Tony Blair
Advisers urged Tony Blair to rein in George W Bush over Iraq war ‘mission from God’
A senior US official said the president needed a ‘dose of reality’ to deal with Iraqi insurgents, documents reveal
Tony Blair’s advisers privately questioned if the US had “proper political control” of military operations in Iraq after a senior US official confided that George W Bush believed he was on a “mission from God” against Iraqi insurgents, newly released documents reveal.
Blair needed to “deliver some difficult messages” to the then US president for a “more measured approach” in April 2004, following a US military operation to suppress a major uprising in the city of Falluja, according to papers released to the National Archives in Kew, west London.
In a surprisingly candid conversation, recorded in a document marked “please protect very carefully”, Richard “Rich” Armitage, then US deputy secretary of state, told Sir David Manning, then UK ambassador, that Bush had needed a “dose of reality” after demanding US forces “kick ass” in Falluja, where US troops were engaged in a bloody battle with Iraqi militants after four private military contractors were ambushed and killed.
Armitage appealed to Blair to use his influence in a forthcoming visit to Washington on 16 April to urge Bush to deal with Falluja “as part of a carefully judged political process”.
The US had launched Operation Vigilant Resolve in Falluja after the mutilated bodies of the US contractors were hung from a bridge over the Euphrates River less than one year after the May 2003 overthrow of the Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.
Bush had initially been influenced by his military generals and “wanted to kick ass” with US marines occupying the city. But politicians on the coalition provisional authority, set up after Saddam’s fall, feared the US military response could damage hopes of establishing an independent Iraqi administration.
Bush backed off after being “faced with this ‘dose of reality’”, Manning reported back to No 10.
“Rich summed it all up by saying Bush still thought he was on some sort of mission from God. But that recent events had made him ‘rather more sober’.”
Bush had famously declared “mission accomplished” after the overthrow of Hussein by US and UK coalition forces. But the White House has previously dismissed as “absurd” reports that Bush privately told a Palestinian delegation in 2003 that God spoke to him and said: “George, go fight these terrorists in Afghanistan” and “George, go and end the tyranny in Iraq.”
Tony Blair on the Future of Progressive Politics
At the Future of Britain Conference 2023, Tony Blair set out why progressive politics must build a strategic state, fundamentally reformed in light of the technological revolution, to transform the lives of people, the delivery of public services and the country’s prospects for prosperity.
Tony Blair revient en politique pour influer sur le Brexit
Premier ministre britannique entre 1997 et 2007, Tony Blair a annoncé son intention de revenir en politique et de « se salir les mains » pour éviter que le Royaume-Uni ne sorte définitivement de l’Union européenne.
Tony Blair estime que le Brexit est «une erreur très sérieuse», et compte revenir en politique afin de lutter contre cette décision. Il n’exclut pas un changement d’opinion du peuple au Royaume-Uni lorsqu’il « connaîtra exactement les termes de notre sortie ».
« Ce Brexit m’a directement motivé à être plus impliqué dans la politique. Il faut se salir les mains, et je vais le faire », a-t-il déclaré dans un entretien au quotidien Daily Mirror.
Crainte d’un Hard Brexit
Inquiet face à un Brexit rêvé qui pourrait se révéler un cauchemar, M. Blair craint en fait un «Hard Brexit» qui serait dévastateur pour les Britanniques: «Il y a une partie du parti conservateur (de la Première ministre Theresa May) qui est déterminée à parvenir à ce Brexit, quel qu’en soit le coût» à l’issue des deux années de négociations qui viennent de débuter entre Londres et l’Union européenne.
«Le marché unique européen, c’était la Ligue des champions en matière commerciale. Un accord commercial (entre le Royaume-Uni et l’UE), ce serait comme la deuxième division. Nous nous reléguons nous-mêmes», avertit Tony Blair.
TANIKO Madagascar 