Blair fears being hung out to dry by Bush over WMD

[UpInArms]

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/story.jsp?story=486662

Close associates of Tony Blair fear that the Prime Minister is on the point of being hung out to dry by President George Bush over the issue of whether Iraq held weapons of mass destruction when Britain and the US went to war last March.

Under pressure from the Democrats and some prominent Republicans in an election year, Mr Bush is edging towards an admission that the intelligence used by the US and Britain to justify the war was faulty. White House sources said yesterday that he may yield to demands for an independent inquiry into the failure of intelligence on Iraq.

One leading ally of the Prime Minister said: "There have been signs of a divergent strategy in Washington. This is a real problem for Blair."

Having enlisted Britain's spies in making the case for war in the September 2002 dossier on Iraq's WMD, the Prime Minister is less able than Mr Bush to distance himself. The White House, unlike No 10, never staked its entire case for war on Iraq's alleged possession of WMD, and may seek to deflect blame on to the CIA and other intelligence agencies, including MI6.

...more...

[KissMyAsscroft]

1. Well....

What the fuck did you expect Tony?

[GordonOKC]

2. Did you get burned, Tony?

Tony, you should have investigated the track record before investing with Shrub and Company. The unsuspecting get burned, and burned badly. Does Harken Energy ring a bell?:nopity:

[indepat]

41. Surely fearless Tony who courageously took his country to pre-emptive war

is not fearful.

[Malva Zebrina]

3. oh you will Tony, make no mistake about it

you sold your soul for a bowl of lentils fried in oil and you will be tossed aside and never invited to the Crawford dry gulch for at least another year. Cherie was right, you should have listened to her--you latched on to a criminal and now you are complicit--usually, what happens in cases like that is there are separate trials, where one defendant blames the other and rats on him as the actual perpetrator of the crime. Get ready-and may I say, you deserve nothing better. You sold your country down the Thames like Bush sold his country down the Potomac, for oil and for riches and for fame. You and he together murdered thousands.

[54anickel]

4. And the plot thickens - Great article

snip>
The White House, unlike No 10, never staked its entire case for war on Iraq's alleged possession of WMD, and may seek to deflect blame on to the CIA and other intelligence agencies, including MI6.


Ya, Shrub also had the BS about OBL/9-11/Saddam and the "he tried to kill my daddy" claim, along with that SH is evil, evil evil and part of that evil axis crap.

snip>
The changing message from Washington comes as Downing Street advisers are still recovering from their astonishment at public reaction to last week's Hutton report into the suicide of the weapons expert David Kelly.

Instead of seeing the report as proof that Mr Blair believed in the existence of Iraq's illegal weaponry when the took the country to war, the public - according to early opinion polls - thinks that the BBC has been unfairly traduced for trying to uncover the truth behind the decision to go to war.

snip>
Until recently the hope in London and Washington was that the ISG would keep working until after the US presidential election and the general election likely to be called in the UK next year, allowing both leaders to seek re-election without having to answer awkward questions about whether they used faulty intelligence to justify the war.

BWAHAHAHA

[Jack Rabbit]

5. It's hard to feel sorry for Blair

He and Bush knew or had reason to know that Saddam's military capability was not what they advertised. They knew that accounts of Saddam's associations with al Qaida were suspect at best and for the most part bogus.

Blair repeated the lies. Even after the White House sees the story falling apart and tries to change it, Blair continues to repeat the lies.

If Bush has hung Blair out to dry, it's because Blair let him.

[T_i_B]

33. "If Bush has hung Blair out to dry, it's because Blair let him"

Thank you. Blair thought he could appease the neo-cons and he is a much of a faliure in this regard as was Neville Chamberlain.

This is Blair's own fault and I cannot see any reason to pity the fool.

[Just Me]

59. He may not be as "evil-hearted" as the freon neocons,...

,...but, he was either too gullible, complicitous or culpable (I just can't say which) to deserve any pity.

