In October of 2002, the White House wins a major political victory in the drive to war. Tragically, Congress caves in to political pressure and passes the ‘war resolution’ used by Bush and Cheney as authorization to do anything they want with regard to Iraq. Behind the scenes, the bogus intel of a purported Iraq-Niger uranium deal goes through channels.
October 9-12, 2002:

Oct. 9, 2002 – Shortly following Bush’s Cincinnati speech and the repeated back-and-forth between the White House and the CIA over Niger uranium, the U.S. Embassy in Rome receives copies of forged documents from Italian journalist Elisabetta Burba, who takes them to the embassy hoping to receive an assessment of their authenticity. The documents purport to show a deal between Iraq and Niger.

 
The Embassy forwards the documents “through State Dept channels to its Bureau of Non-Proliferation” (State/NP).

“Embassy Rome reported on a meeting from the previous day with a journalist from the Italian magazine Panorama. The journalist provided the Embassy with a copy of documents alleging Iraq and Niger had reached an agreement in July 2000 for the purchase of uranium. The journalist identified her sources as an Italian male who had managed to obtain the documents in question and who was now seeking 15,000 Euro in return for their publication. Embassy Rome indicated that it had learned from CIA that the documents provided by the journalist were the subject of the CIA report issued on 5 February 2002 . . . The Directorate of Intelligence did not request or place a high-priority on obtaining the actual documents, at this time [deleted].” (DX64.6, Libby trial)

 
Burba knew the man as a “security consultant.” The magazine Panorama tries an unfruitful trip to Niger, decides that the documents are unreliable and refrains from publishing them.

Oct. 10, 2002 – The U.S. House of Representatives passes the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 (Iraq war resolution) by 296 to133. Bush applauds the House vote:

“The House of Representatives has spoken clearly to the world and to the United Nations Security Council: the gathering threat of Iraq must be confronted fully and finally. Today's vote also sends a clear message to the Iraqi regime: it must disarm and comply with all existing U.N. resolutions, or it will be forced to comply. There are no other options for the Iraqi regime. There can be no negotiations. The days of Iraq acting as an outlaw state are coming to an end.”

Oct. 11, 2002 – The U.S. Senate passes the Iraq war resolution, 77-23. Typical news lead:

“In a major victory for the White House, the Senate early Friday voted 77-23 to authorize President Bush to attack Iraq if Saddam Hussein refuses to give up weapons of mass destruction as required by U.N. resolutions.”

 
Bush applauds the Senate vote also:

“With tonight's vote in the United States Senate, America speaks with one voice. The Congress has spoken clearly to the international community and the United Nations Security Council. Saddam Hussein and his outlaw regime pose a grave threat to the region, the world, and the United States. Inaction is not an option, disarmament is a must.

          I commend members of the Senate for the strong bipartisan vote authorizing the use of force, if necessary. The Senate, like the House, conducted this important debate and vote in the finest traditions of our democracy.

          Our nation seeks a more just and more peaceful world. Our nation seeks a safer and better world. America will never waver in its commitment to these ideals.”

Oct. 11, 2002 (about) -- The U.S. embassy in Rome passes the forged documents on to the State Department and CIA within two days of receiving them. The Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR) promptly recognizes them as suspect.

Oct. 12, 2002 – Bush gives his weekly radio address, hyping Iraq:

“Good morning. This week, both the House and Senate passed strong bipartisan measures authorizing the use of force in Iraq if it becomes necessary. Our country and our Congress are now united in purpose. America is speaking with one voice: Iraq must disarm and comply with all existing U.N. resolutions, or it will be forced to comply.

          Confronting Iraq is an urgent matter of national security.”

Oct. 12, 2002 – Neocon pundit, PNAC chairman and Weekly Standard editor William Kristol gets to publish an op-ed in the Washington Post:

 
“The president's audience is no longer the American public, or even our allies. It is Hussein. Deceiving him as to the timing of the war and the manner of attack is crucial to success. We obviously cannot achieve real strategic surprise; Hussein knows an attack is likely. But tactical surprise remains possible and, especially given Hussein's arsenal of chemical and biological weapons, very much desirable, if we are to minimize casualties and risks.       

       So when the president seems to equivocate about whether war is inevitable, when he holds out hope for inspections, when he talks about giving peace one last chance, when he seems to invite coups and rebellions while implying this might prevent an American occupation, supporters of the president's policy shouldn't worry that he is losing focus or retreating from the moral and strategic clarity of the past six weeks.     The president's duty is no longer to make the case for war or to prepare the nation for a necessary war. It is to win it as quickly, as decisively and with as few casualties as possible. The case for war, over the past few weeks, required clarity and truth. Victory in war, over the next few weeks or months, will require using the fog of war -- creating that fog -- to keep Hussein off balance, wishful and confused.” (“From Truth to Deception,” A31)

 
As the non-profit organization FAIR (Fairness and Accuracy in Media) points out, this column in effect gives Bush permission to lie to the nation. Bush’s communications reach not only Saddam but also the American public.