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This Friday Tony Blair, former British Prime Minister, took the stand at the official inquiry into the Iraq war. The UK people have been demanding this inquiry for some time, and now the question regarding the legality of the UK entering into the war in Iraq with the United States in 2002 is finally being addressed.
It is this type of accountability that marks the difference between the US and UK political systems. You have to wonder what would happen should the white house press conferences allow journalists to ask questions off of the ‘approved list’ of topics. Could the American politicians ever tolerate a ‘prime ministers questions’ style debate in congress or the senate? I doubt it.
However, after hearing Tony Blair expertly bat away and duck the difficult questions, like a well trained performer, you have to wonder if the inquiry will ever bring us closer to an answer: was it right to invade Iraq? Like many people, my opinion regarding the war in Iraq is strong:
Just before the September 11th attacks, my younger brother joined the army. He did it without telling a soul, and announced to the family that summer that he was leaving for boot camp in a month. We were staggered. But, for my brother the move made sense. It would give him the structure and drive he needed, which had eluded him through the more traditional routes like education. When the terrorist attacks happened, we all feared that the country would go to war and that my brother would be sent. By some turn of ridiculous fortune, my brother was sent to Germany and was told that he would not be sent to a combat zone: it turned out that he was color blind. However, for my father, who viewed the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan as equally justified and righteous, he could not hide his disappointment. Not because he did not fear for my brother’s life, but because he felt my brother would miss out on the opportunity to do his duty and protect his country from this most gruesome foe. My father and I argued relentlessly over the dinner table:
“The Iraq war is not just”, I cried. “It’s a smokescreen. Iraq has nothing to do with terrorism. The US government is manufacturing fear and propaganda to suit its own agenda.”
“How dare you! I will not have that kind of talk in my house.” My father exclaimed. “Your country deserves support, not some kind of pacifist anti-American nonsense.”
“I am not a pacifist – I agree that the war in Afghanistan is warranted. But the Iraq war is a distraction. And I am just as much an American as you are Dad, I can’t believe you just said that.”
“How would you feel if your brother was over there and he saw how people in his own country were acting? The soldiers are risking their lives – they ought to have your support, not criticism.”
“I’m not criticising the soldiers – I’m criticising my president! The soldiers are just following their orders. I am not anti-soldier, or anti-American, I am anti ridiculous war!”
“Leila! Do you think what happened in New York was ridiculous? They attacked our country, no less than 50 miles from where you live – they want you dead, don’t you understand that?” my father said with a sense of deep frustration mixed with anger.
I sighed.
“You are not listening to me Dad”, I said. I give up.”
We would never see eye to eye, and we were not alone. This debate was going on all over the country, both at the dinner table and in the media. It is hard for us to remember back all those years, but the general mood in the US tended to side more with my father. I remember being very reserved and cautious about speaking my opinion freely, as there was always someone who would get visibly upset by it, and the argument would turn ugly. There were even rumours of people being hunted down SS style for treason by speaking out against the president and his war on terror. It is only very recently that the mood has shifted to generally accept that the Iraq war did little to curb international terrorism, and the goose hunt regarding weapons of mass destruction was a costly folly. But I was at that conclusion from the beginning. I had gotten so frustrated and disillusioned with my countrymen that when the opportunity