Tony Blair is testifying to the Chilcot Inquiry into the Iraq war, his second appearance before Chilcot.
He has stated again that the 9/11 attacks were the root cause of the war.
The British decision to back the invasion of Iraq was based on Blair's belief that Britain had to back whatever the States wanted to do, in order to maintain the so called and over hyped "special relationship".
This if course is a lousy premise for any policy, handing over responsibility for foreign policy to another country is destined to end in disaster.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Blair's Secret Letters
Sir John Chilcot, the restrained and reserved chairman of the Chilcot Inquiry into the Iraq war, almost revealed a hint of anger the other day when he expressed "disappointment" over the fact that he has been forbidden to declassify letters between Blair and Bush written in the period up to the Iraq war.
Seemingly the official excuse, used by the state, for not allowing these documents to be published is that they are deemed to be "private correspondence". Indeed, so private that references to these letters were removed from official records.
Ironically Blair, as part of his attempt to make money from publishing, happily refers to the letters in his book "A Journey".
The Inquiry has quite clearly been "nobbled" from the outset, any conclusion it finally reaches must be regarded with great suspicion.
Seemingly the official excuse, used by the state, for not allowing these documents to be published is that they are deemed to be "private correspondence". Indeed, so private that references to these letters were removed from official records.
Ironically Blair, as part of his attempt to make money from publishing, happily refers to the letters in his book "A Journey".
The Inquiry has quite clearly been "nobbled" from the outset, any conclusion it finally reaches must be regarded with great suspicion.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Goldsmith Disputes Blair
Lord Goldsmith, Tony Blair's former attorney general, has given a written response to a written question posed by the Chilcot Inquiry into the Iraq war.
On 15 January 2003 Blair told MPs that while a second UN resolution was "preferable", there were circumstances in which it was "not necessary".
The inquiry panel asked Lord Goldsmith if he felt those words were "compatible with the advice you had given him".
Lord Goldsmith replied "no".
Thhe BBC quotes him also saying:
"I was uncomfortable about them and I believe that I discussed my concerns with [then foreign secretary] Jack Straw and my own staff."
On 15 January 2003 Blair told MPs that while a second UN resolution was "preferable", there were circumstances in which it was "not necessary".
The inquiry panel asked Lord Goldsmith if he felt those words were "compatible with the advice you had given him".
Lord Goldsmith replied "no".
Thhe BBC quotes him also saying:
"I was uncomfortable about them and I believe that I discussed my concerns with [then foreign secretary] Jack Straw and my own staff."
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