🇮🇶 Should Tony Blair be punished for the Iraq War? | UpFront

More than a decade after the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the country continues to become increasingly unstable. On Sunday, nearly 300 people were killed in the worst bombing since the invasion began.
Led by the United States with the support of the British, the war paved the way for a violent insurgency and a sectarian conflict that continues today. Various estimates put the civilian death toll between 150,000 to more than 300,000.
The criticism surrounding the government's decision to get involved in the Iraq war led to a seven year inquiry by former civil servant John Chilcot, which was released earlier this week.
The long-awaited Chilcot Report found that the British decision was based on "flawed intelligence" and the invasion went "badly wrong". While the report stopped short of calling former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair a liar, Chilcot said that claims about Weapons of Mass Destruction were "presented with a certainty that was not justified".
So is Blair to blame for the Iraq war and its fallout? And should he and former US President George W Bush, the war's other primary architect, be punished for their involvement?
In this special episode of UpFront, we debate the Iraq Inquiry with two former members of Blair's inner circle, Clare Short and John McTernan.
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#AlJazeeraEnglish #TonyBlair #Iraq

[@ashraf0094]

History will remember Tony Blair just only as the Greatest War Criminal.

[@zackabee5498]

I totally agree bush, tony

[@mooktarkader3285]

They destroyed a country just for suspicion of having WMD, but found nothing, and now they are full of regret.

[@XLENDIBAY1]

seems Putin will give him a run for his money !

[@teenoneofyabusiness1424]

George w bush is number 1 (finally he's number 1 at something)

[@zwcdamien]

lol, time to widen your scope if you think Blair (and Bush) are the “Greatest War Criminal”.

[@Bobbythebuilder789]

If Tony Blair is to be punished then so should George Bush

[@jaajaarogers9101]

Both off them

[@willielim3269]

Bush the younger.

[@arveyilleszender5809]

The fact that he hasn’t been punished is criminal in itself.

[@stopwritingthatreplyjohnat6638]

Even in 2001 both of the parties were 100% bought. That was even before the propaganda machine was set up to perfection

[@vichitxaiyavong8114]

Blair to jail. He is an evil

[@jaajaarogers9101]

Along with Bush too

[@jimmyboydonald6578]

I wonder how many thought that when he defeated John Major.

[@lesleylamy]

Rubbish he is the best prime minister we have had in ages,

[@robertisham5279]

​@@lesleylamyHow so?

[@mccoco2280]

YES YES BLAIR SHOULD BE IN PRISON LIFE SENTENCE AND THEN BUSH PRISON

[@peterlefeuvre5886]

Tony Blair should be exchanged with Julian Assange-it’s totally the wrong way round at present

[@michaelfrankie8443]

Tony Blair should stand trial for the evil war crimes

[@jaajaarogers9101]

Along with Bush

[@jimmyboydonald6578]

I wonder how many people thought that when he defeated John Major.

[@alimohammedabd]

he should be given the death penalty.

[@MrDaiseymay]

Funny you should say that. HE got rid of Britain's last capital punishment statute---for Treachery; on the FIRST day he got into power. Anyone would think he was psychic.

[@flyingphobiahelp]

What I would recommend is send them for a weeks “holiday” to any city in Iraq without bodyguards and have them mingle with the locals. They would have a blast!

[@naser1109]

@@flyingphobiahelp fair enough

[@naser1109]

why is that?? nobody except a tiny minority benefited from that war, not even American or British citizens who paid for the war through heavy taxes have gained anything from it. not to mention that the majority of American and British people were against the war in the first place. the irony is that these criminals did not even share the spoils of the war with their own people. the decent western men who work hard to earn an honest living without invading other people's lands found themself in an awkward position. first, they had to pay for the war ( which they oppose) from their own pocket and by their own sweat, then they had to accept a flood of immigrants who don't even like them and not to mention the servicemen who gave up their lives to satisfy this tiny minority ambitions.

[@jaajaarogers9101]

Yes 👍🏼 along with Bush

[@meganchurchland4021]

I wonder how much money McTernan got for defending Blair's 'oh so noble' argument for being a murderer

[@garethmaccoll4374]

Well done Al Jazeera though for doing real journalism. Thanks. :)

[@Subash0069]

MSNBC and CNN barely addressed this issue at all in American media I don't watch Fox but I think they didn't even report this at all.

