HUNDREDS OF thousands protested on London’s streets over the Iraq invasion. Yesterday, just a few dozen held placards as they stood outside the Queen Elizabeth conference centre, just yards from the Palace of Westminster, to hear Tony Blair’s latest defence of his role in the war.
Last year, Mr Blair was criticised for failing to express regret about the invasion of Iraq in 2003 when he appeared before the Iraq Inquiry chaired by John Chilcot. Those criticisms still rankle, judging by Mr Blair’s final words to the inquiry.
With some emotion in his voice, he said: “At the conclusion of the last hearing, you asked me whether I had any regrets. I took that as a question about the decision to go to war, and I answered that I took responsibility.
“That was taken as my meaning that I had no regrets about the loss of life and that was never my meaning or my intention,” said the former prime minister, who had been confident and clear during his earlier four hours of testimony to the inquiry.
“I wanted to make it clear that, of course, I regret deeply and profoundly the loss of life, whether from our own armed forces, those of other nations, the civilians who helped people in Iraq or the Iraqis themselves,” he said.
This was not enough for the families of Britain’s war dead who sat in the room. Some sitting near him said loudly, “Too late”, including Rose Gentle, who lost her 19-year-old son. Another cried: “You’ve had years.”
Sir John quickly silenced them. Mr Blair, greyer than during his time in Downing Street, but still sure of his own abilities, fiddled with his glasses and shuffled papers before concluding with what he believed were the lessons to be learned from the conflict.
Two women who had been standing with their backs to him as he spoke walked out of the room shortly afterwards. Others sat quietly, shoulders hunched, tears rolling slowly down their faces as they listened.
“Your lies killed my son,” called out Mrs Gentle as Mr Blair left for the exit. “I hope you can live with it.” Minutes later, speaking to TV cameras outside, she said: “It is six years too late. I would have liked him to stand up and say he made a mistake.”
For Mr Blair, Iraq is in the past. Today, the challenge is Iran. “At some point we have got to get our head out of the sand and understand Iraq is one part of a far bigger picture right across the region. People are going to have to face that struggle.”
He left the room without looking directly at any of the relatives.
Almost eight years on, Mr Blair is convinced he acted correctly, even if mistakes were made.
But outside, the protesters continued their chants of “Blair, Liar”. Between them reconciliation seems impossible.
