IRAQ CRISIS: MPS DEBATE

Sky News ^ | March 18, 2003 | Sky News

[MadIvan]

The Prime Minister has appealed for MPs to back him in standing firm against Iraq as military action looms.

Blair makes his case

Facing possibly the biggest backbench rebellion of his premiership, Mr Blair admitted: "This is a tough choice, indeed, but it is also a stark one: to stand British troops down ... or hold firm to the course we have set.

"I believe passionately we must hold firm to that course."

Mr Blair said the government's actions "will determine the way that Britain and the world confront the central security issues of the 21st Century".

"This crisis will determine international politics for generations."

Mr Blair said that Saddam's claims voluntarily to have destroyed stocks of chemical and biological agents recorded by inspectors before 1998 were "palpably absurd".

Games

He said Saddam was "playing the same old game in the same old way" and was making "minor concessions with no fundamental change of heart or mind."

Mr Blair spoke for almost an hour to persuade MPs to back him. The House was packed for the all important debate, with some MPs standing at the bar.

The Prime Minister was flanked by Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, Chancellor Gordon Brown and Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott.

Rebel MPs have tabled an anti-war motion and three ministers have resigned, including Leader of the Commons Robin Cook.

Mr Blair went on to say that Britain and its supporters had been getting "very close" to securing security council agreement on a second resolution setting an ultimatum for Saddam when France scuppered it by saying it would veto any such resolution.

Complied

Had the UN been unified and other countries joined Britain and the US in deploying troops to the Gulf, he said, Saddam might have complied.

In response to a claim from Father of the House Tam Dalyell that military action would be a "recruiting sergeant" for terror, Mr Blair said: "America didn't attack al Qaeda. Al Qaeda attacked America.

"They didn't need to be recruited. They were already there. Unless we take action against them they will grow and that's why we must act."

Mr Blair said regime change had never been his goal, but that the need to remove Saddam was a reason why Britain could go to war with "a clear conscience and a good heart."

The Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith, who supports action, said Saddam had "the means, the mentality and the motive" to present a threat to Britain's national security.

MPs will vote at 10pm tonight on whether they back war.

[MadIvan]

Blair was outstanding; the best parliamentary performance I've ever seen him give.

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

Bump!

[nevergore]

MadIvan,

Watched Blair on Fox news here in the states.....Blair was eloquent.....

You know your countrymen, how do you think this will play out in tonights vote?

NeverGore

[MadIvan]

Blair will win. The worst I've heard is that a third of his party will vote against him. However, the Conservatives will vote with Blair, as will the Ulster Unionist parties. Any leftist opposition will be choked and quashed.

Regards, Ivan

[IowaHawk]

I can't say it enough... God Bless the Prime Minister. If I ever sire another boy, he will be named Anthony Blair Burge. Seriously.

[Pete'sWife]

Prime Minister Blair - the best friend and ally the U.S. has had since Churchill.

MadIvan - the best friend Freepers on this side of the pond have had - EVER.

[TheBigB]

Good Morning Ivan...

Is it just me, or has Blair been acting, well, Thatcheresque over the past couple of months? I never would have thought it. BTW, has the House of Lords (thatcher in particular) made any statement? Do they have any say in the voting or such? Cheers!

[InspiredPath1]

It seems that much of the debate is framed in this manner :

Vote for the war and this will equal opposition to Israel

[steveegg]

You're forgetting about Lady Thatcher, every bit as stout as Blair and far better for the Kingdom.

[wimpycat]

I'm counting on the British value for fair play and their tendency to respect those who stand fast to their principles against all the odds to have at least a grudging respect and support Tony Blair's position.

He's running the gauntlet today, and if he can get through with his head "bloody, but unbowed", I think his support among the "regular" folks will grow. (keeping fingers crossed)

[milagro]

Read your post on another thread about GMTV (I think) reporting 70% support. Do you think that is a pretty accurate reflection of British public opinion?

BTW, your input here on FR is INVALUABLE!!!

So THANK YOU and God Bless Tony Blair--and George W. Bush!

[prairiebreeze]

Nothing but handwringing about Blair's plight, people resigning etc. etc. on US media this morning. Buggers.

Prairie

[MadIvan]

It's ironic, but the French stance has been so outrageous that it is destroyed the necessity of the second UN resolution. We had huge, whopping majorities in favour of war with a second UN resolution; because the French, haughty, arrogant, condescending and vile, have put that beyond reach, the British public understands and they are saying the second resolution is no longer necessary.

Relations with the French are damaged for at least a decade. I never liked the bastards, so it's not a problem for me.

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

Then they are going to be very surprised when Blair wins this evening.

Regards, Ivan

[milagro]

Amen!! It galls (Gauls???) me that in this country a man like Senator Daschle can be "saddened" by what he calls the President's "failure" at diplomacy when it is the French that undermined the possibility of a second (ur, umpteenth?) UN resolution.

And last night on Fox (which rocks!!!) News' Hannity and Colmes, Lawrence Eagleberger called Daschle "despicable" and referred to the French as "pipsqueaks". I LOVED it!

[dinasour]

BTW, your input here on FR is INVALUABLE!!!

Hear, Hear.

[MadIvan]

The French are more than pipsqueaks, they are traitors to civilisation. We should not forget.

Regards, Ivan

[CatoRenasci]

You forget Margaret Thatcher, the grocer's daughter as the British aristocratic left was fond of derisively branding her.

[milagro]

I "hear hear" you, Ivan. And I bet there a lot of Iraqis who would even go so far as to say AMEN!

[Cate]

Thank you for the post. Its nice to see real men in power around the globe.