The illegality of war

This morning, a group of bereaved relatives led by Rose Gentle, are launching a High Court bid to overturn the government’s refusal to hold a full public enquiry into the illegal, immoral war in Iraq. I defy you to find news of this on Blair’s lapdog BBC though. You will of course find plenty of stories about death and continued human rights atrocities.

So what has Blair got to fear from a full, open public enquiry? You don’t need me to run over it again or post anymore links to the phoney WMD claims, the 45 minutes from disaster lies etc etc. It just shows how spineless he is that he will not allow his pre-war claims to be examined in any detail. I think it indicates he has something to hide don’t you? Just like Mr Bush. Not wanting to stifle free speech, he’s having protesters outside his Texas ranch arrested on parking violations . Land of the free, my arse.

It’s the human stories that makes the Iraq war such a tragedy. There are a million untold stories from the voiceless Iraqis who were promised everything by the US/UK coalition and who have in fact lost everything. Few will ever be told. It wouldn’t fit with the continued lie that all is well, that the people are happy, that they welcome their ‘liberation’.

But the loss here is no less painful. Rose Gentle’s story poignantly told in her own words here. Please read it. Equally moving is Catherine Green’s account of the loss of her brother. She is with Rose at the High Court today. My thoughts and hopes are with them.

Why Tony Blair must be forced to face a public inquiry into the Iraq war

A few weeks ago someone asked me about my family. I hesitated for a moment and then answered that I have just one sister. I thought it would be easier to say than the alternative, which is that I also had a brother but he died in the war. It happened over two-and-a-half years ago, but I have only just begun to comprehend the reality.

I could have stood there and said that he died a hero, or in years to come I could tell people that at one time we were all about to die from a nuclear attack and that my big brother raced against time to save me and millions of other people he didn't even know from a nuclear extinction.

But unfortunately only one part of that would be true, the part where he was racing against time.

Soldiers know that they might be asked to place their lives in peril; they are all brave and courageous and take pride in serving their country. However they must also be assured that their leaders would only ask them to act in circumstances that were in the national interest and were lawful. At the time, the Prime Minister assured soldiers that they were fighting a war that was fully justified in international law. They were fighting to disarm a country that held weapons of mass destruction and which threatened international peace and security at home.

Thirty-three months later, on the strength of that insistence, 98 are dead, many have been disabled and wives, parents, siblings and children are grieving. No evidence of nuclear weaponry has ever been found in Iraq, the threat of an attack within 45 minutes was never substantiated and, even worse, was possibly not true.

continues

Update:

So, anyone want to fill me in on the 'special relationship?'

Bush aides 'double-crossed' Blair

The ex-US diplomat at the heart of the political crisis in the White House says Tony Blair was "double-crossed" on the reasons for going to war with Iraq.
Joseph Wilson said he believed the Mr Blair had thought he was getting involved with a "disarmament campaign".

But "he was double crossed by the regime change crowd in Washington" and ultimately had "no choice" but to go along with a regime change war.

Mr Wilson told BBC Radio 4 the White House had "hyped the nuclear case".