Peacemaker Tony Blair deserves our gratitude

From John Rock

I wish to commend Shane Coleman on his well-balanced article on Tony Blair. Too many people seem to want to forget Mr Blair's huge role in helping to bring peace to this island. As Coleman correctly stated, it would not have happened under any of his predecessors (or indeed his sucessors) and he deserves our eternal gratitude.

His decision to back the US-led invasion of Iraq can now be viewed as a mistake, but only in hindsight, and was seen by most as the correct decision at the time. He certainly doesn't deserve the vilification he is currently receiving from certain quarters in the media. He had a critical decision to make in relation to Iraq and, right or wrong, he made that decision with the courage of his convictions and stuck to it. I only wish our current political leaders could say the same about the decisions they have to make for our country. I agree with Coleman when he says that Tony Blair deserves our gratitude and should receive a warm welcome whenever he visits Ireland.

John Rock,

johnrock9@hotmail.com,

September 12, 2010

Comments

#1 BarryW commented, on September 12, 2010 at 6:37 p.m.:

He had such courage in invading Iraq that he went along with the plan of not keeping track of the number of dead Iraqis as a result of his actions.

Charming.

#2 Ger commented, on September 13, 2010 at 2:39 p.m.:

He lied about WMD which led the USA and Britain to invade Iraq, he made no mistake he knew what he was doing.

#3 sholly commented, on September 14, 2010 at 8:14 a.m.:

Tony Blair and his spin doctors needed to draw attention from the "mistake" of Iraq and what did they choose? Why the N. Ireland peace process of course! Why else did he chooses come to a backwater like Dublin (0,000001% of sales)? Not exactly the centre of the english-speaking world. And the stupid Irish played along.
I see that the US has now given him some medal or other for his contribution to the Irish peace process as well as peace in the Middle East! I can grant him a small very part in NI, but the ME? He is tied hand and purse to the Americans/Israelis, how can he be an honest broker? In fact the arab countries don't want him but are powerless. No more $$$ for them otherwise (their elite, that is. The ordinary people will continue to live in poverty).

#4 Morgan Fletcher commented, on September 14, 2010 at 12:05 p.m.:

Blair's role in N.I seems to getting greater by the day - in direct, inverse proportion to the criticism he (rightly)faces over Iraq. On this basis, Bertie Ahern should be absolved of any blame for our financial woes because he too helped in N.I.

There are many others who deserve more credit than Blair for political progress in N.I. Blair arrived on the scene quite late in the day, after much of the heavy lifting had been done by George Mitchell, Albert Reynolds, Bill Clinton, John Major and even Garrett Fitzgerald.

Mr Rock's assertion that the Iraq invasion was "seen by most" to be the right thing at the time is absurd. Was he asleep when a million marched in the UK, during the passionate debates on TV (all of which Blair lost) or during Dominic de Villepin's tour de force at the UN - every word of which was proven right?

Mr Rock is entitled his opinion and like everyone else can choose to throw bouquets or eggs at Mr Blair but he should at least offer some credible reasons for doing so.

I consider Blair to be a glib, superficial salesman, dangerously in thrall to the US and with a religious zeal that borders on the fanatical. I have more basis for those opinions than Mr Rock has for his.

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