I am cross posting the diary here from DKos because I have tried to start a campaign
The British press has again picked up the story of the legal advice given to Tony Blair on the legality of the war with Iraq has considerable importance on both sides of the Atlantic.
This questioning in the UK will have implications for George Bush and the more so if we can bring pressure on to him at the same time as it is being brought onto Tony Blair
Can co-ordinated requests be made to our two administrations in the US and the UK at the same time to increase its effect?
s it has serious implications in the US, can you write to the appropriate Congressional representative/s asking that this be pursued in the US at the same time as it is being pursued now in the UK?
This is how the story was broached in NEW EUROPEAN TIMES much earlier today:
Not so the Independent on Sunday. It fronts with the continuing story of Blair putting pressure on the Attorney-General to change/amend/alter/”place different emphasis upon”/or-whatever-you-want-to-call-it advice on the legality of going to war with Iraq.
“Goldsmith told Blair ‘war could be illegal
By Francis Elliott, Severin Carrell and Andy McSmith
24 April 2005
Tony Blair was at the centre of a fresh row last night over the legality of the war in Iraq, as a new report claimed the Prime Minister was warned that the conflict breached international law.
As opposition politicians and senior Labour figures intensified pressure on Mr Blair to publish in full the advice given by the Attorney General, the issue of the war in Iraq was propelled to the centre stage of the election campaign after a Sunday newspaper alleged that he was told the military action could be ruled illegal.
Today’s Mail on Sunday claims to list six “caveats” that were stripped from a summary of the advice published 10 days later on the eve of a crucial parliamentary debate on the war.”
Will this affect the election. No, as Campbell quite rightly understands. It may rumble on beyond the vote itself, however, and give added reason for Blair to relinquish the post of Prime Minister to Gordon Brown earlier in the new term than perhaps our grinning Tony currently anticipates.
We can hope.
This diary on DKos is not to seek to repeat the posts about the legality and objections to the Iraq war. It is to make a simple but straight-forward statement to you Kossacks to try and prompt action:
1- There has to be advantage in your writing to your representatives seeking renewed pressure on the White House to release its legal advice at this time when the UK newspapers and MPs are bringing renewed pressure on Blair regarding this issue
2- Will you help?
Or is this a duck that can’t fly and should we all give up and blame the new Pope?
I hope not and that one or two of you will feel able to heed this specific call to action. I give this commitment: What you say on here can be used and sent to leading Members of Parliament in the UK.
Equally, I hope that you will make sure that your Democratic Party representatives are alerted, by you, to what is being said in the British Press right now.
Bush received advice, just as Blair did, on the legality of war with Iraq. Bush has been asked by Democratic congressmen, just as Blair has, to release that advice. Bush has, just as Blair has, claimed that this is a sort of personal advice to their administrations from their own legal counsel and protected as such.
Their response has been hand-in-glove with each other. Neither will reveal the truth of that advice.
Tell me that there is not some co-ordination across the Atlantic on this point and I will tell you that the 12,000 UK troops in Iraq are, similarly, just an illusion.
If they can work together, surely we liberals on either side of the Atlantic can?
I have been asked to suggest how a letter to your representative might be framed.
My suggestion is one that could be sent to both Republican and Democratic Party representatives in your State (there are still some in the GOP who remain jealous of the powers of Congress regardless of who is President). I leave it to you to customise it and strengthen it according to your own views and knowledge of the recipient.
I would suggest something along the lines of:
“There is considerable discussion in the British press at this time and on the Internet regarding the legal advice supplied to the UK government concerning the legitimacy under International Law of the invasion of Iraq.
Similar requests have been made here in the United States for release of the information on this issue provided to our President. My understanding is that this has been refused.
This matter affects the legitimacy with which we are seen to exercise our enormous power as a nation, brings into question the powers of Congress and goes to the heart of our Constitution.
I urgently request that you renew the attempts to seek the release of all relevant documents under the Freedom of Information Act so that we may answer with authority those who question us on this issue.”
