Do most people 'dislike' Tony Blair?

[AgentZigzag]

I accept that the word dislike may not fully encompass the emotional response he provokes in some people, but I personally don't think he's that bad. I see him as a politician who's had to make difficult decisions, rather than someone who took us to war for dishonest reasons.

It was his job to look at the bigger picture after 9/11, I've just seen him saying on the Iraq Inquiry that 3000 people were killed on that day, and if they could have, they would have killed 30000. Surely he had to do everything and anything he thought necessary to try and protect us from people whose reality is so distorted that they would gladly kill and maim as many people in the west as possible, and certainly don't play by any of the rules of normal modern warfare.

I don't think I'm being naive, and I can't stand Labour so it's not because I'm some NuLab fan, but I just don't think he's as bad as the media wants us to think he is.

Deride me as you will, but I actually respect the fact that someone, anyone, prays. It actually makes them go up in my estimation. I am not just thinking of Tony Blair here.

A little more spirituality, generally, would not go amiss imho.

Dittany - you love a conspiracy and anti-establishment argument but in this case it is so misguided

Lots of people were leaders. Hitler, Stalin, Kim Il Young, Pol Pot. Does that make all their decisions beyond reproach because they had the "courage" to make one? Should we admire such leadership?

To trot out a cliche, " fools rush in where angels fear to tread". Sometimes masterly inactivity is much preferable to rushing around like a headless chicken for the sake of doing something.

"I think you are fool for despising someone who made a difficult decision, stood by his decision and showed unswerving leadership instead of pandering to the populist vote."

But it was the WRONG difficult decision. What's to admire?

I don't think that if there is a God his judgment over Tony will be favourable.

Let's assume for a momemt that Tony Blair made the 'right' decision (in the opinion of most here). How do we think the world would be different today?

Again all this talk about God is just using DM soundbites. Not once today did TB mention God. Can't you see you have been duped by columnists with agendas?

I fear not, CrackFox.

And as Dittany said, Spokette "the populist vote" which you so deride is known in this country as "democracy". Enjoy it while you can.

Georgie dear, Blair was a leader of a democracy. The others you mention, except Hitler, were dictators. Hitler was voted in and had to die in order for Germany to be rid of him. TB stood down.

I'm not saying anyone who prays is beyond reproach. But I think it's a bit below the belt to decry religious practices in general.

(BTW in my earlier post, I meant let's assume Tony Blair decided NOT to go to war... )

Not once did TB mention God? Have you ever read a newspaper?

here

and here

ooh another one

In the 1999 House of Lords act, TB removed the hereditary rights of Lords. What is there to argue with that ?

One of his other good acts that never got ANY credit

Please, really don't try to patronise me, spokette. You can only patronise people less intelligent than you and I doubt that is the case.

TB was the leader of a democracy. Of course, no democratic process chose his successor, and let's see if some desperate terrorist incident occurs between now and May to see whether we are still a democracy, shall we?

"In the 1999 House of Lords act, TB removed the hereditary rights of Lords. What is there to argue with that ?

One of his other good acts that never got ANY credit"

Mmm, winner. Because now we have the immensely capable Lord Sugar in place of people who irrespective of how they came to be there, had amassed a lifetime of service and independently holding the government of the day to account.

Good job.

I did say TB did not mention God TODAY as a reason to go to war. I did not say that the papers had not said that he had mentioned God. I think he was probably misquoted and it was not reported in context. Religious people quote God all the time

I am an atheist and don't do God, but I don't believe he was as vehement as reported. Again, just propaganda and story telling

I would rather Lord Sugar than some tosser born into it

"Please, really don't try to patronise me, spokette. You can only patronise people less intelligent than you and I doubt that is the case."

Sorry GM but that is itself a patronising statement and sounds as though you believe you are superior. Everyone has the right to a say. We all accept you are far more intelligent than any of us. Now enough about intelligence.

Of course. Absolutely, when Tb is quoted as saying something that doesn't fit in with your world view, he has been misquoted. That's right dear.

TB allowed the British Public to hear the words of Sinn Fein again, something Thatcher stopped. How in a democracy was thatallowed to happen. Since when did TB ever curtail the freedom of the press unlike Thatcher?

TB led the way for civil partnerships for gays. If he was such a neo-con and Dubya's poodle as many of his detractors accuse him of being, that would never have happened.

TB supported Bill Clinton when they invaded Kosovo to save the Muslims from genocide being waged against by Milosovich.

No, I really don't think I am superior. I think I am the same as you and my views are equally valid. Shame you don't extend people who dare to disagree with you the same courtesy.

I believe I have been courteous throughout.