Tony Blair Apologises For Iraq War 'Mistakes', Concedes Invasion Played Part In Rise Of Islamic State

NEW YORK -- Tony Blair has apologised for “some of the mistakes” of the Iraq War, it was revealed on Saturday. The former British prime minister told CNN he regretted failing to plan properly for the aftermath followed the toppling of Saddam Hussein and the false intelligence upon which justification for the invasion was built.

The apology was lablled a "prebuttal" - an attempt to pre-empt the long-delayed Chilcot Report into the war which is expected to criticise Whitehall and Westminster over the war that has come to define Blair's public image and his premiership.

“I apologise for the fact that the intelligence we received was wrong," Blair said during an interview with the broadcaster. "I also apologise for some of the mistakes in planning and, certainly, our mistake in our understanding of what would happen once you removed the regime."

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/10/24/tony-blair-apologises-for-iraq-war-mistakes_n_8381988.html?utm_hp_ref=uk

he is just trying to cover his ass before #chilcott report comes out and he is nailed to the wall.

Saddam needed taking out for his atrocities to others.

Stormee wrote:Saddam needed taking out for his atrocities to others.

Just not by us. It's not our business.

The Devil, You Know wrote:he is just trying to cover his ass before #chilcott report comes out and he is nailed to the wall.

So the Tories opposed the invasion, did they?

Blair and Bush should be tried for that war, absolute disgrace the pair of them.

Absolutely agree!

Although Ben is right, it would not have got through without the Tory support as so many Labour MPs voted against it.

sassy wrote:Absolutely agree!

Although Ben is right, it would not have got through without the Tory support as so many Labour MPs voted against it.

The Tories are guilty only of enabling in this case. Labour were the government.

Eilzel wrote:

sassy wrote:Absolutely agree!

Although Ben is right, it would not have got through without the Tory support as so many Labour MPs voted against it.

The Tories are guilty only of enabling in this case. Labour were the government.

Quite agree, which is why I loathe Blairites.  I think he should be in prison for lying to Parliament.  And, from the new revelations of emails, he was plotting this with Bush a year before the invasion http://thefreethoughtproject.com/breaking-declassified-email-reveals-british-government-support-iraq-war-year-invasion/

Eilzel wrote:

sassy wrote:Absolutely agree!

Although Ben is right, it would not have got through without the Tory support as so many Labour MPs voted against it.

The Tories are guilty only of enabling in this case. Labour were the government.

But didn't something like a quarter of Labour MPs vote against in one of the resolutions?

Ben_Reilly wrote:

Eilzel wrote:

The Tories are guilty only of enabling in this case. Labour were the government.

But didn't something like a quarter of Labour MPs vote against in one of the resolutions?

Even if they did, at that time they were an overwhelming majority. A huge portion of New Labour dutifully followed their increasingly egotistical, ideological and 'presidential' party leader. And depending on how much Blair lied and what was going on behind the scenes would have determined the information the Tories had to go with. I don't like the Tories don't get me wrong. And they are partly to blame for us going to war in 2003. But Blair and his administration were the ones ultimately responsible.

Eilzel wrote:

sassy wrote:Absolutely agree!

Although Ben is right, it would not have got through without the Tory support as so many Labour MPs voted against it.

The Tories are guilty only of enabling in this case. Labour were the government.

It is a strange twist of fate. Something in Blair's personality makes him want to be an underling...I wouldn't be surprised if he wears a pink bra and nickers. Else, why would a Labour PM sit on a Republican President's lap. They don't even belong in the same room.

And so we have the strange twist of LW Brits having to answer for what was one of the worst RW blunders in history. If y'all LW Brits had just remained true to the program! You know...you've known for decades that conservatives lie. Why would Blair ever truck with them?

Original Quill wrote:

Eilzel wrote:

The Tories are guilty only of enabling in this case. Labour were the government.

It is a strange twist of fate.  Something in Blair's personality makes him want to be an underling...I wouldn't be surprised if he wears a pink bra and nickers.  Else, why would a Labour PM sit on a Republican President's lap.  They don't even belong in the same room.

And so we have the strange twist of LW Brits having to answer for what was one of the worst RW blunders in history.  If y'all LW Brits had just remained true to the program!  You know...you've known for decades that conservatives lie.  Why would Blair ever truck with them?

Because Blair was never LW basically, never has been, never will be.  Thank goodness for Corbyn.

sassy wrote:

Original Quill wrote:

It is a strange twist of fate.  Something in Blair's personality makes him want to be an underling...I wouldn't be surprised if he wears a pink bra and nickers.  Else, why would a Labour PM sit on a Republican President's lap.  They don't even belong in the same room.

And so we have the strange twist of LW Brits having to answer for what was one of the worst RW blunders in history.  If y'all LW Brits had just remained true to the program!  You know...you've known for decades that conservatives lie.  Why would Blair ever truck with them?

Because Blair was never LW basically, never has been, never will be.  Thank goodness for Corbyn.

I know, right? Blair left y'all in a pickle that will last for decades.

It even feels strange...watching a Labour man, twisting at the end of a rope of the conservatives' self-destriction.

He is a war criminal, end of story.

Cass wrote:He is a war criminal, end of story.

Spot on!   They are still trying to put off the revelations of the Chilcot Report, it's monsterous.

Not to mention that you just can't get all liberals to do the same thing the way you can get all conservatives to. Look at health care reform -- it barely passed the House because 34 Democrats voted against it, along with every single Republican.

Original Quill wrote:

Stormee wrote:Saddam needed taking out for his atrocities to others.

Just not by us.  It's not our business.

I have to say I agree with you Quill. We all too often get involved in matters that are just not our business.  Now look at the mess we are in

The age old story of put your own house in order before you start critising and interfering in others.

feelthelove wrote:

Original Quill wrote:

Just not by us.  It's not our business.

I have to say I agree with you Quill. We all too often get involved in matters that are just not our business.  Now look at the mess we are in

The age old story of put your own house in order before you start critising and interfering in others.

Agreed. Even give you a greenie for that one. xxx

Fortunately--and I've published this before--the Republicans, in their enthusiasm to make the first black President a failure, refuse to pass any legislation put forward by the administration, including a war bill that has been sent to them. It covers this bru-ha-ha that some have with ISIL. Under the Constitution, the US cannot go to war without authorization of Congress. So, ironically the Republican venom has actually kept us out of this one.

But there are lots of RWers who would welcome, in fact they would be anxious to go to war with ISIL. Same ole' same ole'...they don't know who the enemy is, and they have absolutely no endgame for such a conflict. We would be back in the same quagmire if we went to war with ISIL.