Blair

Very interesting development across the pond, where Tony Blair faces an election soon. The issue is the legal advice he received prior to the Iraq war. Blair was forced to release the documents.

The dispute hinged on the advice given to Blair by his top legal adviser Lord Goldsmith on March 7, 2003. The confidential note has been the subject of intense press speculation in recent months and, finally, a detailed leak to Channel 4 News on Wednesday night.

The memo, released in full Thursday by Blair's office, confirmed reports that Goldsmith had warned it would be safer to go to war with a second U.N. Security Council resolution specifically authorizing military action. It also warned that British troops taking part in the conflict could be open to legal action.

Oh.. but that is not the position of the United States! We could not have a Brit legal advisor with that sort of viewpoint. Soooo...

Ten days later, in a written statement to Parliament on March 17, Goldsmith's reservations had disappeared and he said the war would be legal without a further resolution.

The Bush administration was forced to withdraw a Security Council resolution seeking U.N. authorization for the military action in Iraq because of deep opposition from many council members.

Imagine that.

Two nations went to war based on a U.N. resolution authorizing "serious consequences". The 2nd resolution explicitly authorizing war was withdrawn as we all know it would never have passed a vote in the security counsel. The Brit legal counsel suddenly shifted gears. The war was based on lies - no WMD's, no link to AQ, no link to 9/11.

It all stinks to high heaven and a lot of people are dead.