http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3957791.stm

Iraq dates 'planned in advance'
British troops in Iraq

Top secret plans for attacking Iraq were drawn up five months before the war started, a court martial has heard.

US defence planners passed plans, with codenames such as P-Day, A-Day and G-Day, to UK army bosses in October 2002.

The war against Saddam Hussein was launched on 20 March, 2003, in a series of US air strikes.

The plans were revealed during the court martial of reservist Lance Corporal Ian Blaymire, charged with the manslaughter of a colleague in Iraq.

Reservist Sergeant John Nightingale, 32, from Guiseley, West Yorkshire, died after being hit in the chest at point-blank range by a bullet from an A2 rifle at Shaibah, near the southern city of Basra on 23 September last year.

Blaymire, 23, of Leeds, is appearing at a court martial at Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire, charged with his manslaughter.

Codenames

The secret documents were compiled by Lt Colonel Christopher Warren, staff officer at Land Command, Wiltshire, who was responsible for operational training at the time of the conflict, the court martial heard.

P-Day stood for the date on which US President George Bush would make a decision for going for war, he revealed.

That date was pencilled in for 15 February, 2003.

A-Day stood for the beginning of the air strikes, scheduled for the first week of March 2003, while G-Day stood for the start of the ground offensive, due to start two days later.

The dates and codenames were only revealed after the court martial was adjourned for several hours for legal argument.

Assistant Judge Advocate Paul Camp eventually ruled the press and public had a right to hear the evidence.

Late training

Army chiefs wanted training for the conflict to begin at the start of December 2002 but this was delayed because of "sensitivities", Tuesday's hearing was told.

Mr Warren had sent the plans to the Defence Crisis Management Organisation in London - the "political, military interface at the highest level" - which had vetoed them.

The hearing was told training for the Territorial Army began two months late while regular army training was a month late.

When asked why training had not begun on time Mr Warren told panel members army chiefs had "no political authority to start it".

The "sensitivities" that caused the Defence Crisis Management Organisation to veto the planned training start dates were because of the "world interest" in the developing situation with Iraq at the start of December, he said.

"If the UK had mobilised whilst all this was going on that would have shown an intent before the political process had been allowed to run its course."

The hearing continues.

If you watched Frontline (Mr. Rumsfeld's War) last night . . .

First plans for pre-emptive strikes were presented to the NSC in the waning days of the Bush I administration by Wolfie. Blocked by Colin Powell, chair of the Joint Chiefs.

Revised plans for pre-emptive strikes against Iraq (mainly just taking and securing the oil fields) were presented by Wolfie and Frieth at one of the early NSC meetings. Bush tabled them but brought them back out about six months after 9/11.

Actual negotiations for invasion started in Summer of 2002 between Rumsfeld and Gen. Tommy Franks at the behest of Pres. Bush. This was long before any announcements or evidence of anything.

One day after 9/11, Wolfie and Frieth pushed for invasion of Iraq - screw the Taliban and Al Queda, they wanted to go after Saddam.

If Frontline runs this again. Do not miss it. Not Michael Moore sort of stuff, instead relies on testimony of people like Gen. Thomas White (Sec. of the Army, 2001-2003), Gen. John Hoar (chief of the Marines, 2001 - 2003), etc.

There's probably good stuff on the Frontline Web site - haven't checked yet but there alway is. Also, you can watch online Oct. 28th.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/pentagon/

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“Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody.” - Jane Jacobs

Well it cetainly goes with with Rumsfield's notes from the morning of Sept. 11th - you konw the the ones where he wanted to try and connect it to Saddam and "sweep it all up, related or not". Reorganzing Iraq had been a neo-con agenda point for some time before 9/11. Its amazing they didn't allot more time to make a more convincing "sell" of the propsed war, or a better plan for the day after. That's the problem, I suppose, with a world view that looks at the globe like a game of Risk - there is no accounting for the messy reality of how much real people in real countries will resent the old imperial powers imposing new governments on them at will, whether its done in the name of "democracy" (which they have seen very little of so far) or not.