Little Englanders Get It Badly Wrong On Iraq (This time without a flame war, please)

Your analysis of the WMD situation in Iraq and PM Blair's (and Pres Bush's) disclosure does not resemble the Conservative view in the US. It resembles the left. For starters, the accusation is of deliberate misleading, lying, not a case of error.

I only told you about the criticisms that have been made of Blair's Iraq WMD dossier which was published in 2002. Its not my fault if you want to disregard them and shoot the messenger.

Having read the last two UN reports prior to the war, I do not feel complacent that there was no WMD threat from Iraq and that we were mistaken, let alone lied to. The absence of stockpiles does not make me secure that no threat existed.

I agree that it was reasonable to assume that Saddam's non-compliance with UN resolutions regarding the surrender of WMD, meant that he was probably pursuing a WMD development program. As I said before, I was for the war.

Further digressing for a minute here, when it came to Iraq and the dearth of humint and intel from within, and there was practically none, how many sources could one realistically count on to document the 45 minute claim?

But the criticism was that the government failed to add a caveat to the dossier saying that the claim had not been verified. I agree that getting verification may have been impossible, but they could have admitted that.

It is unfortunate that they could not restrain themselves from making political capital of his troubles from the left on WMD "lies,"

Welcome to the real world, politicians in opposition always do this sort of thing.

and being the US's "poodle."

I don't agree that they did that. That approach was used by the Liberal Democrats, Respect etc.

As I said before, the alliance of the Conservatives and Left over "Blair lied," resembles the Buchanan faction in the US.

It was not an alliance, it was political opportunism which failed to resonate with the British electorate due to the Conservative party's known pro-war stance. However, there was no betrayal of the USA or anti-American sentiment there, which was your original accusation against the Conservatives. If Howard had won the election then he would not have withdrawn British forces from Iraq.

Given, that is, its employment in the "debate" [Read: dissemination and promulgation of dissent-provoking propaganda] by an element of the vanguard of the anti-American brigade of lumpen Limey leftist agitators who pose here as 'british "FReepers?"'

And who, as it was quidnunc's misfortune to point out, serve no purpose here -- their occasional apparent pandering to by pathetic "popularity-contest" of their own volition notwithstanding

I would have hoped that a US forum discussing contemporary British politics, society and culture would welcome input from British Conservatives, because it allows its US patrons to get the "lowdown" on British affairs. It might be more accurate to say that you 'serve no purpose here', since you seem to spend your time spitting at British FReepers and encouraging anti-British sentiment.

<< To Incorrigible: It is definitely true that approximately 70% of the votes went to parties in favour of the Iraq War. >>

Just as it is ABSOLUTELY TRUE that, given that all the leftist Limeys ever vote for are ever-increasing amounts of other people's confiscated Blood and confiscated Treasure, these numbers -- even were they true -- are meaningless.

Just as it is ABSOLUTELY TRUE that lunatic leftist Limey agitators posing as "freepers" employ the left's every trick of "statistics" manipulation in the creation of the appearance of evidence to back their denial and/or their lies.

And just as it is ABSOLUTELY TRUE that corelation is not causation.

It's not just Limeys that are spinning the election results as pro-WOT in Iraq. I heard it first on Rush and Hannity's show.

Brian, I have to admit I'm surprised by your prejudice regarding Brits. I have admired your threads and comments for many years.

Particularly Brits who participate on FR! They are like minded folks who happen to live in the UK. Just like FReepers who live in New Jersey or Massachusetts, we fight the good fight behind enemy lines in hopes of convincing enough of our neighbors the goodness of our point of view.

I used to live on the East Side of Lake Washington and like you, I have visited the UK on business and pleasure many times. I would dare say that there is a greater percentage of looney leftists in Seattle than there is in London per capita.

Please give our Brit brothers some benefit of the doubt.

<< Brian, I have to admit I'm surprised by your prejudice regarding Brits. I have admired your threads and comments for many years. >>

The second part of your comment marks you as a man of impeccable discernment -- although I am not prejudiced regarding those folks whose problem here is that they simply can neither handle the Truth about their dead and decadent, squalidly-socialistic Euro-peon Neo-Soviet's offshore satellite state nor about the moral and intellectual bankruptcy of their prime minister nor about the fact the greatest percentage of their countrymen are virulently anti-American!

But 50% is a good start.

<< I used to live on the East Side of Lake Washington and like you ..... >>

I like me too -- and have a place in Skagit County which, although a presidential "red" County, has its share of loony lefties.

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