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Public relations preparations for 2003 invasion of Iraq

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by DHeyward (talk | contribs) at 21:29, 11 March 2013 (dead link and nothing to support it was for Iraq War.). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

This redirect is about 2003 Invasion of Iraq. For more information on this particular part of the topic, see Support and opposition for the 2003 invasion of Iraq.


In January 2003, President George W. Bush announced "the creation of a White House 'Office of Global Communications' to broadcast the United States' message worldwide ahead of possible war on Iraq."[1] According to the White House, the office was to disseminate the policies of the U.S. Government to media sources, domestic and foreign, and send "teams of communicators to international hot spots, areas of media interest."[2]

Government statements that set the stage for war

Colin Powell holding a model vial of anthrax while giving a presentation to the United Nations Security Council.

"In the war on terror, Iraq is now the central front..." President Bush said on December 14, 2005 (Bush, George W. "President Discusses Iraqi Elections, Victory in the War on Terror." White House, Official Press Release). "The battle of Iraq is one victory in a war on terror that began on September the 11, 2001..." (Bush, George W. "President Bush Announces Major Combat Operations in Iraq Have Ended" White House, Official Press Release, May 1, 2003]. In the lead up to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Vice President Dick Cheney suggested during a, "Meet the Press" interview that Iraq was involved in the September 11 attack: Iraq is, "the geographic base of the terrorists who had us under assault now for many years, but most especially on 9-11." [Davies, Frank. "Study: Misperceptions About Iraq War Contributed to Support For It." Knight-Ridder, October 3, 2003.)


Evidence

A letter concocted by the CIA

Main article: Habbush letter

Based on the statements of several named CIA senior officials who spoke on record, journalist Ron Suskind's book "The Way of the World: A Story of Truth and Hope in an Age of Extremism" states that the White House ordered the CIA to forge a letter made to appear as a letter from the head of Iraqi intelligence, Tahir Jalil Habbush, to Saddam Hussein and backdated to July 1, 2001.[3]

August 5, 2008, the White House issued a statement on behalf of George Tenet, Robert Richer and John Maguire, addressing Suskind's allegation. Tenet said:

It is well established that, at my direction, CIA resisted efforts on the part of some in the Administration to paint a picture of Iraqi-Al Qa'ida connections that went beyond the evidence. The notion that I would suddenly reverse our stance and have created and planted false evidence that was contrary to our own beliefs is ridiculous.[4]



See also

References

  1. ^ http://news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,5874357%255E1702,00.html. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. ^ [1]
  3. ^ MSNBC, August 5, 2008, ttp://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26030573/ reporting on findings of book by Ron Suskind, "The Way of the World: A Story of Truth and Hope in an Age of Extremism" published August 5, 2008
  4. ^ Blackledge, Brett. CIA officials deny fake Iraq-al-Qaida link letter AP. August 5, 2008.
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