Quietly and without too much attention, a little bombshell was dropped under Mr Bliar last week. it emerged at the Iraq Inquiry that documents released by the Cabinet Office proved that the then Attorney-General, Lord Goldsmith, had made it very clear that the UK did not have the legal right to wage war on Iraq. As Philippe Sands QC, professor of international law at University College London, put it, "(the new paperwork) lays bare the fact that Lord Goldsmith effected a 180-degree change of direction in less than a month, and that he did so in the total absence of any new facts or legal consideration." Well dang my do-dads.
There is a strong allegation that Goldsmith was buttonholed by two senior Labour figures and given such a verbal lashing that he wilted and changed his advice. Goldsmith has always denied this. He would probably rather be thought a confused fool than admit to being a coward who betrayed his office.
Mr Bliar had already given his word to support Bush (who had planned to attack Iraq way before September 11). Goldsmith's repeated advice that the war would be illegal was an inconvenience. Parliament could be taken for granted thanks to the many warlike Bufton-Tufton tories and New Labour apparatchiks. The millions who marched could be ignored and Goldsmith could be 'persuaded.'
Mr Bliar has lied repeatedly without any remorse. He is currently about to receive the Liberty Medal in the states, along with £100,000. This sum could be used to pay something towards the expenses of his excessive force of bodyguards which is paid for by us, the taxpayer.
Even better, he could be arrested for war crimes and placed in a high security jail. Now that would be excellent use of taxpayers money.
And while we are turning over the stones - how about looking a bit more closely at the Dr Kelly case?
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