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Chilcott enquiry

(63 Posts)
suzied Wed 06-Jul-16 12:45:16

Will we learn any lessons from the results of the enquiry?

Anya Wed 06-Jul-16 12:56:27

Do we ever?

suzied Wed 06-Jul-16 13:19:42

apologies for misspelling Chilcot

Anniebach Wed 06-Jul-16 14:20:51

Hope and pray we will

jollyg Wed 06-Jul-16 14:54:53

Listening at the moment to Liar Blair,[ he is trained in the art of deceipt]

We will never get anything resembling the truth from his lips.

I suggest he put all his wealth gained by associating from all the liars/despots in this world, who are on fast dial on this mob, give all the money to the maimed, bereaved, the abject poor of the world he has created.

Thereafter to live in a refugee camp, with all the other disposessed.

OH just seen a big bloated pig with sticky out ears fly by.

Anniebach Wed 06-Jul-16 15:08:40

The first thing we should do is demand the government allow the Iraqi translators who work for us during that war to leave that camp in France and come to this country

kittylester Wed 06-Jul-16 15:15:36

Someone should have counted the number of times he said 'I'. angry

nigglynellie Wed 06-Jul-16 15:17:59

While I agree with you , not sure that name calling is very helpful! Having said that, I'm finding it hard to digest the facts of the report, particularly the part played by MI6! The fact of our troops having totally inadequate kit leading to terrible casualties, it's just unbelievable. I can't get my head round it, the lies to told in order to kill people, no forward plan even though Sadam would definitely be overthrown. just shocking.

Tegan Wed 06-Jul-16 15:25:43

It's the inadequate kit that bothers me more than anything as the S.O. has a letter from someone serving in Iraq asking for something very basic that they weren't given. I'm not saying that other things don't bother me, obviously.

nigglynellie Wed 06-Jul-16 15:45:51

ab for about the first time ever, I totally, totally agree with you. To abandon them, as it would appear we have done, is just completely immoral and cruel, but with this particular episode morality was non existent. The generals are as bad for allowing young people to fight knowing that that they were so ill equipped as to be bordering on suicide, just like WW1! For my money, every single politician who voted for that war, knowing the lack of equipment, lack of after planning,MI 6 part in this,(don't tell me MPs didn't know?) is as guilty as TB and should be prosecuted for the deaths of ALL the innocents civilian and military,during that campaign.

sunseeker Wed 06-Jul-16 15:49:46

I totally agree with Anniebach (I think that's a first!). These people put their lives at risk to help, it's our turn to help them.

We now have the unedifying sight of politicians, advisors and consultants trying to justify their actions. I wish they could have heard an interview which was on local radio this morning.

They were speaking to a former solder, the youngest to be wounded in Iraq. He received extensive wounds aged 18 and had to leave the army - a career he had wanted for as long as he could remember. When asked he said even when serving he didn't think they should be there but "it was the job", when asked about his injuries he said he was just unlucky. It was only later when asked how his injuries were now affecting his life he revealed that he had undergone several operations and was due to have another shortly. He has recently become a father and said if he son chose to join the army he would support his decision.

All this was said with great dignity and shames the politicians who put him and his friends in harms way.

Anniebach Wed 06-Jul-16 16:07:24

That is a first niggly smile . I can!t agree the politicians who voted to invade Iraq knew when they voted about the lack of equipment , the top brass should take the blame for this

nigglynellie Wed 06-Jul-16 16:34:21

I think TB as PM should take responsibility as well as the generals for lack of, and inadequate equipment, particularly when it became common knowledge, and perhaps one or two MPs could have perhaps shown a tad of concern. But you are right, the overall responsibility was the MOD and the generals should have refused to allow ill equipped troops to go into a combat situation without the proper gear! Apparently those landrovers were used in Northern Ireland during the troubles, and they were inadequate, to say the least, then, so in Iraq they were death traps and the military knew it! tantamount to murder!

vampirequeen Wed 06-Jul-16 18:29:54

TB is a war criminal. He lied to the House of Commons and prevented the Attorney General from explaining to the Cabinet why the war would be illegal.

He wrote George Bush a private letter saying that no matter what the UK would support the USA.

Even when he talked about how bad Saddam Hussain was (and no one argues with that) he failed to mention that the USA had helped him take power in order to protect US interests against Iran.

Blair was a war monger. Our troops and the Iraqis paid the price at the time and since the rise of ISIS (a direct result of the war in Iraq) we are all paying the price by living in a far more dangerous world.