[YouMustBeKiddingMe]

6. That would be just like Bush

To turn on the only one who stood by his lies in the first place. If he's not careful Blair could turn on him too. He knows where the bodies are buried.

[proud patriot]

7. Everyone who has ever done business with bush has been Burned

that's his track record

[BeFree]

8. Remember this?

"British Intelligence has learned...from Africa"

I had to include the Africa, because I'll never get over how * spoke the word as if he were describing a boogeyman to the schoolkids.

That's all * has to say to get out of the frying pan "Brtish Intelligence". If he times is just right, well... he may go right into the fire. We can hope.

[ignatius]

9. Sleep with dogs, you get fleas. Maybe you should choose your

friends more wisely next time Tony. The Bush family of Sopranos play filthy dirty and for keeps.

[JohnyCanuck]

11. More like

Sleep with snakes, and you're gonna get bit on the ass. Ain't that right Tony?

[kskiska]

10. Hard to believe

And they even used the same toothpaste.

[DoYouEverWonder]

12. That's what happens to people who sell their souls

to the devil. They never win.

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

13. What? It's not Clintons' fault?

Jeez, you gotta love this administration. (sarcasm)

[cybildisobedience]

14. don't worry....

...it will be before it's all over.

[GCP]

34. Oh, but it is, haven't you heard?

Latest spin from the wing-nut radio-jocks: Clinton decimated live intel during the 90's in his PC-driven purge of foreign assets on the ground.

(What he actually did was get rid of people in Latin America who'd been implicated in Reagan-era right-wing killings of native Americans during the wars in Guatemala and El Salvador).

[neverforget]

15. Blair should've looked into Bush's soul and he would have seen

that Bush doesn't have one.

[depakid]

16. You should have listened to Cherie...

she had the right instincts about BushCo from the start- didn't like 'em, didn't trust 'em.

[pacifictiger]

17. actually, I feel a little sorry for him

His political supporters probably strong armed him (you don't think we've got a monopoly on purchased politicians do you?) and he didn't realize that these people were ruthless vampires instead of honorable gentlemen.

[markses]

23. So are they all...all honorable men

:eyes:

[T Bone]

24. feel sorry for Tony, he was concentrating on the "special relationship"

that is the first view taken by every British PM toward the US, however he failed to realize that the BFEE's special relationship with everyone they meet is "bend over and grab your ankles."

[colonel odis]

18. bush is sounding crazier every day. seriously.

who knows what kind of danger we might all be in when this jerk finally snaps.

[stumblnrose]

19. Any Message Boards in Britain

I love the Independent, my favorite paper in the world. Guardian is a yes-piece for those who fear the Tories, so they are into making Blair look fairly sanitized. Does anyone know something along the lines of DU online from Britain. I really want to read more about this Hutton hoax. Any links appreciated.

[JoFerret]

50. The Guardian is a great paper

...why dismiss the guardian when it consistently has more in-depth and thoughtful pieces than a whole truck load of US rags, broadsheets included. The Independent has Fisk and is often excellent. Read both.

[non sociopath skin]

52. The devil is in the detail.

I've been a Guardian reader for 30 years or more and -yes- the op-ed columnists and the standard of journalism are good.

But..

The editorial line is strongly pro-Blair and will always give the government the benefit of the doubt.

Don't forget also that it is traditionally "pro Liberal Democrat" .. which is the rough equivalent of a party of Ross Perot clones.

The Independent is a maverick and, right now, that's what we need.

The Skin

[rman]

67. Greg Palast writes for the Guardian

Just in case you didn't know.

http://www.gregpalast.com/

Writer of "The best democracy money can buy"

Known in Britain as "the greatest investigative reporter of our time" (Tribune magazine), Palast has broken some of the most infamous stories of the past decade, including:
- How the Bush family stole the election in Florida in 2000
- How Bush killed the FBI's investigation into the financing of terrorist
organizations by Saudi Arabia, and why
- How Enron cheated, lied, and swindled its way into an energy monopoly
- Groundbreaking reports on the World Bank, the IMF, the World Trade Organization, Wal-Mart and more.

