UK poll: Blair lied on Iraq

[emad]

Quoting from a NOP poll for the UK's Indepdendent newspaper, CNN says that about 60 per cent of Britons believe that Prime Minister Tony Blair lied over the threat posed by Iraq in the run-up to war. The comes as Blair faces one of his toughest speeches to his ruling Labour Party in Bournemouth on the south England coast Tuesday.

more: http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/europe/09/30/blair.conference/index.html

Given his manic performance on UK primetime breakfast TV on Sudnay, the Labour Party faithfull will doubtlessly hope for a little more confidence and gravitas in his keynote speech today. It is hoped that what looked like an eye injury would have healed over by today, or that its twitching and quivering would be under control, likewise the PM's nervous laughter and hand gesticulations.

Blair is still under fire from colleagues regarding the conference's Iraq debate - such a hot potato that convenors have yet to schedule in a firm slot for the debate to take place. An announcement is quoted as being possible later today or maybe Wednesday.

The conference committee responsible said an emergency motion submitted by the RMT - led by left-winger Bob Crow - on the invasion of Iraq was still under negotiation.

more:http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3149938.stm

[LiberalVoice]

1. too bad us americans arent as smart as the british.

Maybe then we could get our asshole out of office.

[emad]

2. When they dump our asshole, I guess yours will also bite the

bullet, uterine bastards heading for the precipice....

[Brucey]

3. Why is the heat on so much more there than here?

Are the British people smarter, more political, more raucus (they did have big turnouts for their protests)? Or do they have better leaders (our Dems have been pretty quiet, waiting for us to take the lead)? Or is it their media? Why don't people in the US get as riled? We're the leaders in Iraq, Britain is just tagging along.

[Flying_Pig]

4. Because their media has portrayed it all for what it was: A Con Job

Our media, conversly, has buried stories on this issue on page 18, and then couched the articles with terms like "used poor intelligence", instead of, "Bush lied to the nation". That's why.

The other reason, is that our opposition Party, with few exceptions, has used a similarly "gentle" language, when accusing the Bush regime. Far too many Democrats are signed up to the PNAC/AIPAC/JDL/JINSA/Likud wagon train, and just like the Republicans, are as guilty as anyone for this debacle.

[emad]

5. Re: Heat. The Brits despise Bush:

It's been coming a long time for Blair & Co. The edge of the precipice has been the Dr Kelly biz, but the run up to that has been:

1 Blair was best mates with Clinton and they both kept out of Iraq because UN no-fly zone patrols reported no wmd activity and because politically they seemed compatible. Blair/Clinton link = credible to UK voters.

2 Blair/Bush link: seen as very suspicious by majority of UK voters, who view Bush as a gun toting oil inudstry pimp that needed a supreme court judgement to get into office. Plus his record when Governor of Texas was much rubbished in the UK papers - especially his massive total of authorised state executions. Brits hate the death penalty.

3 Blair has lost a large number of senior ministers since coming into office and his personal credibility has slowly dived following scandals about old con artists like ex paymaster general Geoffrey Robinson (who secretly doshed up Peter Mandelson to buy a property, who was then ousted twice from office about lying about that and about a passport scam for Labour Party fund donors) and his links to mega thug Robert Maxwell, Bernie Ecclestone (who gave Labour 1 million pounds just when the govt caved in about tobacco sponsorship), 'Liar Byers', Mo Mowlam, Alistair Campbell etc etc etc.

4 Personal credibility damaged by appalling Cheriegate biz when the Blairs' personal 'blind trust' was used to buy condos for Blair Jr, involving a third party who was a convicted fraudster.

I guess the British media have so much on Blair they know that one push and he'll be over the cliff - and hope that the domonio effect will apply to Bush.

There's also a lot of stuff on Blair/Labour links to the Banco Ambrosiano/God's Banker business that goes back to 1982 and other court cases such as the forthcoming BCCI creditors' class action lawsuit which will have devastating effect on the so called New Labour.

The Brits have the impetus to get the ball rolling becasue Blair has overreached himself and lost massive credibility via his support of Bush. If it had been Clinton that had spearheaded the Iraq invasion, I doubt there would have ben nearly as much backlash as there is today.

[VLC98]

6. I think the media has a lot to do with it,

but, speaking as a British person, I think we are more able and willing to criticise our leaders and their policies. No offence, but everyday American people seem reluctant to do this, as if the president was a king. Helping my kids with their social studies over the years, it would seem that America has never made a mistake, according to the text books they're given.

[Brucey]

7. Good point, thanks for the reply.

And, welcome to DU! Bloody nice to have you.

[Padraig18]

8. Speaking as someone who is Irish-born...

I would agree. Furthermore, Americans just don't seem to understand that politics is THE 'blood-sport'. You're (and now 'we're', since my naturalization) FAR too nice when it comes to dealing with your self-governance.

[ablbodyed]

9. That's a good point.....

Americans hate history, they hate intellectual pursuits. Our mindless movies should be evidence of that. The absolutely empty (spiritually, musically et al) semi-organized noise that passes for music is literally deadening the spirit of today's youth. The imbecilic computer games (which, by the way, are outgrowths of military applications) isolate people into themselves, while focusing critical thinking onto empty and worthless "successes". It's no wonder that the troops in Iraq are cracking under the pressure. When did most of them ever have and experience in dealing with anything that approached reality? And the experiences that most of us have with the typical Whimmie (WhiteHeteroMale) should give you all the evidence you need about why we are such ignorant bullies on the world stage.

[malachi]

12. Do me a favor and enlighten me as to what you mean

by the following asi-fucking-nine statement: And the experiences that most of us have with the typical Whimmie (WhiteHeteroMale) should give you all the evidence you need about why we are such ignorant bullies on the world stage.

[newyawker99]

11. Hi VLC98!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[LivingInTheBubble]

13. I think its because

America is so right wing and has a "might is right" attitude. Reading this board I am often reminded that even the Democrats are pretty right wing.

Maybe because our empire is gone and we are weedy now so we don't feel the need as much to try to exert influence, so we see the violence as a bit more horrific?

Just throwing out my thoughts I hope nobody is offended :)

[hussar]

10. Do they still hang war criminals ?

n/t