[Closed] Clare Short

Gone up in my opinion.
Still wouldn't, even with yours though.

Why did she not give her evidence before Blair appeared? Interesting, especially given what she had to say.

Because they didn't know what she would say?
There's nothing to stop the inquiry recalling people if they want to though.

Ian, the word is that Blair is going to be recalled as they have doubts over some of his "answers".

'Some' of his answers Flash?

Well, he didn't lie when he gave his name 😉

I expect if you examine his "answers" closely (ie when he was actually answering questions rather than just asking them back), you might find he didn't lie at all. I'm fairly confident he's been rather economical with the truth though.

Well I always reckon I can tell when Blair lies, if you look very, very carefully you'll see his lips moving.....

Tony Blair is a shrewd chap. He phrased his answers very carefully and referred to "what he believed/s". Who can say whether he did or didn't 'believe' something? He's also been practising his lines for a number of years.

As mentioned above, it's probably what he [u]didn't[/u] say that is of more interest.

Tony Blair somehow always manages to give an appearance of confidence. I find it hard to believe that his motivation has always been purely philanthropic.

I hope that they do have him back and give him a [b]proper grilling[/b], demanding real answers rather than allow him to duck the questions.

As an observer, it would appear that the US -controlled by a bunch of nasty bullies & fronted by an absolute idiot- had decided to invade Iraq, Blair went along with it assuming that justification would be found. Either proof of "weapons of mass destruction" (-whatever that vague phrase really means) or an act of aggression by Saddam Hussein. When none of these were forthcoming, Blair's machine persuaded parliament to back him and so, in his view, removed the responsibility from him.

Iraq being such a strong, threatening nation meant that it took a very short time to over-throw not just the 'evil' government, but the whole civil service and infrastructure, basically destroying the place with no proper re-building plan. How could anybody be proud of that?

When Blair was elected leader of the Labour Party I remember thinking that he appeared untrustworthy, having the manner of a recruitment agent/estate agent/car salesman. Many years later I have same view, although now he's a recruitment agent with a history of war-mongering....

I'd have more time for Claire Short if she'd resigned at the same time as Robin Cook instead of voting for the war and then resigning after the event.

-and unfortunately Robin Cook, who's voice would carry more weight, isn't around to speak to the enquiry.

convenient demise?!

I'd have more time for Claire Short if she'd resigned at the same time as Robin Cook instead of voting for the war and then resigning after the event.

Spot on IMHO.

I honestly don't think Blair is a liar. I think he is sincere. deluded and quite possibly dagenham but sincere

I'd have more time for Claire Short if she'd resigned at the same time as Robin Cook instead of voting for the war and then resigning after the event.

Indeed.

I honestly don't think Blair is a liar. I think he is sincere. deluded and quite possibly dagenham but sincere

Quite possibly. He seems to believe that he is correct in all circumstances. I suspect that having prayed about, he's decided that his deity is on his side because, when asked, his god didn't offer any objections...

I remember Robin Cook saying that the question that should be being asked about and of Blair was not whether he was lying when he said he believed in the presence of WMD etc. because Cook was in no doubt that he genuinely did believe it, but instead why did he believe that WMD existed and that the war was just in the face of the evidence.

Cook later wrote that he believed it was a failure of communication, [url= http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2004/jul/12/iraq.iraq ]see here[/url]

Alastair Campbell famously told an interviewer "We don't do God." although there is now plenty of evidence that this was not so e.g. [url= http://www.christianity.ca/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=6568 ]here[/url] and [url= http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article3701941.ece ]here.[/url]

It makes me look at Robin Cook's question from a different angle.

Totally agree with the earlier by geronimo and poterclough posts.Robin Cook was a man of principle Clare Short is a greedy career politician ( another mortgage cheat btw) with an axe to grind because she felt she never got the posts or recognition she deserved.She felt so strongly that it took her 3 months to resign!!! I am not pro war blair or anyone else just dislike hypocrits like her . " I was jeered at and told to be quiet " Yes but you still didn't feel strongly enough to resign did you." I felt marginalised" read I didnt get a big job or made to feel important. 😈

>Tony Blair is a shrewd chap

Well, he's a lawyer, make of that what you will...

I reckon Blair is too cunning to tell a direct lie if there was any chance of it being found out.

Doubt he had much choice in the war though. Bend over and do what our American masters want is more likely what happened.

Can he be tried for war crimes or not?

Doubt he had much choice in the war though. Bend over and do what our American masters want is more likely what happened.

...with the [b]belief/faith[/b] that Saddam Hussein was such a [i]bad man[/i] that he [b]must[/b] (yer, know?) have something to hide -although without a particularly strong military after years of sanctions and air strikes- and that it was only a matter of time before this something was found and everyone would hail Tony Blair as a hero.

Unfortunately for Mr Blair, just believing something to be correct doesn't necessarily make it so and he is now widely regarded with suspicion.

Alastair Campbell may not have done god, but Blair converted to Roman Catholicism (something I completely fail to understand) very soon after leaving office.

but Blair converted to Roman Catholicism (something I completely fail to understand) very soon after leaving office

Maybe he felt the need to confess his sins and receive absolution?

Maybe he felt the need to confess his sins and receive absolution?

He was already a practicing Christian just not a Roman Catholic. I think the conversion may have been more to do with his Wife.

I'd have more time for Claire Short if she'd resigned at the same time as Robin Cook instead of voting for the war and then resigning after the event.

+1

It seems that her personal career ambitions were more important than her principles. Easy for me to say and a tough call for her I suppose but it was another reason to admire what Robin Cook did.

epicyclo - Member

..............

Can he be tried for war crimes or not?

No - only those who lose get tried for war crimes.

He was already a practicing Christian just not a Roman Catholic. I think the conversion may have been more to do with his Wife.

Converting from a fairly fluffy version of Christianity to an arguably more hard-line, medieval version does puzzle me though.

Blair converted to a Roman Catholic so he could become the pope.

For her and Robin Cook to resign over this says something about their integrity and lack of within that government IMO.