Greg Palast reports the news he couldn't get the corporate media to cover.

What they're saying

Katherine Harris calls Greg Palast, "Twisted."
The White House says, "We hate that sonovabitch."

“Greg Palast is investigative journalism at its best. No one has exposed more truth about the Bush Cartel and lived to tell the story.” - Baltimore Chronicle


So The Guardian is pro-labour. Other newspapers are pro-tory. big deal.

[Jack Rabbit]

69. I've taken to reading the British press the last few years

It provides news an opinion we don't get from US corporatist media.

It was in a Guardian story by Julien Borger that I first read about the Bushies cooking inteligence; it confirmed a suspicion I had. It was from Greg Palast, an American writing in the London Observer, that I first learned that even before a single vote was counted (or not) in Florida, Katherine Harris had scrubbed tens of thousands of voters, mostly black (read Democratic), off the rolls; that was how the election was really stolen.

If I want to know what's happening in America, I read the British press. It's not only free, but independent as well. Fight to keep it that way.

[Jacobin]

20. This part of the article is bullshit:

The White House, unlike No 10, never staked its entire case for war on Iraq's alleged possession of WMD, and may seek to deflect blame on to the CIA and other intelligence agencies, including MI6.

He DID stake the entire invasion on WMD, he just changed the reason to "democracy in Iraq" and "free Iraqi people" after they found no WMD

[Mokito]

25. I think the author

was referring to *'s 9/11-up-the-sleeve trick.

[KoKo]

58. Agree Jacobin......that part of the article "IS" Bullshit! Blair and

Straw parroted Chimp, Rummy, Powell, Cheney and Rice....to say nothing about the PNAC'ers and RW Media!

GB had MASSIVE Demostrations against Iraq Invasion (in the millions). While here, we had hundreds of thousands but NO media coverage.

To give Bush a pass is disgusting. But, Blair's feet should be held to the fire along with Straw and MI-5 or 6 whichever who caused the death of David Kelly. We won't ever know what deaths happened here because of Bush....but the Brits need to keep after this because whatever they do will help us over here.

[leesa]

21. Poor widdle war criminal Tony. My heart bleeds for him

[Emillereid]

22. Dry or wet -- just hang the bastard!

[demgrrrll]

26. You really have to question the emotional intelligence of someone

who must have known a little about Bush, met him and then decided
to get involved with him in the invasion of Iraq. I noticed that Bush had problems immediately. Apparently Blair's wife had him pegged.
Where did Tony B veer off the course? Who in their right mind
would think, yeah, here's a stand up guy, someone I can trust.
I don't get it.
Edited to add a few more thoughts.

[Solly Mack]

27. We tried to tell you Blair...

Oh well...just take your sit in the "I'm so stupid even Bush could fool me" section....

[Matilda]

28. Instant karma for Blair?

He's already sacrificed David Kelly and Greg Dyke, that's the great
shame of this sordid affair. I hope he gets his just reward.

[Seldona]

29. He has a right to be worried.

I saw this coming the second I heard Bush utter 'And British Intelligence has recently discovered Saddam tried to buy quantities of uranium in Africa',. (not a verbatim quote here)

This was thoroughly debunked a year before.

Whatever. He made his bed and choose his partners.

Now sleep well Tony. Not.

[Hekate]

30. The saddest part is that Tony B. will probably hang alone...

from that political gallows tree, while W gallops off into the sunset to wreak more havoc elsewhere. The man who could look into Putin's old KGB soul and find a friend there strikes me as someone to be handled with a long forked stick, not someone to go into business with.

Oh Mr. Blair, your daddy should have told you that when you play with rattlers you get bitten.

