Think Progress

Report: Blair refuses to back Iran strike.

“Tony Blair has told George Bush that Britain cannot offer military support to any strike on Iran, regardless of whether the move wins the backing of the international community,” the Scotsman reports. Last week, it was found that in July 2004, “British officers took part in a US war game aimed at preparing for a possible invasion of Iran.”



38 Responses to “Report: Blair refuses to back Iran strike.”

  1. Subway Serenade says:

    For your inspiration and delight!

    An Easter Story Diary At Kos

    Enjoy


  2. GURU^ says:

    What? Bushes’ poodle does n’t want to be his Ass Boy Bitch anymore?


  3. Ben says:

    Nice one Tone. I’ve been visiting alot of Republican sites, and they really can’t wait to launch a few bombs. They clearly get off on conflict.


  4. Monkey Knut Wrench says:

    At least Tony learns once burnt twice shy, even though our prime minister Tony Blair is already a mass murderer


  5. Sharon Cox says:

    Ben, could you list some of those sites here. I haven’t looked in on any and would like to see and maybe add some left sided coments to them….Thank’s…..Blessings


  6. Ben says:

    Sharon – http://www.hannity.com/forum/

    Try reading one topic about Iran without bursting into laughter.


  7. Silly Little American Boy says:

    Simple question:
    Why would Bush need Blair’s permission to drop the bomb?


  8. Marie says:

    #7 SLAB
    You make a good point. GW is a lone cowboy. This is Dr. Strangelove’s government, using George Orwell’s story lines. The only thing wrong with George Bush as Slim Picken’s character, riding the rocket to oblivion is that the whole world will explode along with him.


  9. Alexandra says:

    Looks like Tony Blair finally found his balls.


  10. GSD says:

    Tony Blair was sick of a chafed ass caused by the repeated slapping motion of Bush’s ball-sac.

    Blair finally realized that he doesn’t have any military left to fight Bush’s vanity wars.

    A day late and a pound short old chap.

    -GSD


  11. cats are flyfishn says:

    Tony Blair says “fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice…ah..ah..ah.. you can’t fool me again”.


  12. James says:

    Blair is already relatively unpopular. He is not yet ready to hand over PM to Gordon Brown and it is unlikely he would like to be remembered as a warmongerer. In addition, the UK can do little to help the US in any real sense besides perhaps their AWACS. They do not have the stealth bombers that are likely to be prominent.

    That’s assuming that the US only envisions an air campaign…

    Blair wants to be remembered for his massive spending on NHS (which has produced mixed results) among other social programs. He doesn’t need to go out like this and he doesn’t want to alienate his party any more than he already has.


  13. anvilhead says:

    WHO NEEDS THEM? AS IF THEY HELPED IN IRAQ. HAH! HAVING BRITAIN AS AN ALLY IS ALL FOR SHOW.

    #8 MARIE IS TYPICAL OF THE HENNY PENNY PACIFIST CROWD, AND THEIR KNEEJERK REACTION FORECASTING WW3 . WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS THAT IRANS NUCLEAR CAPABILITIES WILL BE SURGICALLY REMOVED, AND IRANS ARMY DESTROYED, AND WW3 WONT HAPPEN.

    I KNOW WHEN WW3 DOESNT HAPPEN, EVERYBODY WHO READS THINKPROGRESS WILL BE SAD. YOUVE ALL GOT YOURE HOPES UP THAT THE NEXT TIME BUSH ORDERS A BOMBING IT WILL BE THE END OF THE WORLD.

    TRY TO THINK POSITIVE. WE WILL GET RID OF IRAN, AND AFTER OIL PRICES COMEBACK DOWN, YOU WILL THANK BUSH FOR MAKING THE WORLDS MOST IMPORTANT OIL REGION SAFE.

    THE ALTERNATIVE IS TO LET IRAN MAKE BOMBS, THREATEN ISREAL, AND 3-5 YEARS LATER START A HUGE WAR IN THE MID EAST. A WAR WHICH AMERICA WILL HAVE TO SORT OUT. A WAR WHICH WILL CAUSE OIL PRICES TO GO UP 10 TIMES THE PRESENT LEVEL.

    IM JUST BEING PRATMATIC. DO YOU WANT THE WAR NOW OR IN 3 YEARS WHEN IRAN HAS THE BOMB? ITS GOING TO HAPPEN. LETS ROLL UP OUR SLEEVES AND TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS.