[@MrDaiseymay]

WOW--SURPRIZING HUH?

[@CYP0]

14:46 what he really meant was that ‘they (the Iraqis) had stockpiles of rich, expensive and delicious oil.’

[@socialstreaming6940]

I wonder why Blair didn't end up before the International Criminal Court or it's now the African International Criminal Court?

[@bilfo71]

Prosecuted Australia's ex prime minister John Howard as well

[@suzanabrams1]

+Sam Yes, I remember he was in on it as well.

[@bobtudbury8505]

yes he should stand trial

[@cockoffgewgle4993]

"A mess, hundreds of thousands of people have died". A *mess*.

[@scathachmuirisc7149]

John McTernan said Chilcot had 'sexed up' his report....well he must have taken a leaf out of Tony Blair's playbook...

[@ahsanahmed6317]

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." Martin Luther king Jr

[@KrolKaz]

" justice anywhere is a threat to injustice everywhere" Post Malone ft 6ix 9ine

[@scathachmuirisc7149]

McTernan was trying to justify the unjustifiable...He must be a VERY good friend of old Tony's ...

[@h1ghtower1]

He should be investigated like a fraudster would be in an important case. If MPs know they can’t lie and cheat as part of their job without suffering consequences then maybe they’ll stop these immoral behaviours. Treat them like what they are, CRIMINALS.

[@jimmyboydonald6578]

I wonder how many people thought that when he defeated John Major.

[@colinrogers2214]

PUNISHED HE SHOULD BE IN PRISON

[@nonyelum8267]

Is he above the law?. If found guilty, he should bear the consequences of his actions.

[@Concreteowl]

My father was a Labour supporter, I assumed I would be. He convinced me of the validity of social democracy. When Blair won there was such a sense of euphoria after all those years of Thatcherism. When Brown was talking about a war chest we thought it was a metaphor. I haven’t voted Labour since.

[@robertisham5279]

The conservative party isn't much better either.

[@greaterbayareahero1401]

Tony takes the mistakes of all the people who presented the wrong report to him. He also took the backhander from George Bush on his visit there.

[@steelersguy74]

There’s still apologists for Tony Blair?!

[@ozzie2612]

because what he did was good

[@steelersguy74]

@@ozzie2612 (Insert the Bender laughing “oh wait you were serious, let me laugh harder!” meme).

[@ozzie2612]

@@steelersguy74 he was a great pm

[@johntooth1886]

Biggest fraud ever.​@@ozzie2612

[@kenrunciman8706]

Start by liquidating his assets, and paying recompense to Iraqi victims. Re-purpose his foundation to raise further funds, and make him go in person to apologise to them, and spend the rest of his miserable life working for them, to make amends.

[@christopher-ke9nj]

Good on you Claire

[@crystalawen]

Old Lizzie has shown her total lack of respect by making this criminal a knight ; it’s sickening.

[@johnwilson5637]

It wasn't her decision. Look to Starmer as the clown who put Blair's name on the list. It was probably a Peerage Blair wanted, but had to settle for the reduced 'honour'.

[@crystalawen]

@@johnwilson5637 No: the saxe coburg gothas have far more control than you think

[@garethmaccoll4374]

Absolutely he should. McTernan's attempt to defend Blair is pathetic, self-serving and completely see-through; everybody else is to blame except for his precious Tony. His portrait of Tony's sincerity is just laughable - oh he's glad Saddam's gone, doesn't regret what he did, would do it again, and he takes responsibility for 'other people's' mistakes, but he's sincere - worst apology ever.

[@garethmaccoll4374]

***** If I'm understanding you correctly, then I agree completely.

[@garethmaccoll4374]

***** It's not that bad. I just wasn't entirely sure I did at first, but on reading your comment again it's pretty clear. I'm sorry if it seemed I was criticising your English, that wasn't my intent at all. :)

[@accidentalcatalyst1003]

He looks like a crackhead

[@karlmarx71]

Asking this question is offensive. Its like asking if Hitler should be held accountable for his handywork. All tyrants and warmongers should face justice.

[@TheMiketyson9]

I agree 👍

[@h1ghtower1]

Problem is, you have to be a power hungry type of person to feel you are suitable for an MP or above level job in the first place. I think there must be something mentally wrong with a person who thinks he’s adequate enough to run an entire country. They must love themselves and any humility they show in public is faked.

