In a leaked memo between George W. Bush and Tony Blair, Bush proposed painting a U.S. aircraft in U.N. colors in an effort to provoke missile fire from Saddam Hussein. If Saddam fired on the faux U.N. aircraft, he would be in direct violation of imposed UN sanctions, giving Bush and Blair a “reason” to invade Iraq. This stunning revelation highlights Bush’s insatiable thirst for war as well as the total lack of evidence that, traditionally, would be needed to launch such an attack.
Bush’s incredible proposal came nearly two months before the United Nations were finished debating the Iraq issue back in Jan. 2003, a time when Bush’s public rhetoric was still promisingly diplomatic.
In another meeting between Bush and Blair during that same month, Bush admitted that war with Iraq was inevitable regardless of a U.N. resolution and that an Iraq invasion was already “penciled in” for March 10.
David Manning, Blair’s chief foreign policy advisor who was also at the meeting, later stated, “Our diplomatic strategy had to be arranged around the military planning.”
Bush is quoted as saying that it is “unlikely there would be internecine warfare between the different religious and ethnic groups.”
Foresight has never been this administration’s strong suit.
Rodger Thomas Holst is a senior majoring in literature.