(Video) Tony Blair interview on Today Show, asked about Downing St. Memo

[sabra]

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http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8141077/



Katie Couric: Before your election, a controversial memo surfaced which showed that seven months prior to the invasion of Iraq, the head of British Foreign Intelligence warned you that President Bush wanted to remove Saddam from military action and the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy. He went on to write, quote, "The case was thin." Given the fact that most of us agree that Saddam Hussein was a bad guy, were you involved in any way, shape or form in beefing up or embellishing intelligence to justify the war?

Blair: Do you know, we've had about four different inquiries into this in the and they've all come to the same conclusion that the intelligence was used in good faith. After that was written, we went to the United Nations, we gave Iraq a last chance to comply with U.N. resolutions. We knew there was a post-September 11th we knew we had to take a different attitude toward WMDs .

Couric: In hindsight, would you have done anything differently?

Blair: Well, I think I would have handled some aspects differently, as I've said, in Britain, I think now in terms of presenting the intelligence, for example. You wouldn't have got into all this stuff about fixing this or fixing that because…

Couric: Or manipulating.

Blair: Yes. Because people … the trouble in politics is that everyone always wants to search for a conspiracy. That is the great search that always goes on. Sometimes it isn't like that, in fact, most of the time it's not like that.

Couric: Are you under a lot of pressure to bring your troops home?

Blair: Well, there are people who say that but I don't think so really. I think the British people aren't quitters and there is a sense and reason, because if Iraq goes right, the whole of the Middle East is a different place. Therefore our own security in America, in Britain, in Europe is improved. If it goes wrong, by contrast, we are all in trouble.

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[Roland99]

1. "Or manipulating"...that sounded like a Freudian slip, to me.

I watched that this morning and I did a double-take when he said that.

[halobeam]

2. I have a strong stomach,

but I can't watch Katie. No way. I'd have trouble watching her if she was a judge in the Hague, sentencing Bush and Blair, THAT'S how much I can't stand her. Well, maybe just then, I'd take some tums first, and watch..

[sabra]

3. I hear you

but sometimes you have to find your inner strength, and watch :-)

[Spazito]

4. Blair actually confirms the Minutes with this statement...

:After that was written, we went to the United Nations, we gave Iraq a last chance to comply with U.N. resolutions."

They manipulated the intelligence to try and convince the UN to join them in an invasion they had already decided upon rather than going to the UN in hopes of having a solution short of an invasion. The manipulation of the facts was done for a two-fold purpose: To try and get the UN to provide 'cover' for their intentions and to pull the wool over their own citizens.

[johnaries]

6. Wait a minute, if I remember right, Saddam DID cooperate.

He allowed the inspectors back in. They didn't find anything. Bush and Blair said they're there, Saddam is hiding them. Blix said no, they're not there. so then Bush and Blair attacked to prove they were there.

Anyone else remember it that way?

[Spazito]

8. They invaded because that was ALWAYS the plan, well before

the UN even sent the inspectors back in, well before they even went to the UN. Their reason for invading was always regime change NOT WMDs and the 3 memos found, so far, show that very clearly.

[sundancekid]

7. thank you! that's EXACTLY the point and the inference to be drawn,

the "manipulation" never stopped, and the deployments were well on their way with funds Congress had appropriated for other purposes -- hell, even Tommy Franks let loose with THAT one ... f*ing lying bastards!

[rox63]

5. Even the fact that they are asking the question is a good sign

It's finally starting to catch fire in the MSM. Keep those emails, phone calls and LTTE's going. They are making a difference. When GE-owned NBC starts asking about, something unusual is definitely happening.