the meeting that could have changed the history of Iraq

[cal04]

When six of the country's leading experts on Iraq went to Downing Street in November 2002 , they sought to warn Tony Blair about the dangerous consequences of his actions. In this extraordinary account of that meeting, they reveal for the first time their shock at his response, offering a unique insight into the mind of a Prime Minister determined upon war


They felt it was their duty. Six of Britain's leading experts on Iraq trooped into No 10 Downing Street on a Tuesday afternoon in November 2002, determined to warn Tony Blair that occupying the country would be difficult at best and catastrophic at worst. By the time they left, most were convinced that war was inevitable - and, in the view of one at least, that there was nothing the Prime Minister could do about it.

Nearly two years later, the Prime Minister is caught in a similar bind. He would like to stop talking about the Iraq war, to focus public attention on domestic policy. But he and his advisers have had to admit to one another that the issue just will not go away.

Dr Toby Dodge of London University's Queen Mary College, had just returned from a visit to Baghdad. "Our basic message was that if you choose to invade, it will be much, much more difficult than you may have been led to believe," he said. "I thought an invasion was a really bad idea."

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/story.jsp?story=572936

[hedda_foil]

1. sounds like the poodle is as dumb as his master.

<snip>
Another said: "I was staggered at Blair's apparent naivety, at his inability to engage with the complexities. For him, it seemed to be highly personal: an evil Saddam versus Blair-Bush. He didn't seem to have a perception of Iraq as a complex country." He recalled that the Prime Minister had interjected only occasionally and cryptically. At one point he had exclaimed: "But he is evil, isn't he?" Later Mr Blair said of Saddam: "But he's got choices , hasn't he?"

[acmavm]

4. Not only is he as stupid as his master, he has the bizarre messianic

complex that he shares with bush* that they are receiving the message straight from God on who is 'evil' and who is not. In their own deluded way they are totally incapable of grasping the fact that they themselves (bush* & blair) are considered 'evil' by a lot of people for attacking a defenseless county under false pretenses. blair was supposed to be the smart one. Obviously that's not true. And the funny part that in the end bush* shafted him on the one concession blair did get, the Palestinian/Israeli issue.

I guess like water sinks to its own level, Poodle Boy sunk to his when he partnered up with bush* & Company.

[bemildred]

2. Doesn't sound like it could have changed diddly boop.

Not that I don't credit them for trying.

[neomonkey]

3. Didn't they realize

the decision had been made?

The machinations of our global leaders is frightening and massive in scope. We are but pawns. And now they have the media under their fold. Who do we turn to next?

[goforit]

5. The immaturity of these men is astounding!!!

[Moderator]

6. More

Not sure this is a duplicate, but this article goes side by side with this one:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=906022

[FormerOstrich]

7. You damn right the ....

"issue just will not go away"!! Why should it "just go away"? It disgusts me how they played their parts, have their war, and they want it just to fade from everyone's memory...AS troops are still being killed. :wtf:

As * says...they can run but they can't hide...it isn't going to go away...this is going to haunt you for everyday from now on! (at least I hope it does). I honestly hope that you never ever can have it go away!!

:wtf:

Do they honestly think it'll just fade....

[muriel_volestrangler]

8. Blair had handed UK foreign policy over to the USA

Straw admitted it on Tuesday:
http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200304/cmhansrd/cm041012/debtext/41012-07.htm

The heart of the argument in March 2003 was whether we could allow Dr. Blix and his colleagues more time to complete their inspections. The problem was that, although we wanted to allow Dr. Blix more time, there was not an effective international consensus for doing so.

That 'international consensus' means the USA; France, Russia, Germany etc. were all willing to give Blix more time. So Straw has admitted he was unable to stop the British troops being sent to war, even though he wanted to.

At the very least, this ought to mean the resignation of the PM, Foreign Secretary and Defence Secretary; I think it's also valuable ammunition for the movement to impeach Blair.