Home > Blair refuses to back Iran strike

Blair refuses to back Iran strike

by Open-Publishing - Sunday 16 April 2006
14 comments

Wars and conflicts International USA UK

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, government sources claimed yesterday.

Amid increasing tension over Tehran’s attempts to develop a military nuclear capacity, the Prime Minister has laid bare the limits of his support for President Bush, who is believed to be considering an assault on Iran, Foreign Office sources revealed.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is calling on the United Nations to consider new sanctions against Tehran when the Security Council meets next week to discuss the developing crisis. Blair is expected to support the call for a "Chapter 7" resolution, which could effectively isolate Iran from the international community.

But, in the midst of international opposition to a pre-emptive strike on Tehran, and Britain’s military commitments around the world, the government maintains it cannot contribute to a military assault. "We will support the diplomatic moves, at best," a Foreign Office source told Scotland on Sunday. "But we cannot commit our own resources to a military strike."

Meanwhile, a new report on the Iran crisis has warned that neo-conservatives in the Bush administration are on "collision course" with Tehran.

The Foreign Policy Centre (FPC), often referred to as Blair’s "favourite think-tank", will appeal for a greater effort to find a diplomatic solution in a report to be published later this week. FPC director Stephen Twigg, formerly a Labour minister, explained: "It is essential UK policy on Iran is well informed... We want to engage with the various reformist elements in Iran, both inside and outside the structures of power.

"There is potential for political dialogue, economic ties and cultural contacts to act as catalysts for the strengthening of civil society in Iran."

While the sense of crisis over Iran has been escalated by the fiery rhetoric between Tehran and the West - particularly Washington - many within the British government are now convinced that the impasse can be resolved by repeating the same sort of painstaking diplomatic activity that returned Libya to the international fold.

The approach contrasts sharply with the strategy employed during the run-up to the war in Iraq, when ministers repeatedly issued grim warnings to Saddam Hussein over the consequences of not falling in line with their demands.

"The only long-term solution to Iran’s problems is democracy," said Alex Bigham, co-author of the FPC report. "But it cannot be dictated, Iraq-style, or it will backfire. Iran may seem superficially like Iraq but we need to treat Iran more like Libya. Diplomatic engagement must be allowed to run its course. There need to be bigger carrots as well as bigger sticks."

However, the conciliatory language was not reflected in the approach from Washington, where senior figures in the Bush administration remain keen to stress the danger of Tehran’s intentions.

In a declaration aimed at America’s allies as much as Iran, Rice claimed the Security Council’s handling of the Iranian nuclear issue would be a test of the international community’s credibility. "If the UN Security Council says: ’You must do these things and we’ll assess in 30 days,’ and Iran has not only not done those things, but has taken steps that are exactly the opposite of those that are demanded, then the Security Council is going to have to act."

Rice dismissed Iran’s declaration that it is only interested in enriching uranium for use in civil nuclear power facilities, saying the international community must remain focused on the potential military applications of this technology.

"The world community does not want them to have that nuclear know-how and that’s why nobody wants them to be able to enrich and reprocess on their territory, getting to the place that they can produce what we call a full-scale nuclear plant to be able to do this," she said.

Rice reiterated that President Bush has not taken any option off the table, including a military response, if Iran fails to comply with the demands of the international community.

http://news.scotsman.com/uk.cfm?id=577092006

comments by GWBush
’ I....I......I reject that!........Anyone saying I’m planning on hittin the enemy in Iran is just wild...they’re just wild speculating!’

Forum posts

  • Great Tony Bush has finally said no to his master. But how long will he protest until he finally gives in is anyones guess. What is clear is that Iran is going to be attacked and most likely before the end of the year. If support for this can’t be gained under the nuclear threat umbrella then america will conjour some type of attack on itself again to justify it. And England is likely to suffer some type of attack to change ministers minds to give support to a military campaign.

    Danny from England

  • This is just Tony’s role to play for the time being. Tony (and British rulers and the public to a lesser extent) still sees itself as a colonial power. When the time comes and the stage is set, he will follow Bush to satisfiy the selective desires of past British history.

    I wouldn’t give much credit to what the British position is right now.

    After all, the Anglo-Iranian Petrolium comany is now BP and they will want to rule over Ira’s oil as in the past and as ExxonMobil is ruling over the Iraqi oil now.

