Labour Party war criminal publishes memoirs

According to Blair:

"I can't regret the decision to go to war... I can say that never did I guess the nightmare that unfolded, and that too is part of the responsibility."

Indeed it is. But many people did predict the nightmare -- myself included. I vividly recall those who said a war in Iraq would unleash a hellish intensity of tribal violence -- like Northern Ireland, but a hundred fold, said one. Blair, who had seen at close quarters the dynamics of sectarianism in Northern Ireland, should have known exactly what to expect.

While those on the left of the Labour Party are now, quite rightly, demonizing Blair for his record on Iraq, we shouldn't forget that he wasn't alone in this policy. For example, who can forget Jack Straw's performances on the Today Programme and elsewhere, day after day, where his weasel words gave political cover to Blair's iniquity. What about the rest of the cabinet, what were they saying at this time?

The Labour Party is stained for a generation. Good riddance.

Blood Money

The Iraq war, we were absolutely assured, was not about oil. Come to think of it, what was the Iraq war about? Tony Blair's hubris? His need to grandstand on an international stage, clinging to the USA's coattails? Over the years, the official explanation has morphed a few times to serve the political exigencies of the day. However this weekend we learnt that among Tony Blair's colossal £20m earnings, there is an undisclosed fee (for "advice") from oil giant UI Energy Corporation, a company with strong business interests in ...erm ...Iraq. Yep, so definitely not about oil then. It turns out Blair has been battling for the last couple of years to keep this one secret. Well no wonder. And no wonder he couldn't find any expression of regret while addressing the Chilcot Enquiry. Kerching. What a nice fellow.

I expect the families of our dead service personnel, and those of the dead children of Iraq will have some "advice" for Mr. Blair. And I bet they'd give it to him for free.