  14. cats are flyfishn says:

    #6 Ben – I couldn’t help but laugh when I read some of the topics. These folks are true nutcases. The funniest part is when they state “I heard on Fox News ……” As if Fox News is real news. When god was handing out brains, these folks said “no thank, I won’t be needing any brains”.


  15. cats are flyfishn says:

    Dear anvilhead,

    Actually, I will be VERY VERY HAPPY if Bush doesn’t start WWIII. I have no death wish. As far as Isreal is concerned, I’m getting very tired of my tax dollars going to support Isreal, and I’m getting tired of having that little piece of s**t of a country dictating US policies. And Isreal has nukes and would be the first to use them in the middle east. If we go into Iran, $3.00/gallon for gas will look like the “good old days” because gas will go up to $10.00/gallon and China has an agreement to purchase Iran’s oil and China will not be happy with the US interrupting their oil supply.

    You are a pinhead – not an anvilhead.


  16. Gerald Gibson says:

    IM JUST BEING PRATMATIC. DO YOU WANT THE WAR NOW OR IN 3 YEARS WHEN IRAN HAS THE BOMB? ITS GOING TO HAPPEN. LETS ROLL UP OUR SLEEVES AND TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS.

    Comment by anvilhead

    And that is the only two options your poor little mind can come up with?


  17. Spudge_Boy says:

    AND IRANS ARMY DESTROYED,

    So, you are signing up to go fight?

    Good, now if we can get 500,000 more of you chickenhawks to sign up for duty, we can pull off what you predict.


  18. Bruce Gorton says:

    To the citizens of the United States of America,

    In the light of your failure to elect a suitable President of the USA and thus to govern yourselves, we hereby give notice of the revocation of your independence, effective today. Her Sovereign Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will resume monarchical duties over all states, commonwealths and other territories. Except Utah, which she does not fancy. Your new prime minister (The Right Honourable Tony Blair, MP for the 97.85% of you who have until now been unaware that there is a world outside your borders) will appoint a minister for America without the need for further elections. Congress and the Senate will be disbanded.

    A questionnaire will be circulated next year to determine whether any of you noticed. To aid in the transition to a British Crown Dependency, the following rules are introduced with immediate effect:

    1. You should look up revocation in the Oxford English Dictionary. Then look up aluminium. Check the pronunciation guide. You will be amazed at just how wrongly you have been pronouncing it. The letter U will be reinstated in words such as favour and neighbour; skipping the letter U is nothing more than laziness on your part. Likewise, you will learn to spell doughnut without skipping half the letters. You will end your love affair with the letter Z (pronounced zed not zee) and the suffix ize will be replaced by the suffix ise. You will learn that the suffix burgh is pronounced burra (e.g. Edinburgh). You are welcome to respell Pittsburgh as Pittsberg if you can’t cope with correct pronunciation. Generally, you should raise your vocabulary to acceptable levels. Look up vocabulary. Using the same twenty seven words interspersed with filler noises such as like and you know is an unacceptable and inefficient form of communication. Look up interspersed. There will be no more bleeps in the Jerry Springer show. If you’re not old enough to cope with bad language, then you shouldn’t have chat shows. When you learn to develop your vocabulary then you won’t have to use bad language as often.

    2. There is no such thing as US English. We will let Microsoft know on your behalf. The Microsoft spell-checker will be adjusted to take account of the reinstated letter u and the elimination of -ize.

    3. You should learn to distinguish between the English and Australian accents. It really isn’t that hard. English accents are not limited to Cockney, upper-class twit, or Mancunian (Daphne in Frasier). You will also have to learn how to understand regional accents – Scottish dramas such as Taggart will no longer be broadcast with subtitles. While we’re talking about regions, you must learn that there is no such place as Devonshire in England. The name of the county is Devon. If you persist in calling it Devonshire, all American States will become shires (e.g. Texasshire, Floridashire, Louisianashire).

    4. Hollywood will be required to occasionally cast English actors as the good guys. Hollywood will be required to cast English actors to play English characters. British sit-coms such as Men Behaving Badly or Red Dwarf will not be re-cast and watered down for a wishy-washy American audience who can’t cope with the humour of occasional political incorrectness.

    5. You should relearn your original national anthem, God Save The Queen, but only after fully carrying out task 1. We would not want you to get confused and give up half way through.

