Downing Street Is Leaking Again

Today's Sunday Times of London has obtained a new briefing paper from Tony Blair's cabinet, written in preparation for the same July 23, 2002, meeting as the previous "Downing Street Memo." This one discusses the legality (or lack thereof) of the Iraq War:

Ministers were warned in July 2002 that Britain was committed to taking part in an American-led invasion of Iraq and they had no choice but to find a way of making it legal.

The warning, in a leaked Cabinet Office briefing paper, said Tony Blair had already agreed to back military action to get rid of Saddam Hussein at a summit at the Texas ranch of President George W Bush three months earlier.

The briefing paper, for participants at a meeting of Blair’s inner circle on July 23, 2002, said that since regime change was illegal it was “necessary to create the conditions” which would make it legal.

Interestingly, The Sunday Times was somewhat optimistic about the effect this new leak would have: "The briefing paper is certain to add to the pressure, particularly on the American president, because of the damaging revelation that Bush and Blair agreed on regime change in April 2002 and then looked for a way to justify it."

We'll see.