GU: It is essential we admit we were wrong

[grytpype]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,1172944,00.html

But there comes a point in every nation's life when its people and their leaders have to admit to and atone for a mistake in order to be able to continue as a functioning part of the international community. That point has been reached for Britain on the first anniversary of the invasion of Iraq. WMD have not been found in Iraq and, whatever the modifications subsequently made to the casus belli by the prime minister and his publicly unabashed cabinet, that was incontrovertibly the reason we sent 12,000 troops to bomb and invade a sovereign territory.

...

This was no finely balanced political decision in which supporters on both sides could after the event claim equal moral rights in the matter. One group of people were wrong because they had not thought the many issues through, because they believed in America's distorted representations of itself and of its mission in the Middle East, and because they failed to distinguish between Saddam's regime and al-Qaida's network.

By all means attack the men who would blow up innocent people, and pressure the regimes that support them, but never at any stage jettison the prized possession of any social democracy - the moral authority it brings. This was the first western casualty on March 20 2003, because we went to war on the false premise that Saddam was helping al-Qaida and possessed WMD that he could and would use at short notice.

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[rpannier]

1. It's Too Bad

I used to think Blair was a great guy. But let's be honest with ourselves. There are two things that are weighing Blair down.
1. His reasons for going to war did not pan out. He looks like he "sexed up" the documents.
2. Most importantly, he looks like Bushes lackey. When I saw Blair with Bush, it reminded me of the old photos of Mussolini with Hitler. Benito always seemed to be standing behind Hitler, even when they were photographed in Italy.
What amazes me the most about this is that Bush eclipsed Blair in all the press conferences. Eclipsed by Bush? Seem impossible? Look at the old videos of their "joint" press conferences.

[T_i_B]

2. If Blair admits he is wrong

Then Blair will have to resign. Hence Blair will never admit he is wrong on Iraq.

Of course this all makes Blair look increasingly ridiculous. The sooner Blair goes the better IMHO but that's not what "new" labour have in mind.