mikemacca wrote:

Saddam killed hundreds of thousands of Kurds and was killing more.

My memory of all that is becoming a bit sketchy due to all varied versions of events being thrown at us, but weren't the Kurds engaged in a kind of civil war, launching attacks on Saddam Hussain's regime. I'm not saying this to defend Saddam, but I wonder how the Kurds then differ from the 'insurgents' of today who are met with equal force when attacking the present regime.

JK2006 wrote:
nobody, surely, has ever doubted Blair's integrity and the fact that he thought he was doing the right thing; the question is - was he?

I don't agree, JK.

Blair "used" the Labour Party (and politics generally) for his own ends. He was always more Tory than Labour anyway - but figured (rightly) that he could not "rise" in the Tory party.

He was never interested in parliament, politics or even his own constituents - he abandonned them as soon as they were "surplus".

ALL other PM's have retired to the backbenches, to continue their contribution when they stepped-down (or were pushout out of) the "top job" ... not this one - he was off on the (very lucrative) US speaking circuit (which someone who has licked the American butt, can do).

Very calculated !

Now we know how he intended to pay-off that very large mortgage that he took out, don't we?

Chris Retro wrote:
It would be nice to think that sometime in this "enquiry" whitewash someone would stand up and point out America's role in the rise of Sadaam, and their continued support of him and his excesses right up until he invaded Kuwait in 1990....

That would be "off current topic" !

The Yankers dont want to talk about how they (frequently) support evil people (if they are willing to kow-tow) but these people then become "evil" when they stop kow-towing !

Fortunately, the UN have (at long last) noticed what is happening in Uzbeckistan ... at a time when the US were trying to "sell" Saddam as the evil of the world (but then, the President of Uzbeckistan WAS tow-towing )!

JK2006 wrote:
- especially when it's your finger on the button.

... or your fingers on the proceeds ?

Halliburton (and Dick Cheney) with many others - did very well indeed out of that war !

Very precise Express comment -

Vanity - thy name is Tony Blair

www.express.co.uk/ourcomments/view/15512...ds-us-a-merry-dance-