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Blair denies 'covert' Bush deal Blair denies 'covert' Bush deal
(10 minutes later)
Tony Blair has denied striking a "covert" deal with George Bush to invade Iraq at a private meeting in 2002 at the US president's ranch.Tony Blair has denied striking a "covert" deal with George Bush to invade Iraq at a private meeting in 2002 at the US president's ranch.
He told the Iraq inquiry there was no secret about what was said - that Saddam Hussein had to be dealt with and "the method of doing that is open".He told the Iraq inquiry there was no secret about what was said - that Saddam Hussein had to be dealt with and "the method of doing that is open".
The former prime minister was also quizzed about the claim Saddam could launch weapons at 45 minutes' notice.The former prime minister was also quizzed about the claim Saddam could launch weapons at 45 minutes' notice.
He said "it would have been better" if headlines about it had been corrected.He said "it would have been better" if headlines about it had been corrected.
The inquiry has now broken for lunch.The inquiry has now broken for lunch.
Mr Blair used the morning session to mount an impassioned defence of the decision to go to war, telling the inquiry: "This isn't about a lie or a conspiracy or a deceit or a deception.Mr Blair used the morning session to mount an impassioned defence of the decision to go to war, telling the inquiry: "This isn't about a lie or a conspiracy or a deceit or a deception.
"It's a decision. And the decision I had to take was, given Saddam's history, given his use of chemical weapons, given the over one million people whose deaths he had caused, given 10 years of breaking UN resolutions, could we take the risk of this man reconstituting his weapons programmes or is that a risk that it would be irresponsible to take?""It's a decision. And the decision I had to take was, given Saddam's history, given his use of chemical weapons, given the over one million people whose deaths he had caused, given 10 years of breaking UN resolutions, could we take the risk of this man reconstituting his weapons programmes or is that a risk that it would be irresponsible to take?"
Sometimes it is important not to ask the "March 2003 question" but the "2010 question", said Mr Blair, arguing that if Saddam had been left in power the UK and its allies would have "lost our nerve" to act.Sometimes it is important not to ask the "March 2003 question" but the "2010 question", said Mr Blair, arguing that if Saddam had been left in power the UK and its allies would have "lost our nerve" to act.
THE STORY SO FAR... In April 2002, with 9/11 still dominating the agenda, Tony Blair warns of Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destructionDespite the biggest anti-war protest in British history, in March 2003 British forces join the US invasion of Iraq after efforts to get UN backing failWith no weapons of mass destruction found attention switches to the way intelligence was used to justify warThe Hutton inquiry finds the government did not "sex up" dossier on Saddam's weaponsBut the Butler inquiry finds "serious flaws" in pre-war intelligenceAnd with public feelings still running high, Gordon Brown announces Chilcot inquiry to "learn the lessons" of the Iraq conflict. Live: Video, and text commentary Q&A: Iraq inquiry explained Key issues: Blair's response Send us your commentsTHE STORY SO FAR... In April 2002, with 9/11 still dominating the agenda, Tony Blair warns of Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destructionDespite the biggest anti-war protest in British history, in March 2003 British forces join the US invasion of Iraq after efforts to get UN backing failWith no weapons of mass destruction found attention switches to the way intelligence was used to justify warThe Hutton inquiry finds the government did not "sex up" dossier on Saddam's weaponsBut the Butler inquiry finds "serious flaws" in pre-war intelligenceAnd with public feelings still running high, Gordon Brown announces Chilcot inquiry to "learn the lessons" of the Iraq conflict. Live: Video, and text commentary Q&A: Iraq inquiry explained Key issues: Blair's response Send us your comments
Quoting frequently from his own speeches and statements, Mr Blair answered questions about his working relationship with George Bush, the intelligence used to justify to the public and the unsuccessful diplomatic efforts at the UN aimed at averting it.Quoting frequently from his own speeches and statements, Mr Blair answered questions about his working relationship with George Bush, the intelligence used to justify to the public and the unsuccessful diplomatic efforts at the UN aimed at averting it.
Earlier witnesses to the inquiry have suggested he told Mr Bush at their April 2002 meeting at the ranch in Crawford, Texas, that the UK would join the Americans in a war with Iraq.Earlier witnesses to the inquiry have suggested he told Mr Bush at their April 2002 meeting at the ranch in Crawford, Texas, that the UK would join the Americans in a war with Iraq.
But Mr Blair said: "What I was saying - I was not saying this privately incidentally, I was saying it in public - was 'we are going to be with you in confronting and dealing with this threat'.But Mr Blair said: "What I was saying - I was not saying this privately incidentally, I was saying it in public - was 'we are going to be with you in confronting and dealing with this threat'.
"The one thing I was not doing was dissembling in that position. How we proceed in this is a matter that was open. The position was not a covert position, it was an open position.""The one thing I was not doing was dissembling in that position. How we proceed in this is a matter that was open. The position was not a covert position, it was an open position."
Pressed on what he thought Mr Bush took from the meeting, he went further, saying: "I think what he took from that was exactly what he should have taken, which was if it came to military action because there was no way of dealing with this diplomatically, we would be with him."Pressed on what he thought Mr Bush took from the meeting, he went further, saying: "I think what he took from that was exactly what he should have taken, which was if it came to military action because there was no way of dealing with this diplomatically, we would be with him."
45 minute claim45 minute claim
Asked about the controversial claim in a September 2002 dossier that Iraq could deploy weapons of mass destruction in 45 minutes, he said it "assumed a vastly greater significance" afterwards than it did at the time.Asked about the controversial claim in a September 2002 dossier that Iraq could deploy weapons of mass destruction in 45 minutes, he said it "assumed a vastly greater significance" afterwards than it did at the time.
