Blair's 2010 lie
Former British PM Tony Blair took the stand before the Iraq Inquiry today. In a classic Blair fashion (as well as a classic logical fallacy), he answered doubts about his 2002-2003 course of action with his own purely rhetorical 'what-if' hypothetical about the then-future world of 2010:
"My view is that if we'd left Saddam there... I have little doubt myself... that today we would be facing a situation where Iraq was [a nuclear and terrorist threat]."
Tony, you also were 'absolutely convinced' that Saddam could launch WMDs within 25 minutes, and in fact he couldn't launch them in 25 days or even 25 months because they didn't exist.
You firmly believed the British, unlike the Americans, could do peacekeeping.
You were confident that the competing groups would become participative democrats, rather than descending into sectarian violence.
You stated then and now that you believed Iran, as Iraq's former enemy, would adopt a policy of non-interference, instead of supporting their brothers in the faith against their former oppressors as well as the invading armies of the Great Satan.
You fully expected that you would find the resources and infrastructure there for rebuilding, rather than a voracious blood-and-treasure pit.
On the subject of Iraq, sir, your firm belief and conviction are the best reason NOT to believe something is true.
"My view is that if we'd left Saddam there... I have little doubt myself... that today we would be facing a situation where Iraq was [a nuclear and terrorist threat]."
Tony, you also were 'absolutely convinced' that Saddam could launch WMDs within 25 minutes, and in fact he couldn't launch them in 25 days or even 25 months because they didn't exist.
You firmly believed the British, unlike the Americans, could do peacekeeping.
You were confident that the competing groups would become participative democrats, rather than descending into sectarian violence.
You stated then and now that you believed Iran, as Iraq's former enemy, would adopt a policy of non-interference, instead of supporting their brothers in the faith against their former oppressors as well as the invading armies of the Great Satan.
You fully expected that you would find the resources and infrastructure there for rebuilding, rather than a voracious blood-and-treasure pit.
On the subject of Iraq, sir, your firm belief and conviction are the best reason NOT to believe something is true.
posted by Gavin Magrath at 1/29/2010 12:35:00 PM
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