Iraq War

[OwlHoot]

Must admit (although I'm probably in a minority here) I've never really understood why Blair is demonised so much by so many British people for joining the War in Iraq.

Yes, if politicians will insist on signing silly bits of paper as Blair did, making rods for their own back, then pedants and malcontents will scream blue murder when those human rights treaties are supposedly violated.

But in the end it must be in the UK's best interest to remain allies with the US (who very sensibly have never signed any human rights agreement AFAIK - Why bind yourself to something you don't have to? It's insane.)

[speling bee]

I just wonder if the sanctimonious useful idiots who wail war crimes at the Iraq invasion ever consider what the situation would have been had Saddam Hussain NOT been removed.

Ignoring the dull rhetoric, the answer is yes of course. The truth is that nobody can know which is the 'better outcome' as we can never know what the alternative outcome would have been.

But let's assume for the sake of argument that things would have been worse if there had been no war. Does that necessarily justify the war?

This is a dangerous utilitarian argument. and here is why:

What is the maximum number of small children that you would be prepared to kill to prevent the murder of 100 small children?

I ask merely to illustrate the dangers of utilitarianism.

[speling bee]

Must admit (although I'm probably in a minority here) I've never really understood why Blair is demonised so much by so many British people for joining the War in Iraq.

Yes, if politicians will insist on signing silly bits of paper as Blair did, making rods for their own back, then pedants and malcontents will scream blue murder when those human rights treaties are supposedly violated.

But in the end it must be in the UK's best interest to remain allies with the US (who very sensibly have never signed any human rights agreement AFAIK - Why bind yourself to something you don't have to? It's insane.)

I quite respect this argument. No pretence of law or morality but just national self-interest. My problem is that it is the law of the jungle where might is all that matters. But at least it is honest and consistent.

[speling bee]

That would be the Malaysia with the questionable Human Rights record would it?

Might as well mention that the Keighley WI were dead set against the war too!!

Agree with you on this one. If we say that a national court ruling means that the war is unlawful, then a different national court's ruling that the war is lawful would lead us to a contradictory logical position.