  • Danny from England, You are SOOO right on! But look for attack on Iran within the month! I have heard there is ALREADY something going on in Iran! I hope NOT! We MUST STOP this insanity and NOW! I have said before now that PURE EVIL Bush and cohorts will possibly have another false flag attack on U.S. and blame Iran for it! Or do some other BUSHIT to start a war with them to justify bombing the hell out off innocent men,women and kids! I am SOOO Goddamn ashamed to be an American, thanks to those PURE EVIL BASTARDS, I could cry! And Blair is STILL A WAR CRIMINAL AND NEEDS TO BE HANGED ALONG WITH BUSH REGIME AND WHOLE GODDAMN PURELY EVIL PNAC GROUP, TOO FOR CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY AND WAR CRIMINALS THEY ARE! AND NOW! IF THERE IS ANY,ANY JUSTICE LEFT IN THIS WORLD THEY NEED TO BE GODDAMN HELD ACCOUNTABLE AND NOW, BY SOMEONE OR ALOT OF PEOPLE THEY HAVE MURDERED NEEDLESSLY! Starting with the victim’s of 9-11! Please watch this video and spread widely and quickly! http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5137581991288263801&q=loose+change If this link doesn’t work go to Google, type in Loose Change, 2nd Edition and PLEASE WATCH THE VIDEO! There is ALOT more evidence that PURE EVIL BUSH, HITLER NO.2 AND WORSE, AND COHORTS DID NOT ONLY KNOW ABOUT 9-11 BUT WERE BEHIND IT! I HAVE LOTS OF PROOF! AND BLAIR IS STILL A WAR CRIMINAL AND NEEDS TO BE TRIED AS ONE ALSO AND NOW!

  • GB is already bankrupt! In case of an attack on Iran the western world will face an economical crisis. This will give more power to China and destroy the Jewish/American/British financial scam.

    Enjoy!!!

    • I am sorry what ever u said has no justification at all, America is the supper power, and Britian is on of G8 country, these countrirs are helping all needed country of the world how you simply says that, based on what?

  • oh you stupid fools were allready in Iran HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA we live in a dictator ship did you really think Bush would ask for anyones opinion hhehehehehheehehehhe go back to sleep and continue your mind control on amerika’s idol hahahahhahahahaha

  • Check out this URL:

    http://conflictiran.blogspot.com/2006/04/inside-iran-city-life.html

    And try to reconcile what your governments (U.S. / U.K.) are telling you and these photos of Iranain life.

  • I would have expected as much. GB, what good are they when you need them? You can bet your boots that Blair will eventually come crawling back to Bush just like GB did with the WWII "Lend Lease". Tough talk when everything is OK, but, when the going gets tough, GB is no where to be found. Seen it before. 10-4 GB over and out!

  • What no one seems to notice is the fact that the US media still have failed to cover this story whatsoever. Today is the 18th of April, 2006, and not one of the major outlets have covered this story, not MSNBC, not CNN, not the New York Times. Must they wait for their master’s voice to tell them it’s alright to announce Mr. Blair’s statement? How can any intelligent observer put their trust in the US mass media? First there was the Downing St. memo, a story that the US media didn’t cover until two years after the fact, now this important story. Another thing all of the above ’blogsters’ fail to mention is the fact that Mr. Blair is on thin ice within his own Labor Party, the great majority of which are against the war and against this American President. He would be committing political suicide if he ventures with Bush into another ill-planned and unprovoked attack on yet another Muslim country, with 3 times the population of Iraq and a vastly superior military force than the Iraqi Army the US defeated 3 years ago. Unlike the US political system, in a parliamentary form of government, a Prime Minister’s party can easily remove him from office with a simple vote of no-confidence. No need for an Independent Prosecutor with special powers, and all that other rigamorale that comes with it. Too bad we don’t have a system like that here in the US.

    • Blair will be gone by the end of this year which while a positive thing will just Leave Gordon Brown who is the true leader of Britain and a dam evil genius to take his place. Britain always will maintain the pretence that we are a peaceful nation who only take action when absolutely forced but the truth is when the invasion of Iran does happen we will be in the front alongside America again. The media don’t cover statements like that of Blairs as they are funded by the world bank who is the reall puppeteer behind this all. They lend money to both sides of the conflict and enforce that the winning side pay up all the loans of the victory for both sides. So when they win they cripple Iran to get the money and the world bank just sits back and watches the money roll in. The sad fact is that the same principle has been used in every war since 1900 and this is why the world bank is the most powerful entity on the planet. Stronger than any army or nation. If you believe Bill gates is the richest person in the world you are very wrong. His 50 billion is pocket change to the rothchilds. Some estimate their fortune to be as much as 10 trillion dollars now.

