It depends on what the meaning of "fixed around" is

[rivkat]

Actually, no it doesn't.

Lamest explanation of the Downing Street memo so far (though I make no promises about persistence of this designation over time): "Robin Niblett of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington think tank, says it would be easy for Americans to misunderstand the reference to intelligence being 'fixed around' Iraq policy. '"'Fixed around" in British English means "bolted on" rather than altered to fit the policy,' he says."

Now, as Z. points out, this fails to explain why millions of Britons are quite vexed about the memo and believe that it indicates official deception. But even if we presume those crazy Brits don't know their own wacky usages -- so, intelligence and facts were "bolted on" to a policy that assumed war was inevitable, much in the way our soldiers currently bolt on random bits and pieces to their Humvees as armor. Well, that makes me feel much better.

Comments

[ellen-fremedon.livejournal.com]

Our intelligence is boltede on yay!

[jadedsilver.livejournal.com]

Best. response. ever.

[dawnybee.livejournal.com]

It's all so insulting. The ongoing blatant lies from both US and UK officials is maddening.

What pisses me off more is that the media hasn't taken every opportunity to air the findings. It should be on our screens more than Michael Jackson, that's for sure.

[ex-ajhalluk585.livejournal.com]

In what British usage, pray, does "fixed around" mean "bolted on"? "Fixed" is not particularly British usage in the first place, but if used at all is used to mean "sorted" particularly in the "sorted for Es and whiz" usage of sorted. "Mr Fixit" is slang for the sort of person who manages things for yer, know what I mean, guv? Cowboys fix things.

Anyway, if we all believed it meant "bolted on" how come he had a majority in Parliament of 200+ before the memo was released, and of 60(ish) after said memo, eh?

[rivkat.livejournal.com]

Yes, exactly -- which was my husband's first reaction. (As an aside, "Mr. Fixit" means the same here, too, with our extra period.)

I can't speak to British usage -- and don't know why Robin Niblett is qualified to do so, since I haven't investigated his/her CV -- but the frustrating thing for me is even if that were true it wouldn't be any less damning, and yet USA Today reports the "explanation" as if it made sense.

[davidhearne.livejournal.com]

I think Niblett's comments have earned a healthy RRRRAAAARRGGH!!!

[shiba-inu.livejournal.com]

What people don't seem to realize is that the humvee was never intended to be an armored vehicle. It's not a tank and it's not an APC. It's the updated version of the jeep. Period. They're trying to armor them up but riding in one will never be as safe as being in an Abrams.