Is the noose slowly tightening around Blair's neck?

[rov1200]

Except for a cabal of close confidants Blair's decision to go to war in Iraq is getting feebler by the minute. Today Jonathon Powell, his Chief of Staff said Blair had no option. The reason was because Blair was unable to get countries to accept the resolution 1441 he was forced to agree to the invasion and regime change.

But surely if these countries did not want to sign up for the resolution it does not mean they are wrong and he is right? Haven't events proved Blair wrong?

[Panic Button]

Everyone knows the truth anyway, he was Bush's poodle.

These people pretending otherwise are just making themselves look foolish.

[jno]

Legally, yes, I think so. In practice: no WMD, no peace in Iraq, but he did get regime change and a government less hostile to Iran (which I suspect wasn't the plan at all).

And of course the price of oil is now plummeting.

[Sandy-Wroe]

He's said to be a devout Christian. I wonder does he fear his death bed, surrounded by the shades of the people he's responsible for sending on before him, and the judgement that will surely come?

[ludwig]

There's absolutely no chance of anything bad happening to Blair as a result of this enquiry.

[Mr Veritas]

I am sorry rov,
but if you think Blair is going to suffer more than a few hours discomfort from this enquiry you are sadly disappointed.
His evidence will be heard and duly noted,and then the juggernaut will move on to someone else.
What it boils down to is, Blair (and Bush) went to war (despite denying it now) on flawed/faked/sexed up evidence of WMD.
It's no good Blair trying to convince posterity that he would have gone to war even if there was NO evidenve of WMD,nobody will believe him.
What does he care for posterity,he making millions from speaking engagements!

[jno]

Mr V, I believe he cares very much for posterity and may have begun to realise he's blown it. Or maybe that's just wishful thinking.

[R1Geezer]

The thing is waste of time. the issue is done and dusted, we know the answers already, I can't see why they are even having this charade. Blair will get grilled for a couple of hours and even if he fesses up to being total titfer tat, there's bu66er all can be done about it. International lwayers can't even decide if it was legal or not, this is an exercise so the handwringers can feel better.

[jake-the-peg]

What we will never know is what promises or threats Bush made for our involvement. Technology and Intelligence sharing - things like that.

Trident needs renewing with US technology remember

I suspect something like that may have happened and influenced Blairs decision.

I also really don't think it was about oil - well not at first.

Unbeliveable as it may seem I think this was a simple Bush familly fued. Apparently after 9/11 the CIA were told to find the evidence to show Iraq was behind it. They couldn't but they muddled the issues in many peoples minds instead

[bazwillrun]

Teflon Tony ! of course nothing will happen to him.

By all accounts, in theory theres already more than enough evidence to charge him and his pal GW with war crimes, and there has been for some time.

For Funks Sake they havent even prosecuted any MP's yet for fiddling X's so there absolutely no chance of anything being done over this.

As usual with inquirys the outcome will be a list of recommendations that will never be instituted

[rov1200]

One of the members of the Chilcot enquiry is a historian. Although it will be highly unlikely to lead to a trial there will be members of the public in attendance who want Blair to admit he was wrong and receive some sort of apology.

It was Tony Benn who said the invasion was all about oil long before the war started and he may have been proved right from the US point of view. Russia had control of many of the oilfields in Iraq but has now lost out and the contracts are going to BP etc.

Blair after convincing Bush to go down the UN route came a cropper when many countries objected to 1441. That is why he spent so much time trying to convince France, Russia and others but without success. Therefore his only way of retribution to the US was to tell a pack of lies to the Commons so he got agreement for the war.
He may have wanted a peaceful resolution in the beginning but it all fell flat. That's when he became Bush's poodle to try to make amends.

[Panic Button]

Is no one going to speak in Blair's favour here?

[beso]

Blair actually said that he prayed to God for guidance on this issue. He chose what he believed to be God's advice and ignored the advice of inspectors on the ground in Iraq. God's advice was proven to be wrong.

And people wonder why I insist that religious people should not be permitted in politics.

[clw1981]

Ok so the decision to go to war may not have always been legitimate but then if we had not gone to war would Saddam still be in power? Yes he would and he is worse than Hitler!

A relative of mine was due to be called to give evidence at said enquiry but they changed their minds. He serves in HM Forces.

At the end of the day WMDs, or the lack of them, are to blame. As far as Im concerned the idiot that is Saddam could have quite easily hidden them somewhere without informing others!

As for people complaining about those lives lost, if you join the Army; Navy or RAF as front line personnel then I am sorry but you have to expect this to happen. People can say what they like but as someone who has been brought up within the Forces environment it is not far to slate the hard work that they have been putting in all this time.