Juan Cole: The Downing Street Memo and "Fixing Around"

[Barrett808]

At least one commentator has been quoted in the press as questioning what British Intelligence chief Richard Dearlove meant in the Downing Street Memo by the phrase "the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy." The full passage reads, "Bush wanted to remove Saddam, through military action, justified by the conjunction of terrorism and WMD. But the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy."

In the story on the Bush/Blair press conference by Mark Memmott of the Gannett News Service writes:

' Robin Niblett of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington, D.C., think tank, says it would be easy for Americans to misunderstand the reference to intelligence being "fixed around" Iraq policy. " 'Fixed around' in British English means 'bolted on' rather than altered to fit the policy," he says.'

Niblett's suggestion is not plausible for many reasons. First of all, the phrase begins with "but". Why say, "But the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy" if what was meant was that "the intelligence and facts were being bolted on the policy?" Clearly something was amiss, or "but" would not be used.

Second, for the "intelligence and facts" to be "bolted onto" the policy would still indicate some shady dealings. The only straightforward way of doing things would be to "bolt" the policy onto the intelligence and the facts.

It is true, as Niblett says, that the phrase "to be fixed around" can mean "to be bolted onto." This engineering site says "The problems relate to the form of construction employed in the early 20th century whereby external masonry was fixed around a steel frame."

But a policy is not a building and engineering language may not be the best referent.

This British borough site discussing hiring policies says, "Interview times are fixed around family demands." In this phrase, it is clear that interview times are being made malleable to accommodate another factor. If we say in this context that "intelligence" is "fixed around policy," then intelligence is being made malleable to accommodate policy.

(more)

http://www.juancole.com/2005/06/downing-street-memo-and-fixing-around.html

[Hissyspit]

1. Good logical defense for nitpickers of the DSM. Arm yourself with logic!

Thanks, Juan (and Barrett808). Nominated.

[jimshoes]

2. We all know what was meant

Someone's disassembling, Mr. Niblitt.

[Jack Rabbit]

3. Even to grant Niblett's interpretation would indicate neocon subterfuge

Intelligence is simply raw facts, or is supposed to be. Policy is to follow from that.

The very sentence shows the opposite was taking place: the policy had been decided upon, then the intelligence followed. Regardless of whether one interprets intelligence was fixed to mean altered to fit or bolted to, the Downing Street document shows that policy was made independent of any facts that might support it.

There was no honest discussion about Iraq among the neoconservatives. The neoconservatives reached a conclusion and went looking for premises, as if they would fall from their conclusion.

It doesn't work that way. Those Yalies should know that.

[justicebuilder]

4. My uncle commented on this at my blog

And he pointed out that "bolted on" actually seems worse, in a way. In any case I developed his interpretation into a little skit that may provide some comic relief for anyone interested:

The Ape Man

Also check out the Big Brass Alliance if you don't already know about it.

jb