Blair comments on the Downing Street Leaks:
“The trouble with having a political discussion on the basis of things that are leaked is that they are always taken right out of context. Everything else is omitted from the discussion and you end up focusing on a specific document,” he said.
“It would be absolutely weird if, when the Iraq issue was on the agenda, you were not constantly raising issues, trying to work them out, get them in the right place,” he said.
“I am a bit astonished at how this has received such coverage in the U.S. because the fact is, after the memo was done, we went to the United Nations,” Blair said.
“What people forget about that memo is that that (it) occurred nine months before the conflict. … So whatever issues there were, we resolved them ultimately by saying we have got to give it one last chance to work peacefully.”
Blair also said it was “vitally important” for coalition troops to remain in Iraq “until the job is done.”
“That is vitally important. If we defeat these insurgents and terrorists in Iraq _ and we’ll only defeat them with the Iraqi people _ we will beat that terrorism and insurgency worldwide,” he said.
“The most important thing we can do in Iraq is concentrate on the fact … that what is happening there is a monumental battle that affects our own security,” Blair said.
“You’ve got every bad element in the whole of the Middle East in Iraq trying to stop that country (from getting) on its feet and (becoming) a democracy.
“The world for both of us changed after Sept. 11,” Blair said. “What happened for me after Sept. 11 is that the balance of risk changed. I took the view that if these people ever got hold of nuclear, chemical or biological capability, they would probably use it.”
Sept. 11 “changed the whole picture. It changed the politics of how we dealt with the threat. And I still believe in a time to come it will be seen as important that we took that decision.”
Let the snark be with you:
I’d have enjoyed him on my debate team in high school. He could have helped enormously in the lying with statistics efforts, not to mention the charm-that-wins-over-the-judges department.
Sept. 11 “changed the whole picture. It changed the politics of how we dealt with the threat.
In other words, you can get by with anything as long as you invoke September 11. It’s the political equivalent of saying a Hail Mary to expunge sin. Illegal war? Just say “September 11” five times and you’re forgiven.
Time to excommunicate the bastards.
Even if we ignore the transparently absurd rhetorical gymnastics of the esteemed Mr Blair, I must wonder if he actually believes this statement he made.
Even more curious, does he actually expect us rational, reality based people to believe that if we somehow “defeat” the fighters in Iraq that bin Laden and his brain “Zawahiri”, (Bush’s Brain is Rove, bin Laden’s brain is Zawahiri), are going to be so distraught and depressed they’ll simply abandon all attempts to inflict damage on the West?; that bin Laden won’t be able to find a couple dozen willing recruits to deploy against us?
Does he think that those insurgents now getting “on the job terrorist training” in Iraq in the arts of urban warfare and sabotage are going to abandon plans for carrying out such activities in other places around the world just because of a military defeat in Iraq?
Do world leaders really think we’re that stupid? (A rhetorical question!)
I’m waiting for Tony to pronounce it as “nuk-u-lar” and to start saying “terra-ists.” Then he’ll prove that he is a true company man.
Oh, you mean like this:
?