In July, 2005, Representative John Conyers, Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, commissioned this report after President Bush failed to answer a letter from 122 members of Congress and a half million Americans about the truth of the Downing Street Memos. This book is replete with evidence that the run-up to the Iraq War was laced with Administration lies and distortions, to make it appear that the US was threatened. As the Downing Street Memos say: ""...the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy""...This unique compilation also includes information about torture in Abu Ghraib, Guantanomo and other detention centres in direct violation of the Geneva Convention, as well as information about unauthorised domestic spying by the National Security Agency. Ambassador Joseph C Wilson - author of the ""New York Times"" best-seller ""The Politics of Truth"" - was sent to Niger by the CIA to investigate the Bush Administration charge that Saddam Hussein had bought 'yellow cake' for his alleged nuclear weapons program. Mr. Wilson ascertained that there was no truth to the charge. His wife, Valerie Plame, a career undercover operative for the CIA, was later outed by members of the White House staff in apparent retaliation for Ambassador Wilson's finding. Readers of this crucial report will understand at last that the erosion of Americans' rights as to war, privacy, and freedom of speech, presents a threat to our security and our liberty.