WP: Blair Plan To Shift Iraq Force Assailed

[kskiska]

Critics See Attempt To Appease U.S.

Tuesday, October 19, 2004; Page A16

LONDON, Oct. 18 -- British lawmakers in the ruling and main opposition parties alike sharply criticized Prime Minister Tony Blair's government on Monday for planning to move hundreds of British troops from the Basra region to an area just south of Baghdad to supplement U.S. forces.

Speaking during a government presentation in the House of Commons, legislators accused U.S. forces of showing reckless disregard for Iraqi civilians and expressed alarm that the deployment of British troops would help free up the Americans for an all-out assault on the city of Fallujah. Some lawmakers also accused the Bush administration of seeking greater British participation as an election ploy to demonstrate to U.S. voters that there is international support for the Iraq campaign.

The criticism came not just from the war's longstanding critics -- known here as "the usual suspects" -- but from several of Blair's most ardent Labor Party loyalists. They contend that their leader is being dragged into a Vietnam-style quagmire by his close ally, President Bush.

"The United Kingdom has given 110 percent on this issue and some of us have provided political cover and support for this government," said Andrew Mackinlay, a Blair supporter. He warned the government "not to try to stretch the envelope too much, otherwise it might burst. Some of us will not stomach it."

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A42539-2004Oct18.html

[Jacobin]

1. Rove: "We need some dead Brits on TV to show we have a real

coalition before the election. Call the Poodle and tell him to send some Limey's in to a real hot spot to get killed."

[young_at_heart]

2. Does Tony have a mind of his own?

All Bush has to do is pick up the phone and order him to do whatever he chooses and Tony jumps at the chance!

[Nihil]

3. No, he doesn't (have a mind of his own)

He is a toadying little shit who is even more of a disgrace to
the country than John Major was ...

[Briar]

5. Tony isn't a poodle

he's a neo con and on board for the whole imperial project. That's why he'll pay the blood price to get Bush re-elected. He's a believer.

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. It's a shame the WP ddin't use the killer line from Kaufman

who is a senior MP - he was a government minister before Thatcher got in, and is still head of one of the Commons committees.

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/story.jsp?story=573607
"I have not changed my view on the war, but I do not want my government to be manipulated by one of the most unscrupulous US administrations that the US has ever seen."

[young_at_heart]

6. "dangerous American president"

The MP who said that was really crossing a line. Will Tony put up with this?