Matthew rycroft rycroft was a downing street foreign policy aide end text emphasis added pdf printable version plain text printable version annotated version major playerswho are the people present at this meeting. May 1, 2005 the secret downing street memo secret and strictly personal uk eyes only david manning from. Defence secretary, foreign secretary, attorneygeneral, sir richard wilson, john scarlett, francis rich. Analysis and text of the downing street memo stony brook. Jonathan powell, his chief of staff, and matthew rycroft, a foreign policy aide and the author of the downing street memo. Bush in hot hot water over the downing street memo, its about time. Pdf deception and britains road to war in iraq researchgate. More than 11 years later, this key document, referred to as the downing street memo is of crucial significance. The secret downing street memo british officials did not dispute the documents authenticity. Matthew rycroft rycroft was a downing street foreign policy aide contact our advertising team for advertising and sponsorship in times online, the times and. Bush asked to explain uk war memo, cnn, may 12, 2005. Matthew rycroft, a top foreign policy aide to prime minister tony blair, wrote the memo, which is dated july 23, 2002, based on notes he took.
The downing street memo matthew rycroft we first published the memo in spokesman 87, and reprint it in full again now because of its centrality to the debate about how britain went to war on iraq. Career diplomat matthew rycroft starts as permanent. He studied mathematics and philosophy at oxford and joined the foreign and commonwealth office after. The memo, written by downing street foreign policy aide matthew rycroft, recorded the head of the secret. Bush wanted to remove saddam hussein, through military action, justified by the conjunction of terrorism and wmd. Rycroft s name became familiar to the general public as the author of a secret memo to british ambassador to the united states david manning, summarizing a 23 july 2002 meeting with blair and other government officials to discuss iraq. Matthew rycroft, tony blairs personal secretary and party loyalist, is the author of the downing street memo.
It was in this capacity that rycroft issued the downing street memo. Six years ago today, matthew rycroft, private secretary to british prime minister tony blair, wrote a secret memorandum to the u. The memo was leaked to the sunday times, which printed it on 1 may 2005. Rycroft was born in southampton on 16 june 1968, before moving to cambridge at the age of eleven. All the documents coming out now, the downing street memo. The downing street memo occasionally dsm, or the downing street minutes, sometimes described by critics of the iraq war as the smoking gun memo, 1 is the note of a secret 23 july 2002, meeting of senior british labour government, defence and intelligence figures discussing the buildup to the war, which included direct reference to classified united states policy of the. Secret and strictly personal uk eyes only david manning from. Matthew rycroft rycroft was a downing street foreign policy aide c is head of mi6 comment by greg palast. Hes the journalist to whom the socalled downing street memo was leaked. The secret downing street memo, the one percent doctrine. The text of a memo written by matthew rycroft, a downing street foreign policy aide in july 2002 and addressed to david manning, then foreign policy advisor to tony blair who appointed him ambassador to the us in 2003. Secret uk government memo reveals that the intelligence and facts were fixed london times 1 may 2005. Defence secretary, foreign secretary, attorneygeneral, sir richard wilson, john scarlett, francis richards, cds, c, jonathan powell, sally morgan, alastair campbell. The memo clearly shows that the white house, in july 2002, was considering an invasion of iraq.
Invasion of iraq, the secret downing street memo nexus. The secret downing street memo, july 23, 2002 sourcewatch. Get all the lyrics to songs by matthew rycroft and join the genius community of music scholars to learn the meaning behind the lyrics. The downing street memo demonstrated that bush lied. War crimes iii spokesman the publishing imprint of the. Secret british memos on iraq war report commonwealth institute. Given that many members of the bush administration were discussing such an invasion publicly by the summer, we find the shock over the memorandum. Bush and prime minister tony blairs plans for war in iraq, was revealed by the united kingdoms the sunday times, may 1, 2005. Matthew rycroft rycroft was a downing street foreign policy aide cast of charaterswho are the people mentioned here. The document now known as the downing street memo is a summary of a meeting between richard dearlove, the head of british intelligence, and senior bush administration officials. The secret downing street memo on sunday, may 1st fittingly, the sunday times reported the existence of a top secret memo from number 10 downing street dated july 23, 2002. Matthew rycroft wikisource, the free online library. Downing street memo wikisource, the free online library. The downing street memo or the downing street minutes, sometimes described by critics of the iraq war as the smoking gun memo, is the note of a 23 july 2002 secret meeting citation needed of senior british government, defence and intelligence figures discussing the buildup to the war, which included direct reference to classified united states.
It dates from july 23, 2002, just as the bush administration was starting to make a case for invading iraq but before it had officially declared its intention to do so. Secret uk government memo reveals that the intelligence. Bush was set on path towar, british memo says the new. The times of london, may 1, 2005 a document containing meeting minutes transcribed during the british prime ministers meeting on july 23, 2002 secret and strictly personal uk eyes only david manning. The sunday times britain may 01, 2005 crash recovery. The secret downing street memo national security archive.
But there were in fact eight downing street memos and they contained a. Matthew rycroft rycroft was a downing street foreign policy aide contact our advertising team for advertising and sponsorship in times online, the times and the sunday times, or place your advertisement. Bob marshallandrews mp and alan simpson mp emphasise this in their contributions to the recent parliamentary debate see pages 15 to 25. Matthew rycroft rycroft was a downing street foreign policy aide the original source of this article is global. The memo is dated july 23, 2002, and was sent by matthew rycroft, then a british. More documents related to the iraq crisis more information on the threat of us war against iraq. British journalist michael smith, downing street memo. The secret downing street memo global policy forum. Career diplomat matthew rycroft starts as permanent secretary at dfid.
The memo, written by downing street foreign policy aide matthew rycroft, recorded the head of the secret intelligence service mi6 as expressing the view following his recent visit to washington that george w. Rycroft s name became familiar to the general public as the author of a secret memo to the british ambassador to the united states, david manning, summarizing a 23 july 2002 meeting with blair and other government officials to discuss iraq. Excerpts of the downing street memo the boston globe. Below is a breakdown of the various individuals mentioned in the memo all of whom were present during the meeting with the prime minister. The memo is dated july 23, 2002, and was sent by matthew rycroft, then a british foreign policy adviser, to david manning, britains ambassador to the u. The downing street memos downing street memominutes text. Memorandum from matthew rycroft to david manning, u. Pdf ever since the 2003 invasion of iraq, there has been a widely shared. Attorney generals full advice on iraq war pdf this pdf detailed lord. The downing street memo sometimes described by critics of the iraq war as the smoking gun. The constitution in crisis ut college of liberal arts. It is definitive proof that the bad intelligence that fooled the american people and our congressmen into invading iraq was absolutely, positively, outright lies. The document is actually the july 23, 2002, minutes of the prime ministers meeting to discuss iraq written by matthew rycroft, the document was.
It must be seen only by those with a real need to know its contents, and must not be copied further. By george friedman the downing street memo of july 23, 2002, has become the controversy du jour in washington and london. The secret downing street memo, july 23, 2002, also known as the smoking gun memo regarding u. Defence secretary, foreign secretary, attorneygeneral, sir richard wilson, john.
The memo was leaked to the sunday times, who printed it on 11 may 2005. Matthew rycroft rycroft was a downing street foreign policy aide. Downing street memo aka the smoking gun memo 2002 a preliminary search indicated that this authors works are generally still protected under law, and cannot be. It shows that massive military action was contemplated 89 months prior to the march 2003 invasion.
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