The following is an archived copy of a message sent to the CASI Analysis List run by Cambridge Solidarity with Iraq.
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[ This message has been sent to you via the CASI-analysis mailing list ] [ Presenting plain-text part of multi-format email ] FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FEBRUARY 3, 2004 2:55 PM CONTACT: 20/20 Vision Tom Z. Collina (202) 833-2020 Iraq War Whitewash - 20/20 Vision Launches On-Line Petition Calling for Truly Independent Investigation Before November Elections WASHINGTON - February 3 - 20/20 Vision, a national, nonpartisan public education organization, today launched an on-line petition calling on Congress to create a truly independent commission to investigate the Iraq war intelligence failure before the November elections. ³The White House is pulling a fast one on the American people,² said Tom Z. Collina, 20/20 Vision Executive Director. ³By launching a probe under his control, President Bush is trying to kick this issue past the November elections. The American people deserve an honest, timely review, not a whitewash.² To demonstrate public support for a truly independent and timely investigation, 20/20 Vision has launched an on-line petition that asks Congress to create a separate commission not under the administration¹s control. ³The White House should never investigate itself‹it would be like Nixon investigating Watergate,² said Collina. ³And it cannot be trusted to deliver results by Election Day, when American voters need this information.² The petition is located at http://www.2020vision.org/peace/wmdpetition.html. The Bush administration announced that it will establish a commission‹made up of members of its choosing and covering a broad range of intelligence topics‹that will continue into 2005. The Democratic leadership of the House and Senate sent a letter to the President yesterday stating that: ³A commission appointed and controlled by the White House will not have the independence or credibility necessary to investigate these issues.² According to Collina, a congressionally appointed commission should focus on the issue of the White House¹s role in hyping the Iraqi threat and report back before the election. ³Some say we should not politicize this issue by mixing it with the 2004 elections,² said Collina. ³But this is inherently a political issue. America went to war‹at a cost of hundreds of lives and billions of dollars‹based on President Bush¹s exaggerated case that Iraq was an imminent threat. He was wrong‹there is no debate about that. The question is, did he know he was wrong? For America to be a truly informed democracy, we need the truth before November 2.² Collina added, ³if I was your stock broker, and I lost your life¹s savings on a bad deal, wouldn¹t you want to know that before you renewed my contract?² _______________________________________ Sent via the CASI-analysis mailing list To unsubscribe, visit http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-analysis All postings are archived on CASI's website at http://www.casi.org.uk