    6. You should stop playing American football. There is only one kind of football. What you refer to as American football is not a very good game. The 2.15% of you who are aware that there is a world outside your borders may have noticed that no one else plays American football. You will no longer be allowed to play it, and should instead play proper football. Initially, it would be best if you played with the girls. It is a difficult game. Those of you brave enough will, in time, be allowed to play rugby (which is similar to American football but does not involve stopping for a rest every twenty seconds or wearing full Kevlar body armour like nancies). We are hoping to get together at least a US rugby sevens side by 2005. You should stop playing baseball. It is not reasonable to host an event called the World Series for a game which is not played outside of America. Since only 2.15% of you are aware that there is a world beyond your borders, your error is understandable. Instead of baseball, you will be allowed to play a girls game called Rounders which is baseball without fancy team strip, oversized gloves, collector cards or hotdogs.

    7. You should declare war on Quebec and France, using nuclear weapons if they give you any merde. (Merde is French for Shit.) The 97.85% of you who were not aware that there is a world outside your borders should count yourselves lucky. The Russians have never been the bad guys. You will no longer be allowed to own or carry guns. You will no longer be allowed to own or carry anything more dangerous in public than a vegetable peeler. Because we don’t believe you are sensible enough to handle potentially dangerous items, you will require a permit if you wish to carry a vegetable peeler in public.

    8. July 4th is no longer a public holiday. November 2 nd will be a new national holiday, but only in England. It will be called Indecisive Day.

    9. All American cars are hereby banned. They are crap and it is for your own good. When we show you German cars, you will understand what we mean. All road intersections will be replaced with roundabouts. You will start driving on the left with immediate effect. At the same time, you will go metric with immediate effect and without the benefit of conversion tables. Roundabouts and metrication will help you understand the British sense of humour.

    10. You will learn to make real chips. Those things you call French fries are not real chips. Fries aren’t even French, they are Belgian though 97.85% of you (including the guy who discovered fries while in Europe) are not aware of a country called Belgium. Those things you insist on calling potato chips are properly called crisps. Real chips are thick cut and fried in animal fat. The traditional accompaniment to chips is beer, which should be served warm and flat. Waitresses will be trained to be more aggressive with customers.

    11. As a sign of penance, 5 grams of sea salt per cup will be added to all tea made within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, this quantity to be doubled for tea made within the city of Boston itself.

    12. The cold tasteless stuff you insist on calling beer is not actually beer at all, it is lager. From November 1st, only proper British Bitter will be referred to as beer, and European brews of known and accepted provenance will be referred to as Lager. The substances formerly known as American Beer will henceforth be referred to as Near-Frozen Gnat’s Urine, with the exception of the product of the American Budweiser Company, whose product will be referred to as Weak Near-Frozen Gnat’s Urine. This will allow true Budweiser (as manufactured for the last 1000 years in Pilsen, Czech Republic) to be sold without risk of confusion.

    13. From December 1st, the UK will harmonise petrol (or Gasoline, as you will be permitted to keep calling it until April 1st, 2005) prices with the former USA. The UK will harmonise its prices to those of the former USA and the former USA will, in return, adopt UK petrol prices (roughly $6/US gallon – get used to it).

    14. You will learn to resolve personal issues without using guns, lawyers, or therapists. The fact that you need so many lawyers and therapists shows that you’re not adult enough to be independent. Guns should be handled only by adults. If you’re not adult enough to sort things out without suing someone or speaking to a therapist, then you’re not grown up enough to handle a gun.

    15. Please tell us who killed JFK. It’s been driving us crazy.

    Tax collectors from Her Majesty’s Government will be with you shortly to ensure the acquisition of all revenues due (backdated to 1776).

    Thank you for your cooperation.

    ~Writer unknown. Might be John Cleese.


  19. cats are flyfishn says:

    Bruce Gorton – very funny post.


  20. Stupid Republicans says:

    Blair’s distancing himself because he knows that if Bubble Boy attacks Iran retaliation is a given.

    Blair don’t want his country getting obliterated.

    We on the other hand have a pychopath running things so retaliation is the furthest thing from his diseased mind.

    Hail to the Pyschopath!


  21. Stupid Republicans says:

    Anvilhead=Pinhead, I agree.


  22. Lily says:

    The real question is: What do we now call English muffins?


  23. Stupid Republicans says:

    Hey! Off topic but kinda related….

    Now that the majority of our military leaders agree that Bubble Boy and Rummy are pyschopaths, a military coupe could be on the horizon.

    Support U.S. troops if and when they overthrow the United States Govt

    Overthrough the Government!.


  24. Tundra says:

    I think it’s reaching a bit to call military war games as anything more than learning troop capabilities. Saying it is preparing them for an invasion of Iran just seems a little like stretching. If blair did say he wasn’t going that’s good news though, perhaps help to reign in old Bushie there though.

