Desmond Tutu, Tony Blair and Iraq

I do not share Desmond Tutu's religious convictions but I will state also an admiration for his role in opposing Apartheid in South Africa, and his continued commitment to human rights across the globe.

His contentious views on Bush, Blair and the Iraq War are controversial if interesting. Blair's response is typical (if as ever short-sighted, see later): First recommended article:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/sep/02/tony-blair-iraq-war-desmond-tutu

To get a clearer picture of what is more the near current state of play in Iraq (article produced in 2011):

http://www.slate.com/blogs/scocca/2011/05/06/freedom_in_iraq_now_with_rampant_assassinations.html

Additional reminders to Mr Blair:

1. The stated objective of the Iraq War was not regime change. It was to prevent Saddam Hussein having weapons of mass destruction. None were ever found (and for the conspiracy theorists who would have had Saddam move them to neighbouring Syria or Saudi Arabia - extremely unlikely anyway as the Assad family were sworn enemies of Saddam and the Saudis, not always tacitly, supported Saddam's overthrow - they have never been found there either).
2. No-one will deny that Saddam was a thug, murderous bully and potentially a war criminal, but starting a war under false pretences was not under international law an acceptable way to remove him. If like myself (and unlike Desmond Tutu) you state that the intelligence was simply mistaken not falsified, a full wholescale apology should be forthcoming. To date it has not been.
3. Thousands of innocent civilians were killed in the mistaken Iraq War itself. Between a quarter and a half-million were killed in the aftermath following the end of the war, the guerilla war, the civil war, the ethnic cleansing usw. The invading powers were either inept at securing the peace or had not even considered the obvious consequences of dismantling a dictatorship (if you had watched the break-up of the Soviet Union in the early 90s, it was obvious that there would be similar disruptions in Iraq. And did nobody understand the relationship between the Sunni and the Shia and how dangerous that was?). The invading parties cannot simply wash their hands of the blood of those people. But then there is definitely a double standard here isn't there? 2,700 Americans die in the World Trade Center (actually 700 of those came from 59 other countries, but US Republican Party myth has conveniently changed their nationalities!) and it is a tragedy, but when a quarter of a million Iraqis die it is simply sad but maybe an unfortunate, necessary sacrifice?
4. Some 2 million people were forced to become refugees as a result of the invasion. People whose lives were potentially damaged forever. And would you like to remind us what the policy of the UK was as regards accepting those people into the UK? Reluctance if not downright opposition! We can go to their country and do what suits us, but the reverse does not apply?
5. Al-Qaeda, an undoubtedly dangerous fanatical movement, had no presence in Iraq before the invasion (except maybe for some prisoners being tortured in Abu Ghraib - Saddam saw them as a threat, not an ally!).  They definitely did have for years after the invasion!
6. Many women's organisations have pointed out the fact that women were relatively emancipated under Saddam (even dictatorships offer some positive aspects!). With the imposition of theocratic power across much of the country many of their rights have been removed, and it has become positively dangerous for many of them to go out with their heads uncovered. This is progress?
7. Economically the country is moving forward? Sounds like good news. For the good of the country as a whole or on the 1%/99% principle or merely for the benefit of foreign oil companies only? Basra is doing well? Basra is the centre of the Iraqi oil industry! You get my point? Please expand the argument. I see far too much of this "the country is doing well but the standard of living of the ordinary citizen is not improving at all" elsewhere (well just about everywhere in the capitalist world) to be convinced!

Additional comment (2 hours after writing this item). Please watch the following video for further information on the situation in Iraq:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Usn7nXGZUO8&feature=related

Update (December 27th, 2021). I am not sure that the Slate link still exists. The other two do though and are still well worth visiting. And as for Iraq, we have since had them having to deal with ISIL/ISIS/IS with all that involved!