Blair accepts his `moral duty` to rebuild Iraq
IRNA
London, Oct 13, IRNA - British Prime Minister Tony Blair acknowledged Monday that he will be "called to account" over his decision to go to war against Iraq. He also accepted he had a moral duty to rebuild Iraq and that he will be judged on whether he can deliver a more stable and peaceful future for the Iraqi people. In an interview with the Times newspaper, Blair was seen recognising the warning issued by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, who said last week that the Prime Minister would be "called to account" for his actions. "I believe that I made the right decision (to go to war), but I accept it is a big responsibility. He [Dr Williams] was right that in the end you are, and should be, held to account for such decisions," he said. "Those who started the war must finish the deed and we will. The judgement will be made by whether we make life better or not," the British premier said. In his interview, Blair brushed aside criticisms that he had exaggerated the imminence of the threat from Saddam Hussein and also denied that inadequate preparations were made for post-war Iraq. His main case in switching away from Iraq`s threat following the failure to find weapons of mass destruction was that Saddam was engaged in a "huge programme of concealment for the very purpose of making sure the inspectors could stay there for long periods." "Why have this concealment if there is nothing to conceal? I believe that when they interview all the different people they will find what we anticipated was the case, which was that he was in plain breach of the UN resolutions," Blair argued. With regard to the lack of plans, he said, hindsight is a fantastic thing in any situation like this, but insisted "detailed preparations were made." HC/211 End
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