Hekate

~~~ To view Arlington West, Santa Barbara, Calif.
Go here:
http://www.veteransforpeace.org/Default.htm
then click on the large photo of AW
which will take you here:
http://www.veteransforpeace.org/Arlington_west_121003.htm
Scroll down the page for all the photos, then go back up to follow the links~~~

[yorgatron]

31. c'mon tony,spill the beans now

and we'll let you off easy.* is the one we want busted.

[Dulcinea]

32. I hope Tony turns on Boy George to save his own hide.

That certainly could happen.

It's one way this whole house of cards could fall.

[dbt]

35. "Good Dog Nigel" by John Lennon:

Arf, arf, he goes, a merry sight,
Our hairy little friend,
Arf, arf, upon the lampost bright,
Arfing round the bend.
Nice dog! Goo boy,
Waggie tail and beg,
Clever Nigel, jump for joy
Because we're putting you to sleep at three of the clock, Nigel.

:evilgrin:
dbt

[snippy]

36. The Poodle knows that Bush has dropped the dog and blamed others before.

[bushwakker]

37. Sleep with dogs, wake up with fleas

Sorry Tony, no sympathy here.

[Claire Beth]

46. exactly

I have NO sympathy for Tony Blair! He should've known better.

[Capt_Nemo]

38. Well, cry me a river, mother****er!

:nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity:

As Robin Cook said the game is up, bastard!

Better quit now before the people that you've done wrong are going after you!

:grr::grr::grr::grr::grr::grr::grr::grr::grr::grr::grr::grr::grr::grr::grr::grr:

[peacetalksforall]

39. Our right wing leaders have no loyalties...

throughout their history they have proved that a partner one day is the enemy the next. At least Britain won't declare war on us.

[colonel odis]

40. it's ironic how much you see about the premium w. places on loyalty TO him

i guess it doesn't work the other way around

[daleo]

42. Couldn't happen to a nicer guy

I just hope the world doesn't get stuck with a Tory British government at the end of the process.

[Capt_Nemo]

45. The lesser of two evils

What is worse:
having a Tory or a war criminal as prime-minister?

[daleo]

47. I fear that the Tory would morph into a war criminal in short order

However, if the U.S. electorate gets rid of Bushco (assuming that vote tampering doesn't prevent that) a Tory P.M. couldn't do too much damage in the world. I hope so anyway. But it would be best if Blair went, as an object lesson to other leaders too quick to whip up war fever.

[Capt_Nemo]

48. I agree that "Tory would morph into a war criminal in short order"

But that would have to be dealt with later.

The fact is that right now there is a war criminal at nr.10 and that
is not acceptable whatever the circumstances.

[daleo]

51. Then we are agreed

Blair must go - a war crimes tribunal would be best, but I don't expect it to happen. At the very least, the Labour caucus should do the right thing, and give him the toss, the way that Maggie was given the boot by the Tories.

[Justitia]

43. I hoped he would keep us OUT of war....

....waaayyyy back in the early "talks". How crazy is it to have hoped that Blair wouldn't back Bush, thereby effectively stopping the invasion???
I thought - "My God, Britain's refusal may be our last hope!".

'Course Tony rolled over, now he deserves what he gets.
I love to watch Parliament go after each other on TV - wish it was like that here, now that's a debate!

[JoFerret]

53. Cheney put the screws on Blair

about Blair's desire to get the support of the UN. When will Cheney get his? Blair might at least reveal that little episode to a grateful public.

[BruinAlum]

44. If you sleep with dogs you'll wake up with fleas

[JoFerret]

49. Of course they will hang him out to dry...

Duh! the loyalty only goes one way and anyway they think he's a commie pinko socialist class warfare-mongering traitor. Tragic. or it will be if it means the tories are back in power. That would be a real Bush victory.

[Eloriel]

54. what in the world made him think he could trust Bush

or depend on something like loyalty?

Foolish, foolish man.

"Lie down with dogs, expect to get fleas." Or bitten, if the dog is a Bush.