    13 THE ALTERNATIVE IS TO LET IRAN MAKE BOMBS, THREATEN ISREAL, AND 3-5 YEARS LATER START A HUGE WAR IN THE MID EAST.
    I think Israel can pretty much handle it, if the U.S/U.N quits handcuffing them. They have shown the ability. Why not just let them do it? The international community won’t protect them. But they also know the U.S/Britian/Germany and Japan won’t do anything against them if they do take out Iran.

    18 Funny :)

    23 Now that the majority of our military leaders agree that Bubble Boy and Rummy are pyschopaths, a military coupe could be on the horizon.

    I doubt it, and where did you get a majority of military leaders said that? I have read a few polls that show a dislike or a feeling of lack of confidence. I didn’t read one that said psychopath though.


  25. anvilhead says:

    Good, now if we can get 500,000 more of you chickenhawks to sign up for duty, we can pull off what you predict.

    Comment by Spudge_Boy — April 16, 2006 @ 12:38 pm

    WHY AM I A CHICKEN HAWK? DO YOU CALL SOLDIERS FIGHTING IN THE IRAQ WAR WHO ARE AGAINST THE WAR WARKHAWKS? IT IS POSSIBLE TO HAVE AN OPINION WITHOUT BEING IN THE MILITARY. WE HAVE AN ALL VOL. ARMY. WE SHOULD HAVE DRAFT. SERVE ONE YEAR AND YOURE DONE SERVING. IF CALLED ID GO. BUT IM 30 SO ITS NOT LIKELY.

    WE HAVE AN ALL VOL. ARMY. WE DONT NEED 500,000 MEN TO OCCUPY IRAN. WE ARE NOT GOING TO OCCUPY IRAN. WE ARE GOING TO DE-MILITARIZE THEM WITH OUR AIR FORCE AND NAVY.

    IM ACUSED OF NOT BEING ABLE TO IMAGINE ANY POSSIBILITY OTHER THAN BOMBING IRAN NOW. WHERES YOUR IMAGINATION. CANT YOU IMAGINE A TIME DOWN THE ROAD 3-5 YEARS WHERE THIS SPECULATION ABOUT WAR WITH IRAN IS REPEATED BECAUSE THEY ARE SABER RATTLING AGAIN, THIS TIME WITH NUCLEAR BOMBS? TRY


  26. Monkey Knut Wrench says:

    America has not got the guts to have a conventional war with Iran, 70 million people 60% aged 35 and under , mountainous terrain, decent army, navy and airforce with chemical weapons to use 40,000 terrorists ready to commit jehad on American targets

    Americans are basically cowards who attack countries like iraq who had been bombed the shit out of before they even commit to attacking Iraq. Murdering cowards

    You touch Iran and the rest of the world will hate you more than they do now, your all stuffed

    Good old russia has 22,000 nukes more than america has with 5500 aimed to land in america at the blink of an eye

    youll be the losers in an Iran war — Cowards — go on start the war I will laugh and celebrate at every american casualty –

    Just like 911


  27. Spudge_Boy says:

    WE SHOULD HAVE DRAFT. SERVE ONE YEAR AND YOURE DONE SERVING. IF CALLED ID GO. BUT IM 30 SO ITS NOT LIKELY.

    Actually, the military upped the age to 42, so you could be drafted.

    I think a draft would be a lot more fair. That way people who support the war in Iraq could go and enjoy the sites too. We wouldn’t just be propping up oil companies with our poor.


  28. JIMBO says:

    it’s sad how much Tony Blair has fallen since he was aligned with the Chimp President. He was, for awhile a favorie among the British people when he and his party overwhelmed John Major and the Conservative party in 1996. He brought a lot of hope to England and helped to end the long war between England and the IRA. He and Clinton were the best of pals.

    Then came 9/11 and after that, he made his deal with the devil and that devil’s name was Bush. With the Iraq debacle, Blair and his party, the British equivalent of the Democrats, were set to fall. George Michael even mocked him in a music video. Sean Connery publicly refused to back Blair. Blair should have known that if James Bond wasn’t going to back him, he would lose the country like LBJ did when Cronkite blasted him in ‘68 for a war that was unjust and unwarranted.

    I think the downfall has to go back to the idea that Blair wanted to be more like an American politician. He has admitted to plagarizing a bit on one of Clinton’s campaign speeches. When Bush came along, that was the beginning of the end of England’s romance with Blair.

