Mr Blair was severely criticised by John Chilcot's inquiry into the Iraq war, but the former premier said the report "should lay to rest allegations of bad faith, lies or deceit" against him.
He added that his decisions were taken "in what I believed to be the best interests of the country" and added that he still believed "it was better to remove Saddam Hussein".
The Chilcot Report said the circumstances in which Mr Blair and then attorney general Peter Goldsmith decided that there was a legal basis for UK military action in Iraq were "far from satisfactory".
He also said there was "no imminent threat" from Hussein at the time of the invasion and the intelligence about his weapons of mass destruction was "flawed".
But Mr Blair said the report found there was "no falsification or improper use of intelligence", "no deception of Cabinet" and "no secret commitment to war" was given to US president George Bush.
He said the report "does not make a finding on the legal basis for military action but finds that the attorney general had concluded there was such a lawful basis" by 13 March 2003.
Mr Blair said: "The report should lay to rest allegations of bad faith, lies or deceit. Whether people agree or disagree with my decision to take military action against Saddam Hussein; I took it in good faith and in what I believed to be the best interests of the country."
He acknowledged the report made "real and material criticisms" of "preparation, planning, process and of the relationship with the United States".
Mr Blair, who will set out a full response to the report later, said: "I will take full responsibility for any mistakes without exception or excuse.
"I will at the same time say why, nonetheless, I believe that it was better to remove Saddam Hussein and why I do not believe this is the cause of the terrorism we see today whether in the Middle East or elsewhere in the world.
"Above all I will pay tribute to our armed forces. I will express my profound regret at the loss of life and the grief it has caused the families, and I will set out the lessons I believe future leaders can learn from my experience."
[rte.ie]
6/7/16
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Blair promised Bush unconditional support to invade Iraq in 2003...
ReplyDeleteA confidential memo sent by former British prime minister Tony Blair to then United States President George W. Bush expressed full support for an invasion of Iraq, according to an official report released Wednesday by an inquiry into the 2003 Iraq War.
"I'll be with you, whatever," Tony Blair wrote to George W. Bush in a memo dated July 28, 2002 _ eigh months before the invasion of Iraq in March 2003.
The information was published by the Iraq Inquiry, referred to as the Chilcot report, which is a public inquiry into the United Kingdom's role in the Iraq War between 2001 and 2009.
The Inquiry, which was announced in 2009, was pursued by a council of senior advisers _ called Privy Counselors _ and chaired by John Chilcot.
In the same memo offering unconditional support, Blair advised that Bush seek a resolution from the United Nations authorizing armed action, which ultimately was never issued.
"The planning on this and the strategy are the toughest yet," Blair said.
"This is not Kosovo," he said, adding, "This is not Afghanistan."
In the document, Blair, who ruled from 1997 to 2007, acknowledged he was not sure he could guarantee the UK's support for Bush's plan to attack and overthrow then Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.
"In Britain, right now I couldn't be sure of support from Parliament, Party, public or even some of the Cabinet," Blair wrote.
He also warned of possible negative consequences: "If we win quickly, everyone will be our friend. If we don't and they haven't been bound in beforehand, recriminations will start fast."
Among other documents, a total 29 private correspondences between Bush and Blair from 2001 to 2007 were released.
EFE
6/7/16