Sir Tony Blair should be stripped of his knighthood it has been claimed.
Iraq War
Blair’s involvement in the Iraq War was highly controversial, and his decision to support the United States in the military intervention faced widespread criticism. The primary reasons given for the invasion were the belief that Iraq, led by Saddam Hussein, possessed weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) and posed a threat to international security.
Blair, in collaboration with U.S. President George W. Bush, argued that military action was necessary to disarm Iraq and eliminate the perceived threat. However, the justification for the war became increasingly contentious as no evidence of WMDs was found in Iraq following the invasion.
Sir Tony Blair Knighthood
The Alba Party’s Neale Hanvey claimed declassified documents from 1998 show the former Labour PM was determined to take military action, contrary to legal advice, reports The Standard.
Speaking during a debate on UK military action in Iraq, Mr Hanvey said: “How can it be that a prime minister who prosecuted two wars against lawful advice and instruction has been rewarded with a knighthood?
“This is an insult to every single life lost and it should be withdrawn forthwith and a path to full justice secured.
“Governments should not lie to go to war and the truth must now be told.”
Hanvey also accused Blair of misleading Parliament and said that the consequences were “devastating for Iraqis”.
He said: “These declassified documents show Tony Blair was determined to take military action against Saddam Hussein in 1998 against explicit advice and in the absence of sound legal arguments or justification.
“These documents show Tony Blair dismissed legal objections to his 1998 bombing campaign, this was a direct precursor to his stance over the invasion of Iraq five years later in 2003 which also was deemed illegal by (then) UN secretary-general Kofi Annan.”
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