Blair knew US had no post-war plan for Iraq

[cal04]

Source: Observer

· PM committed troops despite chaos fears
· Bush 'offered to fight without UK'


Tony Blair agreed to commit British troops to battle in Iraq in the full knowledge that Washington had failed to make adequate preparations for the postwar reconstruction of the country.

In a devastating account of the chaotic preparations for the war, which comes as Blair enters his final full week in Downing Street, key No 10 aides and friends of Blair have revealed the Prime Minister repeatedly and unsuccessfully raised his concerns with the White House.

He also agreed to commit troops to the conflict even though President George Bush had personally said Britain could help 'some other way'.

The disclosures, in a two-part Channel 4 documentary about Blair's decade in Downing Street, will raise questions about Blair's public assurances at the time of the war in 2003 that he was satisfied with the post-war planning. In one of the most significant interviews in the programme, Peter Mandelson says that the Prime Minister knew the preparations were inadequate but said he was powerless to do more.

Read more: http://politics.guardian.co.uk/tonyblair/story/0,,2104989,00.html

[Drum]

1. Hmmm..."powerless to do more."

So TB sez why not just offer up English sons and daughters to the meat-grinder?

:mad:

[Cha]

2. So what's this all about?

bushits didn't twist toadie's arm? blair just jumped in their scuzzy lap cause he wanted to run with the rabid dogs?

blair believed the whole "flowers at their feet" scenario and didn't care there was "no backup plan"? I hope this traitor to Britain goes down in history for the warwhore he is.

I still think it's about the OIL but the corporatemedia won't be copping to that for awhile.

[calimary]

7. Whoa - toadie blair. THAT is a GOOD one!

Sums him up rather precisely.

:thumbsup:

[dipsydoodle]

8. The origin of that was a joke.

What's the difference between Blair and Chiraq ? One's a toad and the other a frog. :)

[Cha]

11. I got it from an Englishman

on DU..only he called him "toadie blur". He said that's what they called him over there. I thought it was the best description of the collaborator yet.

[calimary]

12. That's a great one, also!

"toadie blair" and "toadie blur" -

Tweedledee and Tweedledum all rolled into one.

Thanks for these, zidzi!

:thumbsup:

[tblue37]

14. Was he like Bush, wanting to prove his manhood by being a

"war leader"?

[Cha]

15. I think we have

a WINNER! Ding! Ding!

[0007]

16. jail time for tony baby....

http://gallery.tridentploughshares.org/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=1043&g2_serialNumber=2

[LeftishBrit]

20. Yes- he has actually said that the British should be 'warfighters' , not just peacekeepers

I also think he felt that he knew much better than Those Natives how to run their country, and he welcomed the chance to help to Rule the Natives for Their Own Good. He'd have been happier if he'd become PM in 1897, not 1997 - then he'd have had an Empire of his own, and not needed to get in on Bush's.

[fed-up]

3. and didn't give a flying f*ck nt

[cal04]

4. Report: Blair Despaired at Iraq Planning

- Prime Minister Tony Blair committed British troops to Iraq even though he despaired at the failure of the United States to plan adequately for the aftermath of the invasion, a newspaper reported Sunday.

The Observer quoted Jeremy Greenstock, a former British envoy to Baghdad, as saying Blair ``was tearing his hair over some of the deficiencies'' in planning for the stabilization and reconstruction of the country.

``There were moments of throwing his hands in the air,'' added Greenstock, who was Britain's representative in Iraq in 2003 and 2004.

(snip)
Manning visited Washington in March 2002 at Blair's request and on his return sent Blair a memo warning that ``there is a real risk that the (Bush) administration underestimates the difficulties'' in Iraq.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6715223,00.html

[never cry wolf]

5. There is old money, and old empirical power not wanting to let go

poodle tony is but a pawn, but will be rewarded

[Joe Chi Minh]

6. Interesting article in today's UK Daily Mirror, by Rupert Hamer, Defence Correspondent,

headed, "We weren't ready for the aftermath of war .. we need a public enquiry now:

"A British general who was at the centre of plans to rebuild Iraq last night called for an immediate public enquiry into the fiasco.

(snip)

He repeatedly warned Tony Blair before and after the invasion that reconstruction plans were deeply flawed. General Cross said Iraq faced anarchy without more Coalition troops and advised against disbanding the Iraqi army - which proved disastrous.

But the Prime Minister ignored his concerns and he was later frozen out by one of Mr Blair's closest advisors in Baghdad. Now the officer, the only general not to be honoured for service in Iraq (on edit: he had been a awarded a CBE for his work in Kosovo), has told the Sunday Mirror, "I do think that an enquiry is needed."

In a stinging rebuke to the government for trying to deflect the blame to the US he added, "It's not good enough to pretend this was all the fault of the Americans. It wasn't and and Whitehall has as much to learn as the White House."

(snip)

The senior officer, who was second-in-command of the US-led reconstruction programme in 2003, is the firt British general who has served in Iraq to call for a public enquiry. During the run-up to the invasion, he worked with the US as the senior British figure planning the post-war plan. A senior army source sad, 'He was only telling the uncomfortable truth. You only have to look at Iraq now'."

