To not understand the Tony Blair hatred thing

[smashedinductionhob]

I remember Tony Blair being very popular in his day and recall him doing reasonably good things.

I do remember very clearly the run up to the Iraq war and saying to my husband that I did not agree with it as there was no actual plan and the US public seemed to think Saddam Hussain was connected to 9/11 which he wasn't.

I remember passionate supporters of ethnic minorities in Iraq supporting him and only a few brave clever people like Obama calling it as a mistake.

I failed to demonstrate. The dossier was identified in Parliament (by a small minority) as dodgy before the war started but most of us went along with it.

It was clear to me at the time that the PM was supporting the US as a matter of principle (a lousy principle but fairly obvious).

How did we get from there to TB as hate figure? Is he just a scapegoat?

[LiviaDrusillaAugusta]

He's a war mongering wanker who was a tool of the US. And he still won't piss of into obscurity - he keeps popping up to spout shite

[Ampersand22]

He isn't a scapegoat, he's a war criminal. There is evidence that he and Bush planned the war two years before it happened. They fabricated evidence of WMD and invaded a country and killed loads of people. Fucking twat.

[RememberToSmile1980]

Totally agree with the above statement. He needs to piss off! Twat!

[user1476961324]

Most people didn't go along with it! Has why he's hated.

He pushed us into a war which should not have happened.

[LiviaDrusillaAugusta]

You probably could have found this info with a quick Google - it's not specifically an MN hate thing...

[QuentinSummers]

For me it's not just the Iraq war, it's also the fact he put his own self interest ahead of anything. He gives me the creeps too.
However given the absolute joke the Labour party and indeed the government are now, I am starting to look back more fondly on Blair and nu-labour.

[TinklyLittleLaugh]

Surely Britain has fought a lot of dodgy wars over the years without the PM being so vilified? I think it is naive to suggest that, realistically, Britain had any choice but to go along with the USA. I think Blair was in an impossible situation really and history will recognise that fact. Life was much better under Labour.

[QuiteLikely5]

Is it not the case that he was pictured looking very cosy with Wendy deng ex wife of Rupert Murdoch who owns most of the media? She was not his ex wife when the pictures emerged

I also believe that he was supporting America more than taking a stand to protect the uk. As bush wanted the oil pipe from there I think.

[user1489261248]

He is a war monger who took us into a war we never wanted.

He is a conservative with a small c. NEW labour my arse.

He is one the block-the-brexit cunts like that Gina Miller woman.

Enough reasons to hate the fucker I think

[PlayOnWurtz]

He's a war mongering attention seeking twat

[olliegarchy99]

I wondered how old you were OP but I see you were adult at the time of the Iraq war so I do think you are being U if you cannot understand what TB did.

[TinklyLittleLaugh]

I was anti war by the way, and my DH protested. I just don't think Blair had a choice.

[AuraofDora]

Bliar. He lied and millions died and are dying to this day.

If there was any justice he'd be in the Hague awaiting trial as a war criminal, instead he was made Middle East peace envoy ffs and has done very well financially however history books will not record him as he would like to be remembered.

Have a look at the Iraq Body Count figures. He's drenched in blood and not trusted.

[KikiDeliversCakes]

He betrayed us. He took us into an unjustified war. He lied to us.

What more do you need to actively dislike a politician? A person?

[smashedinductionhob]

No, I don't understand. What is it that is different about him from other leaders?

I opposed the war at the time. I was not deceived.

Very few wars are just.

[armpitz]

The war
The unprecedented levels of migration sending house prices soaring up out of reach
Mockery of university degrees
Money spent on ridiculous things in various forms
Bloated and unsustainable welfare system that people became reliant on.
The start of the privatisation of the NHS

[Aoibhe]

Interesting thread.
Place marking for later

[user1489261248]

All what armpitz says too ^

[muhajaba]

He made huge decisions that had a detrimental effect on Britain and other countries, and were in opposition to what the British public wanted, ultimately the ''war on terror'' has now killed well over a million people, the vast majority innocent civilians. I don't believe he didn't have a choice, I believe he made the choice he wanted.
He's got blood on his hands.

[smashedinductionhob]

Some anti-war people here.

Some anti-immigration.

Some Anti EU

No real link.

[Idrinkandiknowstuff]

What armpits said

[aquashiv]

Lots of people didn't like him because he was so good, ergo dangerous. He could have put an end to the right wing ideology with his progressive politics. Lefties didn't like him because they see him as a Tory. A sell out of labour principles.
Any war is a mistake. IF any other government had been in power we would have followed that wacko Bush.

[TimeforANewTwatName]

I didn't like him before labour got in a couldn't stand watching him, smarmy fucker. But I voted him to be rid of the tories, and half hoped he'd step down later. (As I believed was rumoured at the time) I didn't agree with lots that he did whilst PM

[eddiemairswife]

He was dazzled by being in contact with 'the leader of the free world', first Clinton, then Bush. He didn't take time to reflect on the Iraq situation, and consider both sides of the question, and take advice from experts who knew about the area and the likelihood of WMD, especially the opinion of Professor Hans Blix. He does not seem to regret the thousands of Iraqi lives lost, and the resentment of millions of Muslim, who are now being cast as the 'bad men'. I consider he is responsible for both the tube bombings and this week's atrocity.

Harold Wilson was man enough to resist US pressure for us to send troops to Vietnam.

[TinklyLittleLaugh]

Both the NHS and education massively improved under Blair.
The Northern Ireland peace process was an amazing achievement.
Sure Start and tax credits and the minimum wage were all great introductions.
And actually, at the time, the majority of the country probably thought the Iraq war was a good idea.