Chilcott ?

[observer]

It's taken 7 years to produce a report on, what some of us at the time, knew to be an illegal war; pushed through by a PM based on lies. So what should happen now ?   Is there anyway to reconcile the deaths of 179 of our young servicemen and the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, with some form of Judicial accounting ?    

[Davy51]

Unfortunately, whatever action is taken will only pay lip service to the report & this is likely to be a case where "lessons can be learned" for future involvement in overseas regimes & the report could permanently influence foreign UK policy. Also,unfortunately, the west has reaped the whirlwind of meddling in the affairs of despotic regimes over the last few years, with actions meted out by Muslim terrorist groups which have evolved from the consequences of the war.

I am surprised that out troops were sent to Iraq with such lightly armoured vehicles considering the way modern innovations on RN ships exposed their vulnerability in the Falklands. Armour should be a primary consideration on troop carrying vehicles.

[observer]

Think the point is Dave, our lads and lassies should never have been placed in harms way, over a lie, in the first place. It was an illegal invasion of a sovereign State, without a UN endorsement and without the evidence of WMDs having been found by UN inspection teams. But Bliar's ego was so pumped up with testosterone, he was determined to have his "war"; and without any consideration of the post-war politics of Iraq.

[Davy51]

Do we really think anyone will carry the can for this fiasco? It doesn't even come under the jurisdiction of the Hague to bring a case of war crimes. I think Blair's biggest fears are from private claims from the families .

[observer]

Presume the bereaved families of the fallen, will now take out a civil action - hopefully, against Bliar personally rather than HMG, as in the later case, the tax-payer will have to pay.

[Sha]

Obs, do you think it was just 'Blair's ego'?

His seemingly private agreement with Bush and later millions making talk tours of the States make me wonder if personal profit making was perhaps also a factor from the start?

Whatever, at the time he made the decision to go to war he knew people would die, get maimed etc. and he knew it was all based on lies.

Then later, with the blood of hundreds of thousands of people already on his hands he was a strong supporter of air strikes on Syria.

 

What kind of a person could do that? the term 'psychopathic personality' springs to mind.

[P J]

Presume the bereaved families of the fallen, will now take out a civil action - hopefully, against Bliar personally rather than HMG, as in the later case, the tax-payer will have to pay.

And perhaps the hundreds of thousands of Iraqiis killed, maimed, made destitute

[Davy51]

Iraqis were experiencing a lot of nasty stuff from Saddam when he was in power  but that knowledge,like the freedom of his people ,was suppressed by the regime. If you weren't for him you were against him & were dealt with accordingly ,even as far as your whole family being wiped out.

[observer]

Iraq was a Franco-British construct following the fall of the Ottoman Empire in WW1; a matter of drawing lines on a map.  There were two main religious factions in Iraq plus the Kurds, all lumped into a Nation called Iraq.  Unfortunately, religious enmities aren't pacified by lines on a map, as with most M/East States secular Dictators appeared, who kept a lid on things, until the West removed them, and the genie was let out of the bottle. 

[P J]

Presume the bereaved families of the fallen, will now take out a civil action - hopefully, against Bliar personally rather than HMG, as in the later case, the tax-payer will have to pay.

And perhaps the hundreds of thousands of Iraqiis killed, maimed, made destitute

[observer]

Think you need to start reading posts properly - read the first post again.     

[P J]

Think you need to start reading posts properly - read the first post again.     

 

So you would be happy that hundreds of thousands, possibly more, legal claims came in against the UK for its actions in Iraq?  There's a shocker.

[observer]

They're already coming in - keep up !     

[P J]

how many?  and if they all put a claim in how much?  If the UK illegally invaded Iraq, shouldn't we be paying reparations ?

[Davy51]

Apparently, even the intelligence was lifted from a film script. It looks like a complete fabrication from start to finish ,then there is Dr Kelly who "committed suicide " .

[observer]

Well, what's your view PJ ?   Don't you want to pay out for all those poor Iraqi civilians, or perhaps you'd prefer them coming over here ?        That "suicide" was rather convenient for HMG Dave.  

[P J]

Well, what's your view PJ ?   Don't you want to pay out for all those poor Iraqi civilians, or perhaps you'd prefer them coming over here ?  

 

I am asking you as it's your thread, should we, if the invasion of Iraq was illegal, be held responsible for the payment of reparations?

[observer]

Think that's for the legal system to resolve; but payouts have already occurred for alleged activities by our military and prosecutions considered. But the only prosecution required imo, would be of the guy who dragged us into the shambles, he's certainly rich enough to afford some of the compen.     

[P J]

But I thought you were against compensation?  Didn't you claim that a child rape victim who in later life accepted compensation then became a prostitute?  

[observer]

Think I said, it's for the legal system to resolve, in the case of Iraq.   

[P J]

But I want your opinion and  I can see why you are avoiding giving it.  On the one hand, desperate to demonise Blair but to do that having to give money to Iraqi victims.  Oh dear what a dilemma 

[observer]

Think Bliar has demonized himself. Tis you bleeding hearts that normally scream for those poor Iraqis (hence your two posts), so you no doubt will want to compensate them, I'll leave it to the lawyers.  

[P J]

Think Bliar has demonized himself. Tis you bleeding hearts that normally scream for those poor Iraqis (hence your two posts), so you no doubt will want to compensate them, I'll leave it to the lawyers.  

 

So why start a discussion?  If you want to leave it to the lawyers do just that, and don't try to put words into my mouth, I am disgusted by where they have been.

[observer]

Think the discussion was about the Chilcott Report and whether any legal action should be taken against those alleged to be responsible.     

[P J]

Presume the bereaved families of the fallen, will now take out a civil action - hopefully, against Bliar personally rather than HMG, as in the later case, the tax-payer will have to pay.

 

So just a few posts in who said this?