Reply #3: I think Tony Blair believed in the idea of removing Saddam Hussein from power.

[Apollo11]

Whittam Smith is re-cycling the analysis presented by Steve Richards last week.

Here is the link to the original article: www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/steve-richards/steve-richards-overwhelming-and-still-underestimated-factors-propelled-blair-into-war-in-iraq-801172.html

I think it's an over-simplification to conclude that Blair simply said to himself "Bush wants to invade Iraq. The Conservatives and Rupert Murdoch support the idea. It would be politically risky for me to not go along with it."

Of course the domestic (UK) political considerations were an important factor, and definitely not one that we should ignore. Rupert Murdoch and The Sun supported Blair because of his strong pro-American prejudices (or "instincts").

But I also think that Tony Blair believed (however foolish it may look to us now, with the benefit of hindsight) that using military force to depose Saddam Hussein would bring positive benefits for the people of Iraq.

Moreover, Blair was/is instinctively pro-American as can be seen from his "shoulder-to-shoulder" relationship with George W Bush following the 9-11 attacks in and the launch of the War against the Taliban in Afghanistan in 2001.

Anyone who doubts Tony Blair's personal belief in the "rightness" of removing Saddam Hussein's regime should read his speech to the US Congress on July 17, 2003. Here's the transcript: www.cnn.com/2003/US/07/17/blair.transcript