Like a puzzle, the picture slowly comes into focus.

But, will America notice.

A few weeks ago the phrase, "the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy" came out into the public arena. With that, the real story of the Invasion of Iraq appear to be at last be coming into view. The fictions that were used as justification for war, weapons of mass destruction, terrorism ties, and nuclear development have been proven false. The wall of lies and obstruction created by the Bush administration are slowly being broken down.

In Salon, Juan Cole looks at the lies that led to war. What is most striking is that even after the world trade center attack, late into September 2001, Bush's insistence on attacking Saddam, instead on Bin Laden. This shouldn't be a surprise, this fact has been mentioned in that past, by Richard Clarke and Paul O'Neil. Both confirmed the Bush administration's obsession on Saddam.

the Bush administration almost took the United States to war against Iraq in the immediate aftermath of Sept. 11. We know about this episode from the public account of Sir Christopher Meyer, then the U.K. ambassador in Washington. Meyer reported that in the two weeks after Sept. 11, the Bush national security team argued back and forth over whether to attack Iraq or Afghanistan. It appears from his account that Bush was leaning toward the Iraq option.

Meyer spoke again about the matter to Vanity Fair for its May 2004 report, "The Path to War." Soon after Sept. 11, Meyer went to a dinner at the White House, "attended also by Colin Powell, [and] Condi Rice," where "Bush made clear that he was determined to topple Saddam. 'Rumors were already flying that Bush would use 9/11 as a pretext to attack Iraq,' Meyer remembers." When British Prime Minister Tony Blair arrived in Washington on Sept. 20, 2001, he was alarmed. If Blair had consulted MI6 about the relative merits of the Afghanistan and Iraq options, we can only imagine what well-informed British intelligence officers in Pakistan were cabling London about the dangers of leaving bin Laden and al-Qaida in place while plunging into a potential quagmire in Iraq.

What is truly stunning is that it appears that the British and not the experts and advisors in Bush's administration, who may have been the most responsible for the US focusing the response on the proper target, Bin Laden.

"Blair came with a very strong message -- don't get distracted; the priorities were al-Qaida, Afghanistan, the Taliban." He must have been terrified that the Bush administration would abandon London to al-Qaida while pursuing the great white whale of Iraq.

The Bush administration's efforts to start a war with Saddam were not limited to creating a false hysteria about him. We also tried to anger him and thus, trick him into striking out. There was a dramatic increase in bombings by US and UK air forces against targets in Iraq. There is little doubt that we wanted to goad Saddam in to striking back. The blood lust for war is clear, and the lengths that Bush and his aids went to stunning.

Geoff Hoon, then defence secretary, told the meeting that "the US had already begun 'spikes of activity' to put pressure on the regime".

When events that are as immoral and duplicitous as these occur, action is demanded. After Downing Street has been created to make sure the truth is not hidden any longer. This collection of peace groups, veteran groups and political actions groups has started a campaign to force congress to investigate if the actions of the Bush Administration are legal, or if the actions may qualify as impeachable offenses.

Consider looking into and supporting their efforts. If you are concerned, find a way to make your voice be heard. At the very least join in Rep. John Conyers Jr.'s effort to have 100,000 persons sign a letter on the Downing Street Inquiry.