    It’s nice to hear that Blair has seen the light, but it’s too late.


  29. Tundra says:

    Spudge,

    It kind of surprises me that you would prefer a draft. I understand your point about it being fair, but I think the morale issues outweigh that for me. With all of the problems in a war zone (Prison guards etc) adding people forced to be there would just compound it.


  30. Father Paul says:

    Is there any way to put a CAPSLOCK block on Knucklehead, I mean ANVILHEAD? I realize this response is feeding the troll, but are these pissheads really that desperate for attention?
    Actually, If they DID enlist (or get drafted), they would get all the attention they desire (and more!)…
    Or… if their precious Compounder-In-Grief (Monsieur Shrub) were indicted, tried and convicted, chuckleheads like poor-petite Anvil could be indicted as co-conspirators. Then, they could get all the attention they so crave (and obviously deserve) as being “Rocco’s biatch.” “You got a pretty mouth there, Anvilhead…”


  31. unbelievable says:

    It’s nice to hear that Blair has seen the light, but it’s too late.

    Comment by JIMBO — April 16, 2006 @ 2:35 pm

    I think Blair is just considering his own declining approval rating and is trying to save his career. At least he gets it. Bush never will.


  32. Spudge_Boy says:

    Spudge,

    It kind of surprises me that you would prefer a draft.

    Tundra,

    The only reason it suprises you is because the right wingers that come here think that we are all left wingers here.

    I don’t fit into any category. Take for instance the fact that I support the death penalty. Most true left wingers are 100% against the death penalty.

    I served in the military and think everybody should spend a couple of years in the military. That ain’t left wing.

    I am called a left winger because I hate George W. Bush, which is incorrect. There were a lot of things Clinton did that I didn’t like and I joined the military to fight under George H. W. Bush. My hatred for George W. Bush has nothing to do with left or right, it has to do with his incompetence.

    Have a good Easter.


  33. Tundra says:

    Spudge,

    Yeah I know you spent time, High Angle hell right?

    It was because you spent time I was surprised. I don’t like the idea because of how slackers slow everthing down. Then again the personal responsibility is heavily toted in the service, would be a good thing to pass on.

    Happy Easter and beware rabid bunnies!


  34. Kadi says:

    Childeren!Children!…
    There will be no war against Iran. Simply because
    1.US economy (along the rest of the world) could not afford oil price over $100/bbl. Iran is 2nd prodecude of the opec)

    2.US could not affrod a utterly messed Iraq (way more than what it is now) due to Iran’s great influence on Shia population.

    3. The world could not afford Perisan Gulf as vital oil path gets shut down.
    That’s it.
    Kadi


  35. koalablue says:

    Strange that Blair would not join in on Iran even with International Community backing. He got into Iraq rather quickly. The rewards he thought would come his way or Englands did not eventuate so now he is a bit reluctant to join in.


  36. Spudge_Boy says:

    Then again the personal responsibility is heavily toted in the service, would be a good thing to pass on.

    Yes, I think the military is a great for building personal responsibility along with team work, courage and most importantly, honor.

    Is the military for everybody, no. Some people just didn’t “get it” and were always getting treated like crap by the leaders and fellow soldiers. You know, guys that would never bathe.

    But, overall, the military builds character. I think less people would be gung ho for war, if they knew that their buddy or relative might end up getting killed.


  37. Bush Bites says:

    IT’S TOO LATE.

    BLAIR IS STUCK WITH BUSH. WHETHER BRITAIN TAKES PART IN BUSH’S NEXT WAR OR NOT IS IMMATERIAL. THE IRANIANS HAVE ALREADY STATED THAT BRITAIN WILL BE ATTACKED TOO.

    MAYBE BRITAIN’S NEXT PRIME MINISTER WILL BE A LITTLE MORE CAREFUL ABOUT PICKING HIS FRIENDS.


  38. Cyra Brown says:

    #29- Tundra, there are already people who are “forced” to be there. Those who have been “stop-lossed”, for example. And BushCo’s misuse of the National Guard. Using them in ways that were never intended, and causing them multiple hardships, which BushCo makes no attempts to alleviate. They do not even qualify for the same “benefits” as regular military, although they are all fighting the same battles. And they even got shafted on what little body armor was available, getting leftovers from Viet Nam! BushCo has a “gift” for compounding their mistakes, only exceeded by their defensiveness when called on their hideous record.

    As for Tony Blair, he cannot hide from the people the way GWB does. He has no illusions about the response he would receive, should he attempt to support GWB’s Iran nonsense.



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