Blair told Bush: "Whatever you decide to do, I'm with you."

[sabra]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/blog/2010/mar/18/tony-blair-george-bush-iraq-letters

<snip>

1. Blair told Bush: "Whatever you decide to do, I'm with you."

The inquiry has heard about the private letters that Blair sent to Bush in 2002. Alastair Campbell told Chilcot that the letters were "very frank" and that the central message was, in Campbell's words: "We share the analysis, we share the concern, we are going to be with you in making sure that Saddam Hussein is faced up to his obligations and that Iraq is disarmed." But the letters have not been published and the precise contents remain a secret.

Rawnsley, though, has published a direct quote from one of the letters. Here's the relevant extract from his book.

Towards the end of July (2002), Blair did write a letter to Bush "really making the case for going down the international route" to deal with Saddam …

Yet again, though, Blair had emphasised his "yes" at the expense of the "buts". The July note began: "You know, George, whatever you decide to do, I'm with you."

When (Sir Christopher) Meyer (Britain's ambassador to the US) learnt of it, he rang (David) Manning (Blair's foreign policy adviser) in horror. "It's a brilliant note except for this bloody opening sentence: 'Whatever you do, I'm with you,'" the ambassador expostulated. "Why in God's name has he said that again? He's handed Bush carte blanche."

Manning sighed down the phone: "We tried to stop him. We told him so, but he wouldn't listen. That's what he thinks."