associated Press, 18 June 2005
- The Tribune "Renewed Doubts on Bush’s Iraq Intentions". tribuneindia.com, 18 June 2005
- Wikinews article on AP release. 18 June 2005
Other resources
- AfterDowningStreet.org: Platform for advocacy and repository of documents