Tutu Tells Blair: Apologize for ’Immoral’ War

by Nigel Morris

Published on Monday, February 16, 2004 by the lndependent/UK

http://www.commondreams.org/cgi-bin/print.cgi?file=/headlines04/
0216-03.htm

Archbishop Desmond Tutu will challenge Tony Blair and George Bush
today to apologize for their pursuit of a counter-productive and
"immoral" war in Iraq.

In a scathing analysis of the background to the invasion, he will
ridicule the "dangerously flawed" intelligence that Britain and the US
used to justify a military action which has made the world a "great deal
less safe".

The intervention of the Nobel peace prize winner in the controversy over
Iraq follows a series of deadly terrorist attacks in the country over
the past week, including an armed raid on a police station on Saturday
in which 22 people died.

Delivering the Longford Lecture, sponsored by The Independent, the
emeritus Archbishop of Cape Town will argue that the turmoil after the
war proved it is an illusion to believe that "force and brutality" leads
to greater security.

"How wonderful if politicians could bring themselves to admit they are
only fallible human creatures and not God and thus by definition can
make mistakes. Unfortunately, they seem to think that such an
admission
is a sign of weakness. Weak and insecure people hardly ever say
’sorry’.

"It is large-hearted and courageous people who are not diminished by
saying: ’I made a mistake’. President Bush and Prime Minister Blair
would recover considerable credibility and respect if they were able to
say: ’Yes, we made a mistake’."

The archbishop will link Mr Bush’s support, when he was Governor of
Texas, for capital punishment with a new philosophy behind the
invasion
of Iraq. He will say: "It may not be fanciful to see a connection
between this and the belligerent militarist policies that have produced
a novel and dangerous principle, that of pre-emption on the basis of
intelligence reports that in one particular instance have been shown can
be dangerously flawed and yet were the basis for the United States
going
to war, dragging a Britain that declared that intelligence reports
showed Iraq to have the capacity to launch its weapons of mass
destruction in a matter of minutes.

"An immoral war was thus waged and the world is a great deal less
safe
place than before. There are many more who resent the powerful who
can
throw their weight about so callously and with so much impunity."

The archbishop, who was awarded the Nobel prize in 1984, will
suggest
that the two leaders have operated a policy of "might is right - and to
hell with the rule of international law".

Sir Menzies Campbell, the deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats, said
yesterday: "These comments from such a widely respected figure of
independent mind emphasizes the extent to which Britain’s reputation
and
possibly influence have been affected by the military action against
Iraq.

"I doubt if President Bush or Mr Blair are going to apologize, but they
should certainly reflect seriously upon the alienation of figures such
as Desmond Tutu."

A Downing Street spokeswoman said: "The Government’s position on
Iraq
has been made clear. We will wait to see what the archbishop says and
respond in due course."

In his lecture the archbishop will draw on his experience in South
Africa after the downfall of apartheid to argue that "retributive
justice" ignores victims’ needs and can be "cold and impersonal".

He will instead champion the concept of "restorative justice" - in which
offenders and victims are brought together - and point to South Africa’s
Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which he headed, as an
illustration
of the idea being put into practice.

Now 72, the archbishop is spending several weeks in Britain in his role
as visiting professor in post-conflict studies at King’s College,
London.

He will also take a swipe in his speech at the steady increase in the
British prison population in recent years, arguing that harsher
sentencing does not "stem the tide of recidivism". He will warn that
sending first-time offenders to prison increases the prospect of them
becoming repeat offenders, making harsh sentences "quite costly".

(c) 2004 Independent Digital (UK) Ltd