Calculated but more humble than we’ve known before, Blair defers judgement to history

By Alex Smith / @alexsmith1982

Tony Blair was skillful in how he dealt with the Iraq Inquiry today. Evasive at times, filibustering with long, dull political speeches at others, it is impossible for everyone who has serious doubts as I do about the justification for the war in Iraq to have them all answered in a single session. It is probably impossible to have them all answered in the process of an entire Inquiry that will last weeks and months.

Blair knew that all too well, and after showing serious nerves at the start eventually gained control of the hearings, giving long, calculated politician’s answers to serious questions.

Tragically but predicatbly, we haven’t learned a great deal more about why Britain went to war in Iraq today. Perhaps only history will pass that honest judgement. Perhpas, as if often the case, we will never know the real truth.

But perhaps we have learned a little of Blair’s apparent humility today, if there is still only limited contrition.

In particular, that is true of his final remarks:

“There is not a single day that passes that I don’t reflect and think about the responsibility, and so I should.”

“But I genuinely believe that if we had left Saddam in power, even with what we know now, we would still have had to deal with him, possibly in circumstances where the threat was worse, and possibly in circusmtances where it was hard to mobilise any support for dealing with that threat.”

“I think we live in a completely new security environment today, I thought that then and I think that now.”

“In the end it was divisive, and I’m sorry about that. And I tried my level best to bring people back together again. But if I am asked whether I believe we are safer, more secure; that Iraq is better; that our own security is better with Saddam and his two sons out of power, out of office, I believe that we are.”

“I think in time to come, if Iraq becomes — as I hope and believe that it will — the country that its people want to see, then we can look back — and in particular our armed forces can look back — with an immense sense of pride and achievement of what they did.”

At this point, Sir John Chilcot asked, “any regrets?”

Blair responded:

“Responsibility, but not a regret for removing Saddam Hussein.”

Blair was interrupted at this point by someone exclaiming in incredulity more than disgust, who said “come on!”

Chilcot sternly snapped: “Be quiet! Please!”

It’s a fascinating sequence, and worth watching in full. More video will appear in the LiveLIST throughout the evening.