Post by ironman on Nov 18, 2006 6:06:47 GMT 1
Blair accepts 'disaster' in Iraq
Downing Street said Mr Blair's views have been misrepresented
Tony Blair has publicly accepted that the violence in Iraq since the US-led invasion in 2003 has been a disaster.
The prime minister's remark came during an interview with Sir David Frost on the new al-Jazeera English-language Arabic TV channel.
The Liberal Democrats have seized on his comment saying he has finally accepted the enormity of his decision to go to war in Iraq.
But Downing Street has insisted that Mr Blair's views have been misrepresented.
Mr Blair made the remark when he was challenged by Sir David that the Western intervention in Iraq had "so far been pretty much of a disaster".
He replied: "It has, but you see what I say to people is why is it difficult in Iraq?
"It's not difficult because of some accident in planning, it's difficult because there's a deliberate strategy - al-Qaeda with Sunni insurgents on one hand, Iranian-backed elements with Shia militias on the other - to create a situation in which the will of the majority for peace is displaced by the will of the minority for war."
Downing Street said Mr Blair's views have been misrepresented
Tony Blair has publicly accepted that the violence in Iraq since the US-led invasion in 2003 has been a disaster.
The prime minister's remark came during an interview with Sir David Frost on the new al-Jazeera English-language Arabic TV channel.
The Liberal Democrats have seized on his comment saying he has finally accepted the enormity of his decision to go to war in Iraq.
But Downing Street has insisted that Mr Blair's views have been misrepresented.
Mr Blair made the remark when he was challenged by Sir David that the Western intervention in Iraq had "so far been pretty much of a disaster".
He replied: "It has, but you see what I say to people is why is it difficult in Iraq?
"It's not difficult because of some accident in planning, it's difficult because there's a deliberate strategy - al-Qaeda with Sunni insurgents on one hand, Iranian-backed elements with Shia militias on the other - to create a situation in which the will of the majority for peace is displaced by the will of the minority for war."
did he finally wake up and smell the coffee ??
