Chilcot Report

[Otta]

According to reports, this is not a whitewash at all, but quite damning.

But the fact is we all knew all this by 2005.

[Otta]

Seabag Wrote:

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> It's painful

Perfect summary.

[Angelina]

I think we knew it in 2003

[Otta]

Well a lot of it yes, but not the lack of planning for the aftermath, which is arguably the biggest issue of all.

[red devil]

Otta Wrote:

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> Well a lot of it yes, but not the lack of planning

> for the aftermath, which is arguably the biggest

> issue of all.

That rings a bell! :)...

[????]

come on, it doesn't matter if you haven't a plan in place for these massive decisions

[TE44]

http://wearemany.com/

I'm not convinced much will come out with the

report. And it saddens me to think how long it will take if any criminal actions against Blair. Although it has past the consequences are very much today, people

living now whose lives will never be the same,

it does not feel like history to them.

Edited link to film, sorry forgot to mention

[JohnL]

Otta Wrote:

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> Is there a PMQs this afternoon?

There was but nobody really cared.

Statement on Chilcot by Cameron at 12:30

[Otta]

Blair's initial statement

"The report should lay to rest allegations of bad faith, lies or deceit. Whether people agree or disagree with my decision to take military action against Saddam Hussein; I took it in good faith and in what I believed to be the best interests of the country.

I note that the report finds clearly:

? That there was no falsification or improper use of Intelligence (para 876 vol 4)

? No deception of Cabinet (para 953 vol 5)

? No secret commitment to war whether at Crawford Texas in April 2002 or elsewhere (para 572 onwards vol 1)

The inquiry does not make a finding on the legal basis for military action but finds that the Attorney General had concluded there was such a lawful basis by 13th March 2003 (para 933 vol 5)

However the report does make real and material criticisms of preparation, planning, process and of the relationship with the United States.

These are serious criticisms and they require serious answers.

I will respond in detail to them later this afternoon.

I will take full responsibility for any mistakes without exception or excuse.

I will at the same time say why, nonetheless, I believe that it was better to remove Saddam Hussein and why I do not believe this is the cause of the terrorism we see today whether in the Middle East or elsewhere in the world.

Above all I will pay tribute to our Armed Forces. I will express my profound regret at the loss of life and the grief it has caused the families, and I will set out the lessons I believe future leaders can learn from my experience.?

[miga]

???? Wrote:

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> come on, it doesn't matter if you haven't a plan

> in place for these massive decisions

sometimes it's in the thrill of the ride.....wheeeeeee...down the toilet...wheeeeeee

[miga]

Otta Wrote:

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> Blair's initial statement

What a cunt.

[Seabag]

Theresa May is nodding off in the House of Commons

Poor woman, looks like she's not slept a wink of late

[TE44]

http://m.huffpost.com/uk/entry/uk_577cd697e4b0c9460801b6ea?edition=uk

Protest outside conference centre today after findings.

I don't know if enquiry looked into blairs finances and deals done whilst at war with Iraq.

I would imagine it would have to be looked at,

and if not it should have, anyone know.

[Earl Aelfheah]

Just seen the summary. It certainly doesn't come across as a whitewash.

[rendelharris]

"The inquiry does not make a finding on the legal basis for military action but finds that the Attorney General had concluded there was such a lawful basis by 13th March 2003 (para 933 vol 5)"

Advice that the AG (Blair's own appointment) offered after changing from his original advice (twice) that a second UN resolution was required, advice that was contradicted by all 23 lawyers employed in the Foreign Office. So your mate changed his advice after pressure from you and against all FO advice and you're calling that a justification? This really is bringing back bad memories of the duplicitous little shit in whom many (including me) once invested such hope.

[Earl Aelfheah]

The Executive Summary makes interesting reading:

http://www.iraqinquiry.org.uk/media/246416/the-report-of-the-iraq-inquiry_executive-summary.pdf

[DaveR]

I have no love of T Blair - never voted for him, never trusted him, never really rated him other than as a pure politician, and that's not a quality I admire, to say the least. But almost everything that has been said about him since the Iraq war is complete nonsense. Everybody will take exactly what they want from this report and ignore/dismiss the rest. what a waste of time and money.

[Lordship 516]

Funny story about the wife of a certain PM - she went to a very specialist silk emporium in Suzhou that closed the shop so she & her companions could shop for rare silks. She loaded up a trolley with a lot of beautiful silks & marched to the checkout not expecting to pay. The owner had to be called but he politely requested either cash or credit card. Feet were stamped but no hope - she paid the bill. That day the UK lost a lot of face with Chinese people as this story was shared all over.

These people are just in it for the money & don't care about little people. They have gotten away with the loot & will brazen it out.

[miga]

DaveR Wrote:

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> I have no love of T Blair - never voted for him,

> never trusted him, never really rated him other

> than as a pure politician, and that's not a

> quality I admire, to say the least. But almost

> everything that has been said about him since the

> Iraq war is complete nonsense. Everybody will take

> exactly what they want from this report and

> ignore/dismiss the rest. what a waste of time and

> money.

Different readings are inevitable - Tony Blair himself thinks the report has vindicated him.

I disagree it was a waste of time and money. Now we know what was known, what was communicated and how the campaign was planned and run, it's there for posterity.

[Otta]

DaveR Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I have no love of T Blair - never voted for him,

> never trusted him, never really rated him other

> than as a pure politician, and that's not a

> quality I admire, to say the least. But almost

> everything that has been said about him since the

> Iraq war is complete nonsense. Everybody will take

> exactly what they want from this report and

> ignore/dismiss the rest. what a waste of time and

> money.

I more or less agree with you about Blair. But I don't think the report was a waste, the families responses seem to suggest that they're happy with it.

[Lordship 516]

Bliar is now giving his usual emotional speech - false git ! One time too many Tonio ! You got shown up and know it !

You did lie - many times; on Iraq, on Wendy Deng, on Saudi Oil deals - you don't know anything else.

[Robert Poste's Child]

Has his face shrunk or did they just choose a specially piteous-looking one for the front pages?

God, I'm getting old.

[Lordship 516]

Robert Poste's Child Wrote:

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> Has his face shrunk or did they just choose a

> specially piteous-looking one for the front

> pages?

>

> God, I'm getting old.

I think so - he looked pretty knackered n TV just now. ...but some of these guys fake this by staying awake on purpose & put a little shake in their voice just like an actor might do - Tony boy is skilled at method acting, believe nothing he says & only a little of what you see.

[DulwichFox]

Springs to Mind..

You're the one we voted for, so you must take the blame

For handing out authority to men who were insane

You say its all fixed up now, you've got new guys on the line

But you had better remember this while you still got the time

Mothers still are weeping for their boys that went to war

Father still are asking what the whole damn thing was for

And People still are hungry and people still are poor

And on this week of work these days don't feed the kids no more

Arlo Gutherie - Presidential Rag

http://www.lyricsfreak.com/a/arlo+guthrie/presidential+rag_20295552.html

[Seabag]

DulwichFox Wrote:

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> Springs to Mind..

>

> You're the one we voted for, so you must take the

> blame

> For handing out authority to men who were insane

> You say its all fixed up now, you've got new guys

> on the line

> But you had better remember this while you still

> got the time

> Mothers still are weeping for their boys that

> went to war

> Father still are asking what the whole damn thing

> was for

> And People still are hungry and people still are

> poor

> And on this week of work these days don't feed

> the kids no more

>

> Arlo Gutherie - Presidential Rag

>

> http://www.lyricsfreak.com/a/arlo+guthrie/presiden

> tial+rag_20295552.html

Oh here we go, the dripping tap/font of knowledge is back