Tony Blair’s speech yesterday to the Labour Party Conference in Brighton was “low-key, conversational and reasoned” the Guardian informs us (Leader, September 29, 2004). And his “long-awaited apology on Iraq, as far as it went, was a rightly well-received milestone in his fragile rehabilitation with his critics”.

How nice. No matter that Blair lied about intelligence on WMD, ignored security warnings about unleashing more terrorist attacks, and deceived Parliament and the country over the nonsensical “serious and current threat” posed by a strangled Third World nation. No matter that he launched an illegal and immoral invasion and occupation that has led to tens of thousands of violent and cruel deaths, untold misery, further destabilised the Middle East, weakened the UN, and increased the threat to Britons everywhere.

Even a neutral, albeit myopic, critic might conclude that Blair’s political judgement on Iraq – resulting in disaster heaped on failure heaped on disaster – was an appalling blunder, sufficient to demand his resignation. A more rational and humane critic must go further: Blair ought to be tried for war crimes.

As for The Guardian? Well, clearly, it would rather remain part of some grotesque agreement between reasonable gentlemen of the establishment. It wouldn’t do for the paper to be too critical.

Tens of thousands of dead, hundreds of thousands of injured and grieving – a vast illegal act of mass murder. But for our ‘liberal’ press a vague gesture in the direction of an apology is a “milestone” in Blair’s rehabilitation. This is, itself, a milestone in moral depravity – urbane, well-heeled and well-spoken – of the most lethal kind.

SUGGESTED ACTION

The goal of Media Lens is to promote rationality, compassion and respect for others. In writing letters to journalists, we strongly urge readers to maintain a polite, non-aggressive and non-abusive tone.

Write to the editors below and ask them why they are not calling for Blair’s resignation and trial for war crimes.

Write to Guardian editor, Alan Rusbridger: Email: alan.rusbridger@guardian.co.uk

Write to Seumas Milne, Guardian comments section editor: Email: seumas.milne@guardian.co.uk

Please also send all emails to us at Media Lens: Email: editor@medialens.org

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