[@syedkho]

Saddam Hussein was provided with chemical weapons by the British during the Iraq-Iran war and he was encouraged by the British to develop nuclear weapons!

[@jaajaarogers9101]

Yes he was Margaret Thatcher allegedly sold him new killer weapons at that time

[@hakemezaeash]

@syedkho... Your information is not true ... We do not have any chemical nor nuclear weapons..please do not lie as Tony Blair did

[@Xendrius]

Answer is yes.

[@palestinefreed6526]

Put Blair in prison in abu ghareeb

[@commandingjudgedredd1841]

Nah. Prison is far too easy for him. Put him in the deepest darkest hole you can find, with the other top tier criminals and leave them to it. Come back at some point, and find out what happens when "civilised" men and women succumb to their basic survival instincts.

[@reggiewakil4378]

Nice

[@michaelsmitten9240]

Responsibility is the liability to be called to account. Blair says he accepts responsibility, then blames every one else. He, alone, as Prime Minister, is liable to be called to account. No wriggle room there. Next.

[@reggiewakil4378]

Death penalty

[@janmaaso]

I remember well when Tony Blair and Bill Clinton made the assessment, and public statement, that Iraqs WMD capability had been set back "by at least two decades" following their targeted bombings back in 1998. The assessment, as it turned out, was spot on. Less than five years later, the world had forgotten, and America wanted to go to war once again. Blair pushed for it to happen too, and those are the facts. In no way do I respect this man. Slippery people will get away with just about anything, though, so I expect nothing will happen. We will simply keep bombing innocent people, and it makes me sick. I wish I could make it stop.

[@EdgeofTimeProductions]

Jan H. Maaso the Tony Blair representative literally said the occupying forces should stay in Iraq to rebuild a country destroyed by a dictator, how about we rebuild our own countries first and get the millions of people without healthcare or homes taken care of before we go occupying another country to play “nation builder”. Don’t ever let these people tell you that we should be invading other countries or nation building to help poor people because if that was really what they cared about they would help the millions and millions of people suffering right here at home.

[@lesleylamy]

The best prime minister.

[@XLENDIBAY1]

we never had ! @@lesleylamy

[@mofivesix]

Everybody's fault but Blair

[@belkYT]

No

[@johnwilson5637]

Should he be punished? Yes. A thousand times Yes.

[@LondonarabS]

Not one terrorist wanted to be a terrorist. They are pushed into it. And who push them?

[@bryanjacobs1423]

Retribution is never a good idea. If you're looking for revenge dig two graves, killing/punishing people you disagree with is a dangerous and unwise road.

[@elizabethsheffield6609]

.........rotten, lying excuse-for-a-human-being- Bliar was also PRIME MINISTER when Princess Diana was killed as well as poor Dr David Kelly. And now look how his vile face is now- he has their deaths on his conscience alright. Karma has ways.... GOOD!

[@withiemlowang5232]

Yes along with Bush.

[@jaajaarogers9101]

Yeah along with Bush who push Blair to join him going to Iraq

[@alikhan1752]

Dismantling Iraqi Army and the Ba'ath party was the single biggest mistake by the coalition which lead to a vacuum for all the 300000 or so trained forces, bureaucrats, teachers etc with the experience but not being able to be a part of rebuilding the nation.

[@mark861]

Yes absolutely.. Blair and his mate Campbell both told a complete and utter pack of lies.. thousands of innocent people were murdered because of Blair and Campbell.

[@idaadamovic3387]

The electric chair would be an adequate punishment for the Prime Minister of the UK, the biggest war criminal of England after WWII.

[@Ssotaibi]

USA and Britain have eaten the cakes but the Iraqis still need the plate .

[@SmithFilms2009]

Blair, Bush, Cheney, Straw, Goldsmith & Campbell need to go down for this in the ICC.

[@wiseass2149]

The defenders of the Iraq war need to be politically marginalized. They have no sense and no one should pay them any mind.

[@chrisbarker1895]

Sadly corruption runs deep because its so profitable

[@peanut25john]

Better get used to it people “ neither of these two are ever going to prison ‘ They are the part of the systems that run the show. Sorry 😐

[@elizabethsheffield6609]

......poor Dr David Kelly - Bliar murdered him too.... R.I.P. Mr Kelly.

