Nelson Mandela felt betrayed by Tony Blair over decision to join Iraq invasion (was breathing fire)

[Turborama]

Source: The Guardian

Nelson Mandela felt so betrayed by Tony Blair's decision to join the US-led invasion of Iraq that he launched a fiery tirade against him in a phone call to a cabinet minister, it emerged today.

Peter Hain, a lifelong anti-apartheid campaigner who knows the ex-South African president well, said Mandela was "breathing fire" down the line in protest at the 2003 military action.

The trenchant criticisms were made in a formal call to the minister's office, not in a private capacity, and Blair was informed of what had been said, Hain added. The details are revealed in Hain's new biography of Mandela.

"He rang me up when I was a Cabinet minister in 2003, after the invasion," he told the Press Association. "He said: 'A big mistake, Peter, a very big mistake. It is wrong. Why is Tony doing this after all his support for Africa? This will cause huge damage internationally.' I had never heard Nelson Mandela so angry and frustrated. He clearly felt very, very strongly that the decision that the prime minister had taken – and that I as a member of the cabinet had been party to – was fundamentally wrong, and he told me it would destroy all the good things that Tony Blair and we, as a government, had done in progressive policy terms across the world."

Hain grew up in South Africa, where his anti-Apartheid campaigner parents knew Mandela, who he now describes as "a friend and a hero".

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/sep/12/nelson-mandela-tony-blair-peter-hain-iraq-invasion

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Mandela 'Breathing Fire' Over Blair War Call

Nelson Mandela felt so betrayed by Tony Blair's decision to join the US in invading Iraq he apparently launched a fierce tirade of criticism in a call to a Cabinet minister.

8:44am UK, Monday September 13, 2010
Andy Winter, Sky News Online

Peter Hain, a lifelong anti-Apartheid campaigner who knows the former South African president well, has claimed Mr Mandela was "breathing fire" down the line in protest in 2003.

He said Mr Mandela told him any positive work done by Mr Blair's Government in Africa and elsewhere around the world had been "blown out of the water".

Because the criticisms were made in a formal call to the minister's office, and not in a private capacity, Mr Blair was informed.

Mr Hain said the former president told him in the phone call: "A big mistake Peter, a very big mistake. It is wrong."

Full article: http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Nelson-Mandela-Breathing-Fire-Over-Tony-Blair-Iraq-Decision-Peter-Hains-Book-Describes-Criticism/Article/201009215726013?lpos=World_News_Top_Stories_Header_1&lid=ARTICLE_15726013_Nelson_Mandela_Breathing_Fire_Over_Tony_Blair_Iraq_Decision:_Peter_Hains_Book_Describes_Criticism

[Turborama]

1. Kick

Just to help keep it on the 1st page for anyone who may miss it otherwise.

[Delphinus]

4. Appreciate that kick -

I would have missed it.

So glad to hear about this.

[sabra]

2. k & r

:kick:

[karynnj]

3. Mandela is certainly one of the truest statesmen of our time

His words then should have meant a lot more to Blair than they likely did. It is clear that Blair is still delusional on what they did. I guess he can't bear to think that he gambled his reputation - and perhaps his soul - on joining Bush in an illegal invasion.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

5. The man that Bill O'Loofa called ''Ol' Nellie''. nt

[harun]

6. Blair had the Pope and Nelson Mandela saying "Don't do it" and he went with Bush? WTF