He said it "would have been better if (newspaper) headlines about the '45-minute claim' had been corrected" in light of the significance it later took on.He said it "would have been better if (newspaper) headlines about the '45-minute claim' had been corrected" in light of the significance it later took on.
He said he would have made it clear the claim referred to battlefield munitions, not missiles, and would have preferred to publish the intelligence assessments by themselves as they were "absolutely strong enough".He said he would have made it clear the claim referred to battlefield munitions, not missiles, and would have preferred to publish the intelligence assessments by themselves as they were "absolutely strong enough".
But Mr Blair insisted that, on the basis of the intelligence available at the time, he stood by his claim at the time that it was "beyond doubt" Iraq was continuing to develop its weapons capability.But Mr Blair insisted that, on the basis of the intelligence available at the time, he stood by his claim at the time that it was "beyond doubt" Iraq was continuing to develop its weapons capability.
However he acknowledged "things obviously look quite different" now given the failure to discover any weapons after the invasion.However he acknowledged "things obviously look quite different" now given the failure to discover any weapons after the invasion.
Mr Blair also denied he would have supported the invasion of Iraq even if he had thought Saddam Hussein did not possess weapons of mass destruction (WMD), as he appeared to suggest last year in a BBC interview with Fern Brittan.Mr Blair also denied he would have supported the invasion of Iraq even if he had thought Saddam Hussein did not possess weapons of mass destruction (WMD), as he appeared to suggest last year in a BBC interview with Fern Brittan.
What he had been trying to say, he explained to the inquiry, was that "you would not describe the nature of the threat in the same way if you knew then what you knew now, that the intelligence on WMD had been shown to be wrong".What he had been trying to say, he explained to the inquiry, was that "you would not describe the nature of the threat in the same way if you knew then what you knew now, that the intelligence on WMD had been shown to be wrong".
'Attack on us''Attack on us'
He said his position had not changed, despite what reports of the interview had suggested.He said his position had not changed, despite what reports of the interview had suggested.
IRAQ INQUIRY TWEETS IRAQ INQUIRY TWEETS
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Protest has thinned out outside, but still a small hardy bunch in the cold and still members of public queueing to get in this afternoon 26 minutes ago Inquiry nearly winding up for break - Blair totally unrepentant and appears in charge - but trouble on legality after lunch? 32 minutes ago Blair says the '2010' question should be asked - if he hadn't acted Saddam might have developed and used weapons, killing a million people 42 minutes ago A lot of finger pointing and gesticulating going on when discussing Hans Blix, the weapons inspector - Blair betrays frustration with him 46 minutes ago Blair brings up Iraq Survey Group- expect him to rely on this later - it shows 'extensive' altho 'fragmentary' evidence of plans for WMD 53 minutes ago What is this? Protest has thinned out outside, but still a small hardy bunch in the cold and still members of public queueing to get in this afternoon 35 minutes ago Inquiry nearly winding up for break - Blair totally unrepentant and appears in charge - but trouble on legality after lunch? 41 minutes ago Blair says the '2010' question should be asked - if he hadn't acted Saddam might have developed and used weapons, killing a million people 51 minutes ago A lot of finger pointing and gesticulating going on when discussing Hans Blix, the weapons inspector - Blair betrays frustration with him 55 minutes ago Blair brings up Iraq Survey Group- expect him to rely on this later - it shows 'extensive' altho 'fragmentary' evidence of plans for WMD About 1 hour ago What is this?
Mr Blair was at pains to point out that he believed weapons of mass destruction and regime change could not be treated as separate issues but were "conjoined".Mr Blair was at pains to point out that he believed weapons of mass destruction and regime change could not be treated as separate issues but were "conjoined".
He said "brutal and oppressive" regimes with WMD were a "bigger threat" than a benign states with WMD.He said "brutal and oppressive" regimes with WMD were a "bigger threat" than a benign states with WMD.
He also stressed the British and American attitude towards the threat posed by Saddam Hussein "changed dramatically" after the terror attacks on 11 September 2001, saying: "I never regarded 11 September as an attack on America, I regarded it as an attack on us."He also stressed the British and American attitude towards the threat posed by Saddam Hussein "changed dramatically" after the terror attacks on 11 September 2001, saying: "I never regarded 11 September as an attack on America, I regarded it as an attack on us."
Inquiry chairman Sir John Chilcot began the six hour question session by stressing that Mr Blair was not "on trial" but said he could be recalled to give further evidence if necessary.Inquiry chairman Sir John Chilcot began the six hour question session by stressing that Mr Blair was not "on trial" but said he could be recalled to give further evidence if necessary.
Families of some of the 179 British service personnel killed in Iraq are watching the evidence with others said to be joining the 200 or so anti-war protestors outside.Families of some of the 179 British service personnel killed in Iraq are watching the evidence with others said to be joining the 200 or so anti-war protestors outside.
Rose Gentle's son, Gordon, was killed by a roadside bomb in Basra in 2004, while serving with the Royal Highland Fusiliers.Rose Gentle's son, Gordon, was killed by a roadside bomb in Basra in 2004, while serving with the Royal Highland Fusiliers.
She said the families of the dead wanted closure and for Mr Blair to explain "in depth" to the families and and the public "why he went in" as she said he had never done that before.She said the families of the dead wanted closure and for Mr Blair to explain "in depth" to the families and and the public "why he went in" as she said he had never done that before.