[snippy]

56. Blair should have saved his own blue dress.

[GregW]

55. Bush looked into Tony's soul ...

... and said, "Awww ... fuck him, he didn't vote for me."

[Dr Fate]

57. When you pick up snakes, they often bite you. n/t

n/t

[knight_of_the_star]

60. He should save himself now

If he squeals now, then Bush will sink so fast.

But no, Tony's a gentelman.

He wouldn't turn on Bush even though W has left him on the side of the road just after being raped up the ass and left with no clothes or money in the middle of a desert.

No, Tony's too loyal.

[Barkley]

61. The Best of Great Britain

The full trustworthiness table follows:

Gordon Brown (Labor Politician, Tres. Minister, I think?)
Charles Kennedy (Liberal Democrat's Leader)
Michael Howard (Tory Leader)
Robin Cook (Resigned from Blair Cabinet)
Oliver Letwin
Michael Portillo
Clare Short (Resigned from Blair Cabinet)
John Prescott
Theresa May
Iain Duncan Smith (ousted Conservative leader)
Tim Yeo
David Trimble
Peter Hain
David Davis
Simon Hughes
Patricia Hewitt
Michael Ancram
Alex Salmond
Menzies Campbell
Lembit Opik
Vincent Cable
Jack Straw (Blair's Foreign Secretary)
Ian Paisley
John Reid
Diane Abbott
Alistair Darling
David Blunkett
Margaret Hodge (Children’s minister)
Charles Clarke (Education Secretary)
Tony Blair (George Bush's Poodle)


Blair Is UK's Least Trustworthy Politician: Poll
By Jamie Lyons, Political Correspondent, PA News
The poll was carried out by website CyberBritain.com.
The firm asked just over 13,000 people in the run-up
to Christmas to pick the most and least trustworthy
politicians from a list of 30.

[rjbcar27]

62. What an odd poll.

Anyone who would put Michael Howard as the 3rd most trusted politician is in need of help.

Menzies Campbell half way down? He should be at the top. Methinks many of those who took the poll had no idea who they were voting for.

[Spentastic]

63. It is odd but

Trustworthiness is an odd thing.

I trust Michael Howard to act like the uber conservative that he is. Within these terms of reference I'll never be disappointed.

[Nihil]

65. "Trust" is indicator of reliability, not of orientation

The poll was for who can be trusted to do what they say.

It wasn't saying that people would vote for Howard, just that
they think he is far less likely to change his mind overnight than
a slimy turd like Blair. I'd always put Ken Livingstone and Tony Benn
way higher than any of the cabinet as, whether or not you agree with
them, they are consistent, honest and genuine - very rare qualities
in politicians.

Mind you, I'd bet that most of those polled would STILL vote for
Phony Tony before most of the people on the list though.
Voter stupidity is not just an American phenomena :-)

Nihil

[ze_dscherman]

64. Guardian Top Headline: Blair alone after Bush WMD move

His (Bush's)action, which will pre-empt a possible inquiry by the US Congress, was coordinated with Tony Blair, who will face intense pressure to follow the White House's lead.

While Downing Street made it clear yesterday that it would resist such calls, the prime minister will prepare the ground for a climbdown this week when he acknowledges the need to come clean about the failure to uncover any banned weapons.

Peter Hain, the leader of the Commons, indicated the depth of government unease yesterday when he said that ministers might eventually hold MI6 responsible.

"I saw evidence, it was categoric, on Saddam possessing chemical and biological weapons of mass destruction," he told BBC1's Politics Show.

http://politics.guardian.co.uk/iraq/story/0,12956,1136820,00.html

[truthspeaker]

66. Maybe the bribes from BP-Amoco will make it all better

I can't think of any other reason for Blair's continued enablement of the Bush gang. Unless his judgement really is that bad.

[Nihil]

68. Carlyle

He's just going to follow John Major and the other sell-outs from
around the world into a non-exec seat on the Carlyle Group board.
Given that Blair has out-Toried the Tories, I suspect that he'll
get an even bigger payoff than Major did.

Nihil