[DrDebug]

9. There was a post-war plan for the cronies though

That plan was written by James Baker institute (Exxon / Saudi government), Council on Foreign Relations, Shell, Ahmed Chalabi, Heritage Foundation, etc. and they started writing it before 9/11 because you'll never know whether you can hit the trifecta...

"The Bush administration made plans for war and for Iraq's oil before the 9/11 attacks, sparking a policy battle between neo-cons and Big Oil, BBC's Newsnight has revealed.....

Two years ago today - when President George Bush announced US, British and Allied forces would begin to bomb Baghdad - protesters claimed the US had a secret plan for Iraq's oil once Saddam had been conquered. In fact there were two conflicting plans, setting off a hidden policy war between neo-conservatives at the Pentagon, on one side, versus a combination of 'Big Oil' executives and US State Department 'pragmatists'. 'Big Oil' appears to have won.

The latest plan, obtained by Newsnight from the US State Department was, we learned, drafted with the help of American oil industry consultants. Insiders told Newsnight that planning began 'within weeks' of Bush's first taking office in 2001, long before the September 11th attack on the US....The industry-favoured plan was pushed aside by a secret plan, drafted just before the invasion in 2003, which called for the sell-off of all of Iraq's oil fields. The new plan was crafted by neo-conservatives intent on using Iraq's oil to destroy the Opec cartel through massive increases in production above Opec quotas.

The sell-off was given the green light in a secret meeting in London headed by Ahmed Chalabi shortly after the US entered Baghdad, according to Robert Ebel. Mr Ebel, a former Energy and CIA oil analyst, now a fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, told Newsnight he flew to the London meeting at the request of the State Department.....Philip Carroll, the former CEO of Shell Oil USA who took control of Iraq's oil production for the US Government a month after the invasion, stalled the sell-off scheme.... Ariel Cohen, of the neo-conservative Heritage Foundation, told Newsnight that an opportunity had been missed to privatise Iraq's oil fields..... New plans, obtained from the State Department by Newsnight and Harper's Magazine under the US Freedom of Information Act, called for creation of a state-owned oil company favoured by the US oil industry. It was completed in January 2004 under the guidance of Amy Jaffe of the James Baker Institute in Texas. Formerly US Secretary of State, Baker is now an attorney representing Exxon-Mobil and the Saudi Arabian government.... "

http://www.btinternet.com/~nlpWESSEX/Documents/WATBushplansforwarandoil.htm

[Jack Rabbit]

10. I'd like to propose a deal with President Sarkozy, who wants Blair to be EU president

He can be president of the European Union if Blair thinks he can do the job from an 8x10' cell in The Hague.

[LeftishBrit]

18. I'll support the deal!

[Arugula Latte]

13. Blair will go down as one of history's biggest disappointments.

He could have been a great leader -- instead he squandered it to lick the boots of the most corrupt cabal to ever seize power across the pond.

[LeftishBrit]

19. No way was he ever going to be a great leader, I'm afraid

He is clever - but there is no real depth to his intellect; charismatic (or was) - but there is no real depth to his character. He is spin without substance.

But I agree on the disappointment. We were all SO glad to have a Labour PM after 18 years! Actually, I was suspicious of his credentials as an even moderate leftist from the word go, and always thought it a great tragedy for the country that John Smith had died; but I never expected him to be as bad as he was!!!

[Arugula Latte]

22. You might be interested in these perspectives on Dailykos:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/6/18/131053/206

Some comments address his perceived "lightweight" status.

One aspect that galls me is that Blair wasn't even a frickin' Tory. His ridiculous kowtowing to Bushco would have been much more understandable in that context. But he was supposed to be moderate-left -- not a goddamn Neocon.

[struggle4progress]

17. He's been so subservient ya gotta wonder if they ain't got pitchers a him in bed with a boy

[cyberpj]

21. Blair's Reward for Bush Admin Support -Huge Carlyle Paycheck

Tony Blair's PM career may have crashed and burned over his support of US/Bush policies on Iraq, Iran and Global Warming, but he'll most likely be stepping into an outrageously lucrative position with Daddy Bush's Carlyle investments group as thanks for his obedience to Boy George's corporate policies.

"The PM is being lined up for a highly lucrative position with the Carlyle Group - an American-based investment giant with strong links to the White House and the defense industry.

The firm has been nicknamed "The Ex-Presidents Club" because it has had a host of former world leaders on its books including George Bush Senior, his former secretary of state James Baker and former British PM John Major. There a also a large number of former US Army top brass.

Mr. Blair has been keeping quiet about his plans after his departure from Number 10 - But sources in the City have revealed that he is "seriously considering" a high-profile role with Carlyle - which manages $30billion (£20million) of investments worldwide.

The job could net Mr. Blair up to £500,000 a year for only a few days work a month giving speeches and making "networking" trips on behalf of the company."


links:
Blair's earnings set to rocket:
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/tonyblair/story/0,,2070487,00.html

Blair Expected to Join Carlyle Group
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/082305B.shtml

[struggle4progress]

24. Thanks. I'd heard that speculation but hadn't seen in any standard media.

[roguevalley]

23. watch the trial of tony blair on the bbc america. great show, that. :)