Danish parallel to Dowing St. Minutes

[Kevin Spidel]

This is an email from Ray McGovern that we recieved...


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bo Elkjaer is award-winning (their equivalent to our Pulitzer) correspondent; I know him well; he is extremely reliable. He sent me a copy of what follows (a message to John Conyers).

Bo's article has already been published, of course. I see no problem in posting the text for malnourished American readers.

Ray
========================================
Fra: Bo Elkjær
> Emne: Article concerning Danish parallel to 'Downing Street Memo'

> Dear Congressman John Conyers Jr.
>
> I'm a reporter, writing for the second largest danish daily newspaper Ekstra Bladet. I have been following your work on the Downing Street Memo and I just want to point your attention to an article I wrote in october 2003. It is attached. It may give a few hints for further research into the matter of the timing of the intent to go to war with Iraq.
>
> Later that year I was awarded the Cavling Award - the danish equivalent of the Pulitzer - for my writings about the Iraq war, most notably the whitepaper 'The Lies Of The War - The War Of The Lies', printed in october 2003, second edition february 2004. An english translation is online at http://www.datashopper.dk/~boo/lies-of-war.pdf
>
> Yours respectfully
>
> Bo Elkjaer

following is the article:>
>
> Colin Powell promised war
> Ekstra Bladet october 26 2003, 1. section, page 7
>
> Minister of foreign affairs Per Stig Moeller was told about US plans for war against Saddam Hussein in july last year
>
> By Bo Elkjær
>
> Saddam Hussein had to go. The cost and the means didn't matter, but the target was completely in the clear - and the danish minister of foreign affairs Per Stig Moeller (Conservative Party) was personally informed about the target on july 3 last year.
> Saddams regime was to be removed by either diplomatic, economical or military means.
> The americans were concidering both 'secret operations and an open confrontation'.
> This is described in a new book 'Ahead of Europe' by the journalists Michael Ulveman and Thomas Lauritzen. The book covers the danish EU-presidency in the last half of 2002.
>
> STRONG EMOTIONS
> It was because of the presidency that minister of foreign affairs Per Stig Moeller was informed of the american plans. It happened at a personal meeting between Colin Powell and Per Stig Moeller.
> The informal and warm meeting between Colin Powell and Per Stig Moeller took place in the captains saloon on board the danish training ship 'Skoleskibet Danmark', which was in USA during the danish governments official visit in 2002.
> Colin Powell underscored that there should be no doubts about president Bushs intentions to remove Saddam Hussein.
> 'This is a matter of strong emotions for the american president', Colin Powell is quoted to have said at the meeting.
>
> NEW PROBLEMS
> At the meeting Colin Powell cleared away any doubts of how far the US would go to remove Saddam Hussein.
> The new information in the book drives yet another set of deep political scratches into minister of foreign affairs Per Stig Moeller and the danish government in the scandal over the Iraq war.
> Firstly it is evident that the danish government knew beyond doubt that US plans for war was not centered on removing weapons of mass destruction, but on removing Saddam Hussein.
> No less than 111 times form november 2002 until april 2003 Per Stig Moeller and primeminister Anders Fogh Rasmussen (Liberal Party), stated in parliament that the conflict was about disarming Iraq.
> But it wasn't.
> Secondly, it is now clear that the government in july 2002 knew beyond doubt that the war was close to unavoidable.
>
> HYPOTHETICAL
> In spite of this knowledge, both minister of foreign affairs Per Stig Moeller and primeminister Anders Fogh Rasmussen maintained up until the last days before the war, that it was 'hypothetical' and 'possible'.
> On november 14 2002 - more than four months after the meeting with Colin Powell - Per Stig Moeller said in parliament: 'At present time it is too soon to say whether use of force will be necessary and in that case in what shape and extend this use of force will take form'.
> In the same speech Per Stig Moeller said that all worries over danish participation in the war was 'speculative' and he several times spoke of the coming war as a 'hypothetical situation'.
> But it wasn't.
> And Per Stig Moeller knew.
>
>
>
>
> /Denne mail er sendt af
> Bo Elkjær,
> Journalist

[ohio_liberal]

1. Didn't Bo Elkjaer post here at one time?

or someone on his behalf? I remember he also wrote articles about the BBV issue.

[Kota]

2. I was thinking the same thing. This is another piece of evidence.

[ohio_liberal]

3. Yeah, yeah

I totally remember Bo now. There was a video of him hacking GEMS.

I don't pretend to understand the rush-to-war timelines but maybe someone else here does.

So here's a :kick: for Bo.

[sabra]

5. He did! He posted in the election 2004 forum

looking for help with articles he was putting together regarding election fraud investigations/happenings...

Seemed legit then.

[ohio_liberal]

8. I'd say he's legit

There were pics and articles posted as proof of who he is. If I remember correctly, Ekstra Bladet is tabloidish but still highly respected.

[sinkingfeeling]

4. Wouldn't it be great if we got more and more confirmation from all

the countries that * tried to bulls**t into the 'coalition'?

[undeterred]

6. Thanks for posting this

If it was here on DU before, I didn't catch it.

Americans will be the last to know.

[sabra]

7. kick! Thanks PDA and Bo!

[DemReadingDU]

9. He did post in the Election 2004 forum!

thru Ojai Person, and also himself as Danish Reporter.

[DemReadingDU]

10. Danish Reporter posted on June 9, 2005, here is the link

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=203&topic_id=375874&mesg_id=376350

[merbex]

11. Spin this away, Bush - just how many gov't's is it going to take

that your administration told the "truth" to,except your own?

[burythehatchet]

12. I'm moved by the people around the world who are

wiling to help our country.

THANK YOU BO!!

[schrodingers_cat]

13. Europe has already had the misfortune

of gaining perspective on the nuances of fascism....no doubt they feel our pain and would gladly toss a life ring to those of us who care to catch it....