      Wake up to the real enemy folks. The politicians come and go and as we all know the lies stay the same. But the real power and danger is money and who controls it. It has been said by one member of the rothchilds "give me the power to create the currency of a nation and i care not who writes the laws"

      Take care All in our search for truth

      Danny from England

    • Excellent analysis, Danny. To further bolster your claim that it is the world central banks that really dominate all geopolitics, look at who heads the World Bank now: Paul Wolfowitz, the former US Deputy Secretary of Defense & one of the chief ’architects’ of this godforsaken war. Different hats, different masks, but the same players. This revolving door between the central banks, the giant global conglomerates and the puppets we call our ’leaders’ has been going since time immemorial.

  • You are dead right sir
    They lend money to both sides of the conflict and enforce that the winning side pay up all the loans of the victory for both sides. So when they win they cripple Iran to get the money and the world bank just sits back and watches the money roll in. The sad fact is that the same principle has been used in every war since 1900 and this is why the world bank is the most powerful entity on the planet. Stronger than any army or nation

    Please see the money master if you have not seen it.it is an eye openning event,it has reminded me of little old story of wolf in a sheep dress while telling and warinning the sheep how the FOX is dangerous TO THE SHEEP, and the SHEEP did beilve that the FOX is No one enemy. Thats why we had all major wars, from our civil war to WWI , WWII , the Korean War, the cold wars, the Gulf wars,
    their own word:
    (“Never in her history has Israel had the luxury of having 500,000 foreigners fight her wars for her, until now.” —Abba Eban, Foreign Minister to Israel, in reference to the 1st Gulf War. )
    lately the IRAQ war, and as the WOLF is so generous we planned more wars, like the coming Iran war,Syria, Labnon, Saudi Arab, Egypet, yr futur thinking and the sky is the limit.
    I could not open the money master,WITH OUT the Google video player, I will add the address bar so it will help:

    Historical shocking facts we r not allowed to know, c & let be seen please

    The Money Masters - How International Bankers Gained Control of America - Part1 (Fixed Audio)

    http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8442305921010099392&q=Money+Masters&pl=true

    The Money Masters - How International Bankers Gained Control of America - Part2

    http://video.google.com/videoplaydocid=6802938500605858947&q=The+Money+Masters+How+International+Bankers+Gained+Control+of+America&pl=true

    The Money Masters - How International Bankers Gained Control of America - Part3

    http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3510313821923167501&q=The+Money+Masters+How+International+Bankers+Gained+Control+of+America&pl=true

    I hope you will be able to view this historical eye openning event, and remeber you will not become a WOLF, but a better SHEEP, who can recognises the WOLF, and knows the DANGER OF THE FOX
    ENJOY WATCHING.

  • You are dead right sir
    They lend money to both sides of the conflict and enforce that the winning side pay up all the loans of the victory for both sides. So when they win they cripple Iran to get the money and the world bank just sits back and watches the money roll in. The sad fact is that the same principle has been used in every war since 1900 and this is why the world bank is the most powerful entity on the planet. Stronger than any army or nation
    Please see the money master if you have not seen it.it is an eye openning event,it has reminded me of little old story of wolf in a sheep dress while telling and warinning the sheep how the FOX is dangerous TO THE SHEEP, and the SHEEP did beilve that the FOX is No one enemy. Thats why we had all major wars, from our civil war to WWI , WWII , the Korean War, the cold wars, the Gulf wars,
    their own word:
    (“Never in her history has Israel had the luxury of having 500,000 foreigners fight her wars for her, until now.” —Abba Eban, Foreign Minister to Israel, in reference to the 1st Gulf War. )
    lately the IRAQ war, and as the WOLF is so generous we planned more wars, like the coming Iran war,Syria, Labnon, Saudi Arab, Egypet, yr futur thinking and the sky is the limit.
    I could not open the money master,WITH OUT the Google video player, I will add the address bar so it will help:

    Historical shocking facts we r not allowed to know, c & let be seen please

    The Money Masters - How International Bankers Gained Control of America - Part1 (Fixed Audio)

    http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8442305921010099392&q=Money+Masters&pl=true

    The Money Masters - How International Bankers Gained Control of America - Part2

    http://video.google.com/videoplaydocid=6802938500605858947&q=The+Money+Masters+How+International+Bankers+Gained+Control+of+America&pl=true

    The Money Masters - How International Bankers Gained Control of America - Part3

    http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3510313821923167501&q=The+Money+Masters+How+International+Bankers+Gained+Control+of+America&pl=true

    I hope you will be able to view this historical eye openning event, and remeber you will not become a WOLF, but a better SHEEP, who can recognises the WOLF, and knows the DANGER OF THE FOX
    ENJOY WATCHING.

  • I do not know why the full article is not appering , please delete one of the two incoplete irticles , try to copy and paste the article to read it in full, why, I do not know.