Eloethan Wed 06-Jul-16 18:56:45

How he can still say that Iraq and the Middle East is better off for getting rid of Sadam Hussein beats me. It's estimated that 250,000 people were killed in the invasion and its aftermath, and the misery is never-ending. Only a few days ago 200+ people were killed and several hundred were injured by suicide bombers in Iraq. Does he really believe that the invasion of Iraq did not bring about the massive destabilisation that has occurred since then?

His assurance to Bush that "I will be with you, whatever" surely says it all.

nigglynellie Wed 06-Jul-16 19:07:46

The mother of a 19 year old soldier was asked if she felt her daughters death was for a justifiable reason? She just shook her head and whispered 'No'. WW11, was bad enough, but at least it was for a proper reason. (shakes head in disbelief)

Granny23 Wed 06-Jul-16 22:30:48

Only read this if you have a strong stomach

bellacaledonia.org.uk/2016/07/06/sanitising-the-iraq-war/

Somehow reiterating that this was done "Not in My Name" feels like a totally inadequate response. We were on holiday in the Canaries when the big anti-war marches were taking place in London, Glasgow etc. We were surprised to find that there was one in our holiday town and pleased that we were able to join in there. With hindsight, wish I'd done more but what???

suzied Thu 07-Jul-16 07:28:34

It has ruined Tony Blair's reputation and will be all we remember him for. He has aged so much hasn't he?
Obviously the hundreds of thousands of lives lost and the complete destabilisation of that part of the world are the worse legacy , for which he should be brought to trial.

Anya Thu 07-Jul-16 07:57:19

He hasn't even got the guts to say, with hindsight, it was the wrong decision. Nether has Jack Straw. Both too busy covering their backs in the light of possible private prosecutions.

Luckylegs9 Thu 07-Jul-16 07:58:07

How can you live with your yourself with so much blood on your hands. A whole Nation of people are and have lived through unimaginable hell. Those families who lost sons and daughters for an unjust war, knowing their child was sent into battle, ill equipped without even proper shoes some of them, what a waste. It doesn't bare thinking about and I applaud those families for not giving up in their fight for the truth to come out Blair and Bush, should be held account, like Saddam was. The Chicot report took too long coming, but it's covered everything at least. Granny 23, what could the man in the street have done, we were all fed lies, any challenges made against the government stone walled, look how long it has taken for the truth to come out.

Iam64 Thu 07-Jul-16 08:33:09

Like many people, I'd wondered if Chilcot would sanitise or minimise the extent of deception and exaggeration by Blair, or the absence of proper equipment for our groups. I'm struggling to find the words to express my feelings in response to the report but grateful comes close.

Opposition to the war by members of the public was huge, the demonstration in London remains the biggest demo ever seen there. There were huge demonstrations in so many of our cities and elsewhere. How could so many of us be right and our MP's so wrong. I remember watching TB claiming Saddam posed a present threat, could attack us within 45 minutes and feeling incredulous but also wondering if I was wrong because TB spoke so powerfully and with such certainty.

Watching his performance yesterday was nauseating. What a narcissist, the occasional tear and expression of sorrow for the loss of life but no apology. I haven't listened to Jeremy Corby's speech in full but it seems likely that he will have confirmed his position as labour leader with his supporters, as well as improving the way he's viewed by many. This is a genuine comment incidentally.

glammanana Thu 07-Jul-16 08:47:48

Unbelievable the lies this man can spin and show not the slightest responsibility for his actions,I am disgusted to see him being driven around in a bullet proof car and armed guards at his home,I know old Prime Ministers have security but this is way over the top and a further burden to us as tax payers.I will never forgive him for sending my boys to such a horrible horrible place but it was their job and their decision and thank God they came home as some of their friends where less fortunate.

JessM Thu 07-Jul-16 08:50:09

It was clear at the time that the UN were not backing Bush and Blair. I remember the evening of the Parliamentary vote quite clearly. We were emailing our MP and urging her to vote against Blair. Unfortunately someone had convinced her that by going along with Bush, Blair would be able to influence the Palestine situation for the better.
Bush wanted a war so that he could have a real rather than a theoretical "war on terror". It was being planned well in advance of Blair's decision.
A retired submariner ( *UK navy*) once told me that he had been at sea for a whole year before the invasion and that they knew the planned date of the invasion as soon as they sailed. And it was only out by one day. When people tell me stories like that I am always a little sceptical, but he was not someone with a reputation for being a fantasist, and the little detail about them being just one day out, gave it a ring of truth. So it seems entirely possible that the MOD was quietly preparing to some extent for over a year.

Izabella Thu 07-Jul-16 08:51:09

Tony Blair should have an Oscar for that performance of an 'apology '

Anniebach Thu 07-Jul-16 08:52:44

Blair said he took full responsibility Glammananna