Tony Blair documentary

Tbh it would have been difficult for any PM and government to have refused to go in ( Iraq) with the US given what they were told.
Why oh why did Saddam lie about having WMD’s! He gave the world to understand he had them right up to the invasion.

petra

Oreo
he was certainly doing the right thing morally in Kosovo
There are many who would disagree with that: amnesty international for one.

We were a part of NATO forces in the area, sent to stop the Serbs murdering the Albanians in Kosovo.Which we did and then stayed as part of NATO forces to keep the peace.I believe there’s still a small peacekeeping force there.Iraq was at best a dubious cause but I think there’s still case for what we did in Kosovo.

I’ve now watched ep 3. The phrase that stabbed my soul was when he was asked about some of the dubious sources he approached for money for his Foundation. He shrugged and said ‘money is money’ . It really isn’t Tony, it really isn’t.

Agree greciangirl.

I always thought Tony Blair to be charismatic and always smiling. I didn’t know much about politics other than labour were for the working class. My parents voted labour and my dad said he was true working class but he also was a trade union man. I did watch the documentary and found it interesting from that time he still comes over quite well.

GrannyGravy13

MayBee70 I think the Kosovo situation had to be stopped somehow.

I also think that some of the young forces (of all countries involved) were not prepared for what they would find/see when out on patrol checking buildings etc.

From what I’ve been told even very basic things weren’t provided .

I couldn't bear to watch Tony Blair. His disastrous thinking regarding Iraq sewed the seeds of the current problems and those in-between then and now. It has affected our family very badly and I can't forgive him for that.

MayBee70 I think the Kosovo situation had to be stopped somehow.

I also think that some of the young forces (of all countries involved) were not prepared for what they would find/see when out on patrol checking buildings etc.

And now Trump is trying to blackmail the Govt into getting us involved in bombing Iran - and then what? Another war with no exit strategy. I’m pleased KS is citing international law and not being a TB

GrannyGravy13

petra

Oreo
he was certainly doing the right thing morally in Kosovo
There are many who would disagree with that: amnesty international for one.

Our son was deployed to Kosovo, (as well as Iraq) my opinion of Blair is not printable🤬🤬🤬

I can totally understand your grievance re Iraq ( not only was the war the wrong thing to do but our troops were sent there ill prepared)but do you not think our intervention in Kosovo was justified?

petra

Oreo
he was certainly doing the right thing morally in Kosovo
There are many who would disagree with that: amnesty international for one.

Our son was deployed to Kosovo, (as well as Iraq) my opinion of Blair is not printable🤬🤬🤬

Oops isn’t necessarily a BAD thing

Luckygirl3

I was not anti-Blair, and anything was better than the social destruction of Thatcher, but all politicians are flawed human beings and Blair's flaw was thinking he was right all the time and ignoring others.

I think ep2 really demonstrated that. I thought Robert Harris’ contributions were excellent and spot on- the seeds of his destruction were sown in his first term. I found his self belief over Iraq really scarey and began thinking that a leader who isn’t so certain and will change his mind isn’t necessarily a good thing I do think the series is very well made and very honest in its appraisal. I also found AC pretty shoddy over Iraq in the programme

I was not anti-Blair, and anything was better than the social destruction of Thatcher, but all politicians are flawed human beings and Blair's flaw was thinking he was right all the time and ignoring others.

Greciangirl

I think Tony Blair is a very thoughtful and sincere person.

I think he handled his time as PM as outstanding.
We haven’t seen the likes of him since and we probably won’t ever.

Obviously, his handling of the Iraq war was pretty desperate, but on the whole he did a lot of good whilst in office.

I thought he came across in the documentary as natural and sincere.

Very interesting to look back at old footage.

Surely the whole reason for his success was his ability to fake sincerity..? It's the most important asset for any politician, and he had it in spades...!!

Oreo
he was certainly doing the right thing morally in Kosovo
There are many who would disagree with that: amnesty international for one.

Revisiting the Iraq debacle was painful. When will we learn not to interfere in cultures we do not understand?

Blair's insistence on doing "the right thing" was wholly dependent in what HE thought was right ... what arrogance!

Stone
!Champagne socialism ‘ along with ‘politics of envy’ are two laughable empty phrases, with no intellectual or rational underpinnings or logic whatsoever. Much like those that throw them around really

Never quite understood the term ‘champagne socialist’. Are we saying only wealthy land owning ‘toffs’ can drink champagne and the working masses should drink beer? Or are we saying you cannot reach the top of your profession, be well educated and be in well
paid job and vote Labour?
I’d say vote for the party that best aligns to your moral compass and for the good of the country and drink what you want!
You don’t have to abandon your principles as you become successful in life and suddenly vote for the party that looks after the rich first and foremost.

Oreo

Greciangirl

I think Tony Blair is a very thoughtful and sincere person.

I think he handled his time as PM as outstanding.
We haven’t seen the likes of him since and we probably won’t ever.

Obviously, his handling of the Iraq war was pretty desperate, but on the whole he did a lot of good whilst in office.

I thought he came across in the documentary as natural and sincere.

Very interesting to look back at old footage.

I agree, and when it came to the war in Iraq he thought he was doing the right thing.
He was certainly doing the right thing morally with Kosovo.

I agree, too. I do think that Iraq haunts him though. He had an uncanny knack for reading the room but, sadly, when it came to Iraq that forsook him. I find it sad that someone that was imo an exceptional politician is now defined by the one thing that he got badly wrong. However ( and I think he said it in the programme) we’ll never know what might have happened without the invasion.

Greciangirl

I think Tony Blair is a very thoughtful and sincere person.

I think he handled his time as PM as outstanding.
We haven’t seen the likes of him since and we probably won’t ever.

Obviously, his handling of the Iraq war was pretty desperate, but on the whole he did a lot of good whilst in office.

I thought he came across in the documentary as natural and sincere.

Very interesting to look back at old footage.

I agree, and when it came to the war in Iraq he thought he was doing the right thing.
He was certainly doing the right thing morally with Kosovo.

Babamaman: Agree wholeheartedly with you re: the money.
They’re both money grabbers and now their children are all millionaires too??????

Tony Blair disgusts me, I watched the documentary and it reinforced my opinion of him. I did soften my view of Cherie,
she seems to have put up with a lot.

The man should be in prison for what Menopausalbitch?

I think Tony Blair is a very thoughtful and sincere person.

I think he handled his time as PM as outstanding.
We haven’t seen the likes of him since and we probably won’t ever.

Obviously, his handling of the Iraq war was pretty desperate, but on the whole he did a lot of good whilst in office.

I thought he came across in the documentary as natural and sincere.

Very interesting to look back at old footage.