Ahead Of The Curve In Reaching “The Last Option”
By Montag | Related entries in WarBefore the war we were enforcing a no-fly zone in Iraq. There was an increase of activity in the summer of 2002:
The number of bombs dropped on Iraq in March and April of 2002 was almost zero. But from May to August, that increased to 10 tons a month.
To be fair, “10 tons” amounts to about 20 bombs (if we figure 1000 pounds each.) Nonetheless, this is a significant increase in activity. The article goes on to report:
In an interview with RawStory.com (an alternative news source that covers stories under-reported by the mainstream media), John Pike of GlobalSecurity.org, a military defense analysis group, said his organization had raised questions about the increase in bombing in August of 2002. “The group saw the strikes as a means by which the US could degrade Iraqi defensive capabilities, and as a precursor to a declared war.”
Congress, however, would not authorize military force against Iraq until October, 2002.
Christian Science Monitor: Secret air campaign against Iraq?
The famous Downing Street minutes were written around the same time as the increased bombings, on July 23, 2002. Here is what the President had to say about the Downing Street time period:
My conversation with the Prime Minister was, how could we do this peacefully, what could we do. And this meeting, evidently, that took place in London happened before we even went to the United Nations — or I went to the United Nations. And so it’s — look, both us of didn’t want to use our military. Nobody wants to commit military into combat. It’s the last option.
White House: President Welcomes British Prime Minister Blair to the White House
The official line is probably that the increased bombing activity was in response to increased anti-aircraft fire. Or, is this more of a ‘chicken-or-the-egg’ thing?
Did the President begin the war months before getting Congressional approval while maintaining war is “the last option”?
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