[@Jav498]

MEHDI HASAN .You are truly a Legend bro!

[@rynnkanra5262]

YES. ABSOLUTELY. THOUGH THEY WILL TRY TO MAKE US FORGET ABOUT IT, BY NOT HAVING HIM FACE A TRIAL

[@kesamek8537]

Blair should get whatever he did to David Kelly.

[@reksub10]

Malaysia's court of human rights heard all the evidence against Blair and bush ,which they where summoned to but never turned up ,and after all the evidence was heard they where found guilty of war crimes...then what happened next? Two Malaysian aircraft get destroyed.

[@naderaamini5928]

reksub sad

[@alinujjoo3368]

Why CPI is afraid of inquiring?

[@drhamdaankhan3691]

Yes, absolutely for pack of lies.

[@tayyebshabir177]

yes he should be punished.

[@stephenweaver8010]

Yes. Get him in court as soon as possible. No defence to the carnage he and other's caused

[@WhiteUnicorn82]

Lock him up in Bellmarsh. Pit him in a cell with Julian Assange for an hour. Give Assange a

[@CYP0]

If only they had debated in the same chamber. I would have foreseen lots of blood and bruises.

[@aaronheaton5903]

This is why I hate the system.

[@pigsymagic4741]

Yes most definitely

[@LesterShipMirOleg1992]

What a complete mess!

[@indian1st793]

U can't get justice from unjusts

[@T_H123]

8:24 wow 😮 💯 she just said it all 👏🏽

[@bastiaanstapelberg9018]

Yes of course.

[@englishman9020]

Blair lied Iraqis died

[@paradoxinteractiveprisoner4244]

Yes, along with George Bush

[@jaajaarogers9101]

Very true

[@aligadelaide9186]

Interviews of people who were part of game now trying to find deflection. Chilcott is selected to soften the fall out he is part of the game

[@christopheklinger3217]

He should be publicly humiliated

[@brucemcaleney5241]

Definately ! If my son had lost his life due to his actions, I would have made it my goal to hunt him down and get some pay back. Prison or no prison.

[@ellismaytham456]

Tony Blair will blame fake information

[@SaraStJames]

Works for me, and also Bush and anyone else that was part of this horror show!

[@huphuppie8818]

Absolutely and not Bliar only!

[@mikesull4637]

the lot who had a hand in it should be death or jail for life

[@hansriehs5875]

Yes, lock him up!

[@TheKeithvidz]

Not a SINGLE carbomb in Bagdad before his tanks rolled in.

[@gmaxwell8475]

Shame you can't ask the hundreds of thousands people that were murdered !!!

[@rayratchford8338]

Of course

[@peterjones6507]

I'd rank Blair, Gates and Schwab as the three most dangerous, deranged and dishonest people on the planet.

[@samjones6258]

YES!

[@andrewelliott4436]

PLEASE!!

[@slavicax5323]

Yes .

[@alimalik2010]

Absolutely

[@tonycrossley2465]

Big yes

[@janinahendrych9065]

Tony Blair what about Bush ????

[@kinleywesely5451]

Tony Blair distroyed irak and David Cameron distroyed lybien. I hope to see them one day in European court. England responsibility now is to rebuild them again.

[@johnevans5338]

most definitely

[@lolazal1]

Yes!

[@NigelMaximus8652]

Short answer, yes

[@attaullahabdushakoor8799]

Of course yes yes yes - otherwise the history of mankind would seem shameful

[@kengyooilim4097]

Definately, and not just Blair but Bush and his inner circle of co-conspirators

[@upsty6499]

Yep

[@jenniedown5861]

Yes

[@collierboy4327]

Regretfully, assassins are not what they used to be.

[@kypdur4746]

Yes, he is to blame. And is a mass murderer.

[@florencedylan6158]

YES!!

[@talkforlondon]

Tony Blair has to face his maker one day. He will have a lot to answer . I know the outcome, he will be in a very hot hot place.

[@rene3339]

YES

[@simonpaul8472]

Yes with out a doubt

[@CYP0]

How much money did that guy defending Blair get for appearing on air?

[@whitefox9]

GUILTY AND IGNORANT PEOPLE NEVER GIVE TRUTH A CHANCE TO PREVAIL