Home > EXCLUSIVE: 85% BLAME BOMBS ON WAR IN IRAQ
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EXCLUSIVE: 85% BLAME BOMBS ON WAR IN IRAQ
By Rosa Prince, Political Correspondent
AN overwhelming 85 per cent of people blame the Iraq invasion for the London bombings, a Daily Mirror/GMTV poll reveals today.
The survey is a hammer blow to Tony Blair, who insists Britain’s role in the war had nothing to do with the 7/7 terror attacks.
His words were greeted with incredulity by critics who are convinced Muslim anger on Iraq has fuelled Islamic extremism. And now that view has been borne out by our YouGov poll
In all, 23 per cent said the war was the main reason for the London bombings. Another 62 per cent believe that while Iraq was not the principle cause, it did contribute to the reasons behind the atrocities.
Just 12 per cent said there was no real link. Yet the Prime Minister said after the most recent incidents: "The people who are responsible for terrorist attacks are the terrorists."
Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and Defence Secretary John Reid have also rejected any connection between Iraq and the terror strikes.
Their denials came despite a leaked report from the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre which said: "Events in Iraq are continuing to act as motivation and a focus of a range of terrorist-related activity in the UK."
The respected think-tank Chatham House also contradicted Mr Blair, stating: "The situation over Iraq has imposed particular difficulties for the UK. It gives a boost to the al-Qaeda network’s propaganda, recruitment and fund-raising."
The poll also reveals the public’s view that MPs and politicians should postpone holidays while the four failed bombers remain at large.
Last Thursday, as four men tried and failed to wreak havoc at the Oval, Shepherd’s Bush, Warren Street and on the No26 bus, MPs quit Westminster for an 80-day holiday.
Home Secretary Charles Clarke finally agreed yesterday to delay his break. Downing Street will not comment on the PM’s plans.
Our poll shows that 65 per cent believe MPs should remain at their posts, rising to 70 and 71 per cent for Mr Blair and Mr Clarke.
Despite the tragic blunder at Stockwell station when innocent Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes was shot dead, public support for the police remains high. Seven out of 10 back the shoot-to-kill policy. A similar number say they trust the police and security services to stop future terror attacks. A majority, 71 per cent, believe there is nothing more police could have done to stop the bombings.
And 65 per cent vowed that the terror attacks will not stop them travelling to London.
Forum posts
26 July 2005, 14:06
To be a senior politician or cabinet member these days is to deny reality, if they ever had any real contact with reality in the first place. Blair followed Bush into war against the wishes of the people, stayed in the war against the wishes of the people, and pretends that the attacks on the people have nothing to do with the disastrous decisions he has made in the past few years. People who live perpetually in such a state of denial are usually committed to mental homes, not given a country to run! The sooner we get rid of the likes of Blair, Straw, Bush, Cheney, and their croneys, the quicker we can return to a normal, sane world.
26 July 2005, 14:44
Thought it was interesting the day after the London bombings the BBC had a story about a ’leaked’ memo concerning the gradual withdrawl of British troops from Iraq, and Italy anounced a phased withdrawal as well.
Initially, Blair parotted Bush by saying they’re ’evil and just want to destroy our way of life’. Couple of days later he says ’there is no connection with Iraq’. Now he says ’Iraq is no excuse’.
At this rate, come Friday, the spin doctors will tell him to apologise for going along with the slaughter in Iraq, and begging forgiveness.
I’m sure he could see that Bush and the neocons have manufactured hate among poor brown people to justify invasion and theft, but he’s too spineless to say no. That ’concerned’ act he puts on, makes me vomit every time.
27 July 2005, 07:50
To the British people: get your "Nazis" at Downing street No. 10.
27 July 2005, 09:24
Blair said ’’we’ve to carry on, and not let them change our way of life’’. Yeah, alright for you, you fuck, with bullet and bomb proof limousines, concrete bollards and bomb proof gates at Downing Street. Let’s see you on the Tube then Mr Blair, before you swan off to Tuscany for three months.
Iraqi baby killer.