Blair defends Bush on decision to go to war

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Source: The Raw Story

Britain's former prime minister Tony Blair on Friday defended US President George W. Bush's "good faith" decision to oust Saddam Hussein, amid renewed controversy over the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

When asked in an interview on NBC television if he thought Bush had deceived him on the US president's rationale for the invasion, Blair said: "No, I didn't," although he acknowledged that "it was a very controversial, difficult decision" to go to war.

"And my decision to stand with America was also very difficult," he added.

"But I honestly worked very closely with President Bush all the way through that period of time. People can agree or disagree with the decision. I have no doubt it was taken in good faith," he said of Bush's decision to go to war.

Read more: http://rawstory.com/news/afp/Blair_defends_Bush_on_decision_to_g_05302008.html

[gateley]

1. Duh, yeah. They cooked up the whole thing together. nt

[LakeSamish706]

2. I would say to Tony Blair that I care about as much what he has to say as ...

what Bush has to say... Naughtta.... Crawl back under that rock pal...

[marmar]

3. Still the obedient poodle....

n/t

[Mojorabbit]

4. Downing street memos n/t

[Mountainman]

5. Poodle supports his master, Big DUH!

[feemee]

6. Blair is an asshole

We hate him here in the uk too,he is worst than Bush.

[Faygo Kid]

8. You're too kind, and welcome to DU.

Glad to have another DUer from across the pond. Tony Blair is considered here on DU as the worst and lowest form of enabler of the worst and lowest president in U.S. history.

Blair is a contemptible worm. Nobody is worse than Bush, but Blair is of the same ilk.

What ho, eh?

[Ghost Dog]

9. Hiya feemee, welcome to DU.

While all the above (and, no doubt also below) is true (slimy hypocritical murderous privileged lying proto-fascist scumbag bastards, both, as it were), nevertheless the following remains true:

The (British) decision to (somehow) stand by (the Real, complex) what-they-call America (ie. USA) is very, very difficult. We have, actually and potentially, plenty of other friends, allies, ex-enemies present-day enemies and, like, just the Rest of the World to take into account.

But then, we and they speak the same language, more or less.

It costs us. A lot. We receive plenty, maybe, in return (like, information, basically). But it corrupts us. Perhaps fatally, by contamination. And they've always wanted us to lose, essentially.

I'm a self-exile, myself, living since early Thatcher years in Europe (now Spain).

Please feel fee with your own comments (within limits, or they'll throw us off the board).

[darue]

7. and what does tony think of the Shock and Awe or the idea to destroy the civilian infrastructure?

of course, Saddam was ready to resign and leave in exile...


I hear Tony now want to unite the worlds religions. I'm fine with that if it means we get Friday, Saturday AND Sunday off.

[blm]

10. Bush, Blair were on the same page the entire time - Downing Street Memos, anyone?

And what last Dem president was Blair's closest American advisor the whole time, too?

[Whoa_Nelly]

11. Well, 'course he does...otherwise he would like a ninny to bash McFuckwad at this point n/t

[Amonester]

29. AND (not to forget...)

bLiar will be "invited" for a "visit" at The Hague to sit next to the war criminals he enabled to listen to the ICC judges pronounce his punishment.

I just want to live long enough to see THAT.

[LynnTheDem]

12. What Tony the bLiar is gonna need is someone to defend him.

The UK is still a nation of laws, unlike America, and in the UK, wars to overthrow leaders are in fact -and bLiar was explicitly warned about this by his own legal advisors-vastly illegal. As are all wars of aggression.

FACT, Tony; you are a war criminal. The top 2 judges in the UK have already stated so.

[Monk06]

13. Bush talks to butt boy Blair.while shoving bread rolls into his mouth at the G8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Xq3DobSCKQ

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

14. Poodle stands up on hind legs and yaps

and then pisses upon the world's shoes.

[grahamhgreen]

15. They are both partners in the Carlyle group - War Profiteers, money for murder

[truthisfreedom]

16. I'm stunned! Who would'a thunk?

blair? Supporting bush?

[MisterP]

17. dear Blair: go pee in someone else's shoes, you waste of carbon and nitrogen n/t

[muriel_volestrangler]

18. Blair explained earlier how his faith makes him certain he's right about things

not because he arrives at decisions based on any Christian precepts - he just feels that it tells him that whatever he's decided, it must be right:

Blair is always careful to downplay the role his faith played in complex matters of life and death, such as the invasion of Iraq. "You don't put a hotline up to God and get the answers," he says. At the same time, he plainly thinks his faith has helped him make tough decisions. "The worst thing in politics," he says, "is when you're so scared of losing support that you don't do what you think is the right thing. What faith can do is not tell you what is right but give you the strength to do it."

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1810020-3,00.html

So while a normal person might decide something, but be cautious because of the fallible way you arrived there, Blair just convinces himself he must be right, because he's a 'man of faith'. Not, I think, how a priest would tell him to use his religion.

[nebenaube]

24. yeah

doomsday prophets have that kinda effect on the psyche!

[cambie]

19. Goebbels defends Himmler

Blair's decision to join Bush was on the basis of winning, that is, not getting caught out as a war criminal. They didn't win and now we all know.

[sakabatou]

20. I have two words for you, Mr. Blair:

Fuck. You.

[otohara]

21. Fuck You Tony Blair * Your People Aren't Paying

for this fucking war - this country is going broke, kids are dying - fuck you!

[Rambis]

22. Feckin paid hoor

how much d pay ya?

[TaffyMoon]

23. Oh, Give It Up Tony.

Fool.

[Solly Mack]

25. yap yap yap goes the ankle biter

[TheShamanicProfessor]

26. The Propaganda: Agree or Disagree with Decision to go to War

Yes, I heard Tony Blair today, and he's a 100% Bush & Co. man. He must have oil stock!!

Did you notice the use of the propaganda phrase, "You can agree or disagree with (my/his/Bush's) decision," by Blair and other surrogates when asked to comment/defend controversial policy like the war in Iraq? Blair used it multiple times when asked about Bush going to war in Iraq, as he tried to "simply" an answer to two possibilities, that you "agree or disagree," rather than if and why it was a good or bad decision. Such an answer also tries to separate the person from their behavior as though it were two mutually exclusionable issues, a desion, and an action. I didn't know you could have an action w/o having a decision to execute the action, and that if you made a decision to act, that you also had actions/consequences beyond the decision.

I can't wait to hear about these rich politician's kids running around and getting in trouble. I hope the kids use this reasoning on their bonehead parents: "You mean that you disagree with my decision (to get in trouble)? Then, OK, I can respect that. As long as you can respect me. Then we can agree to disagree. And if you're upset, I'm sorry that you feel this way!" What a crock a sttt! If that was my kid saying that, the fire dept would have to remove his implanted body from the wall!

This "agree or disagree with the decision" propaganda has also been used to address Scott McClellan and Richard Clark speaking out against their administration. It's gotten so BAD that its beginning to sound like John Travolta's, Chili Palmer, character in the movie "Get Shorty," where Palmer repeatedly and manulatively would ask adversaries to "look at me, no, I mean really look at me" when he was speaking to them. By the end of that movie, Gene Hackman gets beat up bad for saying it.

Perhaps soon - we'll see some surrogate get hammered for inappropriately supplanting this "agree or disagree" phase as a valid answer. I'll even call the fire department!

[JI7]

27. whore

[badgervan]

28. What a Tool...

...and such a fool. Blair and bush have to ride this out now; they can't admit to being wrong after so many deaths and massive mistakes. History will not be kind.