The Blair interview on the Saturday 'Today' programme.

Did anyone else hear Blair being interviewed by John Humphries on the Today programme this morning?

I listened open mouthed as Blair tried to justify his actions in taking us to war in Iraq . For me he displayed a naivety of thought which was truly scary coming from a man who was once in charge of this country .
I also think in some way he allowed his religious beliefs to cloud his judgement .

He also dismissed the remarks made be Elizabeth Manningham-Buller the former head of MI5 in her Reith lecture when she said she had been against the war in Iraq and thought it had in effect inflamed Muslim attitudes around the world .

Re: The Blair interview on the Saturday 'Today' programme.

Yes, Meg, I made a point of listening to it
I thought it was very telling
I suppose history will be the final judge, long after we are around to see it, but I thought his attitude was naive too.
(And for once, I thought John Humphries kept himself in check and did a very good interview)

Re: The Blair interview on the Saturday 'Today' programme.

DM I agree about Humphries who can get a little too carried away at times pushing a point too far though most of the time I think he is excellent.

Blair seemed to totally ignore what is considered by many to be the initial raison d'être for the existence of groups like Al-Qaeda, the presence of the US air base in Saudi Arabia and the continuing Palestinian problem . Instead to me he made it sound as though all the problems were down to religious ideology.
He raised the point about the oppression of women under the rule of Moslem fundamentalists but did not seem to consider this to be a problem in some 'acceptable' countries like Saudi Arabia . I thought Blair came across as ill informed as well as naieve .

I listened to the Reith lecture and thought E. M-B made some valid points but was surprised to hear she was against the war in Iraq, clearly Blair did not take note of her counsel.

Re: The Blair interview on the Saturday 'Today' programme.

At the time of the impending, err, invasion/war/intervention, in the face of huge public dissent, my self-deluding consolation was that Blair had somehow found enough influence over Bush to bring about a revilalisation of the Middle East peace process and get Israel/Palestine/everyone else sorted out for good and all. Obviously that couldn't be publicised, but would happen in due course, once Iraq had been swiftly settled
That was the only reason I could see for Britain to get involved in the Iraq thing at all - as a bargaining chip, which, when all was weighed up, would be more good than bad

Huh

Blair isn't the only naive one. Count me in too

Re: The Blair interview on the Saturday 'Today' programme.

I am afraid cynic that I am for me it has always been about oil. Put simplistically he who holds the key to the oil chest presides over wealth and power.

If there had been a genuine intention to sort out the Palestinian problem it could have been done long ago.
I have my own theory as to why this hasn't happened but that is another story probably best kept to myself .

Re: The Blair interview on the Saturday 'Today' programme.

You're right
It's oil; it's always oil

Have you seen Robert Newman performing his History of Oil? You'll find it on YouTube in several parts. I think it lasts about an hour altogether.
He maintains that even WW1 was ultimately about oil.

Edit
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQhhrzHKMhI
That's part 1 of 9(!). Don't be put off by the strange opening, or, indeed, his individual style

Re: The Blair interview on the Saturday 'Today' programme.

DM I haven't seen that , when I have a moment I will look it up.

Re: The Blair interview on the Saturday 'Today' programme.

That's why they call it 'Black Gold' the real gold price might be at an all time high right now but the world would grind to a halt without oil. Although a finite resource there is still a fair bit around and the world could have easily carried on without Iraqs oil until Saddam Hussein died of natural causes, I never liked Blair and Brown is looking like a school kid when it comes to finance having sold all our Gold at rock bottom prices, we sure could use some of that now

Re: The Blair interview on the Saturday 'Today' programme.

Blair is, and always was an egomaniac fantasist, whose only aim in life was to gain power for it's own sake. How anyone could not have seen through him from the start amazes me, for anyone who purports to be all things to all men must be either a liar or a fantasist. Blair is both. He should be hanged for treason for what he has done to this country, and the world is a lot more dangerous a place for his ego...

Re: The Blair interview on the Saturday 'Today' programme.

Him and Brown, would make a nice 'double' act, where do you think would be the most appropriate place Barry? How about Westminster bridge? Close the bridge to traffic so plenty of people could get up close, TV and other media could have their cherry pickers parked along the river bank, put the gallows over the side and just drop them into the water, job done