R2OK!

mark occomore · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 9955 Location: UK

Former PM Tony Blair is due to give evidence in the Chilcot Inquiry. Was the iraq war illegal and should Blair be blamed for this? Should he be arrested for crimes.

I think NOT!!! He went in to remove Saddam H and his brothers who since been hanged for their war crimes.

Tony Blair ordered the invasion of Iraq because of threat towards the world. ( Yes nothing was found, but if he didn't go then something was there what would people have said ) We also went in because we needed to bring peace to Iraq as there was no way it would have happened without Military force. Yes the peace in Iraq has recently turned nasty, because there will be people who are against peace, just like Ireland. The UK and other countries who have helped with the invasion may have made things ten times worse, but without trying some sort of peace how do we know that things will be better for those Iraq people's future.

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19382 Location: Cheshire

At the time of the war I was totally against it but whilst I'm interested in hearing what is being said at the Chilcott Inquiry, I can't get all hot and bothered about it now.

Maybe after TB's answers I'll change my mind but I feel it's a bit late in the day and what good will come of it?

Have they worn us all down???

H
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88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!

I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005

Briant · Posted: Thu Jan 28, 2010 4:18 pm Post subject:

Not me, H! I wrote this before the war. John Humphrys (no less) emailed me and said it was 'First Rate.'

Two little girls

Two little girls are playing happily on a sunny Baghdad street
Unaware that the drums of war have already begun their unholy insistent beat
'Collateral damage may occur somewhere' the politician said without a care
As the bombs fall onto children who's only crime is living there
Yet no mountains of flowers nor acres of newsprint can replace what life had planned
When the blood of the innocent is spilt for the oil that lies beneath the desert sand
For East is East, but The West knows best what makes human life complete
Meanwhile, two little girls are playing happily together on a sunny Baghdad street

I read in The Times that BP and Shell have large stakes in the Iraq oilfields.

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19382 Location: Cheshire

Yes it was all about oil. From memory one of the American oil companies had even named one of their tankers Condoleza................

Excellent verse Briant.

H
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88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!

I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005

John W · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 3367 Location: Warwickshire, UK

Yes but it was named in her honour while she was a director at Chevron for a few years up to 2001 and then the name was changed.
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John W

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19382 Location: Cheshire

Ok I did say it was from memory and wasn't 100% sure.

H
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88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!

I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005

Lord Evan Elpuss · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 3417 Location: Cloud Cuckoo Land

Not wishing to stick up for Tony Blair, but it should be remembered that that war was 'Dubya's' baby, mind you Blair could always have said 'No'. But he was 'Dubya's' yes man, answerable to 'Dubya's' call of 'Here boy'. I wonder if he's had his Good Boy choc yet.
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Lord Evan Elpuss, Your ideal job is a Lumberjack.

SantaFefan · Posted: Thu Jan 28, 2010 10:15 pm Post subject:

The whole affair is so complex I couldn't contribute a meaningful comment either way but, I suppose if the "intelligence" suggested WMDs were there and likely to be used, TB was justified in making the decision along with our US allies.
If anybody is to blame, it must be the intelligence people.
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Johnnie Walker read out my message on Pirate Radio! Very Happy

13/8/07
I have heard how radio should be.

Minx · Posted: Fri Jan 29, 2010 7:52 am Post subject:

I just know I wouldn't want to be in his shoes waking up this morning.
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Minx

To err is human, to forgive - canine.

John W · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 3367 Location: Warwickshire, UK

Blair will be under immense pressure and won't want to incrimminate himself, though since he made the decisions that will be difficcult.

Regarding WMD he will likely say that the Iraqi use of chemicals against Kurdish villages was evidence that Iraq had WMD or the capability to use them again against Israel.
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John W

Fog on the Tyne · Joined: 09 Dec 2006 Posts: 1096

Blair made the case for the war about WMD which was at best an exaggerated claim and at worst a downright lie. Nevertheless he misled/lied to the House of Commons and the country to get the go ahead.

He has since said that in reality what he and Bush wanted was regime change (ie Saddam ousted) which is in fact illegal unless sanctioned by the UN. They are therefore probably guilty of starting an illegal war.

Yes Saddam's regime was evil and should have been removed, but then so is Muggabe's, but that still does not make it LEGAL.

Blair's ,and others, chunterings about 9/11 and terrorism are nothing other that attemps to "muddy the water", prior to the war there was no terrorist threat from Saddam or Iraq and of course they had nothing at all to do with 9/11.

Unfortunately I don't think the inquiry will reach any startling conclusion and Blair will walk away completely untarnished as he did after the Hutton whitewash.
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The wheel keeps on turning...
This fool made it round.

SantaFefan · Posted: Fri Jan 29, 2010 2:23 pm Post subject:

If the war was illegal and went against the wishes of the United Nations, why hasn't there been an international court enquiry initiated by the UN?
Maybe there has already, I just wondered...
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Johnnie Walker read out my message on Pirate Radio! Very Happy

13/8/07
I have heard how radio should be.

Lord Evan Elpuss · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 3417 Location: Cloud Cuckoo Land

Clive55 · Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 1336

Legality & Wazr is an oxymoron.
Was Iraq's invasion of Kuwait legal?Was Irans war against Iraq legal? were the various wars the Arabs started against Israel legal?
Was Hitlers invasion of Czeckoslovakia legal? Was World war II Legal?
The predecessor of the Stop The War Coalition, Oswald Mosleys Union Of Fascists, tried to brand WWII "illegal". By contrast, they maintained, the Holocaust was totally legal accrding to German law.
Worryingly, STW Coalition are using identical arguments viz a viz Iraq

Briant · Posted: Sat Jan 30, 2010 4:27 pm Post subject:

Israel continues to ignore UN Resolutions (over 220) and to deny Palestinians human rights, but America still gives billions of dollars to Israel to continue their apartheid system and genocidal policies.

Clive55 · Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 1336

Funny. The only country in the region where Arabs have a vote and enjoy freedom of speech is Israel.
In any case, that is nothing to do with WWII or the Iraq war.
Or what would constitute a "legal" war

Briant · Posted: Sat Jan 30, 2010 8:37 pm Post subject:

Read this please, Clive.

http://www.panoramas.dk/2009/gaza-war.html