B-Liar

29 January 2010



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Tony Blair Faces Chilcot Inquiry

Today, a new show opened in the West End of London and closed just a few hours later. Tony Blair (or "B-liar" to his legions of detractors) answered questions from five of Britain's great and good regarding the war in Iraq-Nam. The former prime minister was his usual charming, forceful self. This disappointed many, but seriously, the man has come to believe his own story.

Mr. Blair stated at one point "I am asked whether I believe we are safer more secure, that Iraq is better, that our own security is better, with Saddam and his two sons out of office and out of power, I believe indeed we are." Of course, that wasn't really the issue, was it? The people and Parliament were told that there were weapons of mass destruction in the possession of the Saddamite regime. They were told that the war was to disarm that regime. And on the basis of those statements, Parliament (but not necessarily the people) went to war.

Mr. Blair does not seem, even now, to understand that a great many of his fellow Britons are angry because their country went to war over a fact that turned out to be the exact opposite of a fact. Since it began, the Chilcot Inquiry has enjoyed a certain decorum from the spectators, but one outburst did occur today. When Mr. Blair said he had no regrets, James Shadri (who has spent two years in Syria working with Iraq-Namese refugees) shouted, "Come on. A regret, man!" During a break, someone shouted at him "You are a liar" to which someone else rejoined "And a murderer."

The problem that he fails to understand has nothing to do with Saddam Hussein, reconstruction or being President Bush's poodle. The problem is that the British people rightly feel that they have lost some of their dignity and honor because they went to war for an untruth. The argument over legalities, post-war administration and the rest is secondary. The British people have lost their trust in their institutions because of the war.

The great shame in this is Mr. Blair's reputation has suffered severely. As Prime Minister, he achieved a great deal. He won three general elections. He was instrumental in bringing what peace there is to Ulster. He ensured that Scotland and Wales got their own parliaments. He gave workers a minimum wage, gave gays civil partnership rights, and gave most Britons a better standard of living. Yet, he will be remembered as the PM who took Britain to war over a mistake.

In all of this, the Chilcot Inquiry has been a great success. While it will not be the last word on the whole Iraq-Nam fiasco, it has provided many people with a better sense of just what the heck happened. While not a trial, those questioned have been called to some kind of account in the court of public opinion. Would that America could do the same.

© Copyright 2010 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Ubuntu Linux.

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