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Why I had no choice but to spurn Tony Blair | Desmond Tutu | Comment is free | The Observer
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Why I had no choice but to spurn Tony
Blair
I couldn't sit with someone who justified the invasion of Iraq with
a lie
Desmond Tutu
The Observer, Saturday 1 September 2012
Desmond Tutu: pulled out of a seminar which Tony Blair was scheduled to attend. Photograph: Str/REUTERS
The immorality of the United States and Great Britain's decision to invade Iraq in
2003, premised on the lie that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction, has
destabilised and polarised the world to a greater extent than any other conflict in
history.
Instead of recognising that the world we lived in, with increasingly sophisticated
communications, transportations and weapons systems necessitated sophisticated
leadership that would bring the global family together, the then­leaders of the US and
UK fabricated the grounds to behave like playground bullies and drive us further apart.
They have driven us to the edge of a precipice where we now stand – with the spectre
of Syria and Iran before us.
If leaders may lie, then who should tell the truth? Days before George W Bush and
Tony Blair ordered the invasion of Iraq, I called the White House and spoke to
Condoleezza Rice, who was then national security adviser, to urge that United Nations
weapons inspectors be given more time to confirm or deny the existence of weapons of
mass destruction in Iraq. Should they be able to confirm finding such weapons, I
argued, dismantling the threat would have the support of virtually the entire world. Ms
Rice demurred, saying there was too much risk and the president would not postpone
any longer.
On what grounds do we decide that Robert Mugabe should go the International
Criminal Court, Tony Blair should join the international speakers' circuit, bin Laden
should be assassinated, but Iraq should be invaded, not because it possesses weapons
of mass destruction, as Mr Bush's chief supporter, Mr Blair, confessed last week, but in
order to get rid of Saddam Hussein?
The cost of the decision to rid Iraq of its by­all­accounts despotic and murderous
leader has been staggering, beginning in Iraq itself. Last year, an average of 6.5 people
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died there each day in suicide attacks and vehicle bombs, according to the Iraqi Body
Count project. More than 110,000 Iraqis have died in the conflict since 2003 and
millions have been displaced. By the end of last year, nearly 4,500 American soldiers
had been killed and more than 32,000 wounded.
On these grounds alone, in a consistent world, those responsible for this suffering and
loss of life should be treading the same path as some of their African and Asian peers
who have been made to answer for their actions in the Hague.
But even greater costs have been exacted beyond the killing fields, in the hardened
hearts and minds of members of the human family across the world.
Has the potential for terrorist attacks decreased? To what extent have we succeeded in
bringing the so­called Muslim and Judeo­Christian worlds closer together, in sowing
the seeds of understanding and hope?
Leadership and morality are indivisible. Good leaders are the custodians of morality.
The question is not whether Saddam Hussein was good or bad or how many of his
people he massacred. The point is that Mr Bush and Mr Blair should not have allowed
themselves to stoop to his immoral level.
If it is acceptable for leaders to take drastic action on the basis of a lie, without an
acknowledgement or an apology when they are found out, what should we teach our
children?
My appeal to Mr Blair is not to talk about leadership, but to demonstrate it. You are a
member of our family, God's family. You are made for goodness, for honesty, for
morality, for love; so are our brothers and sisters in Iraq, in the US, in Syria, in Israel
and Iran.
I did not deem it appropriate to have this discussion at the Discovery Invest
Leadership Summit in Johannesburg last week. As the date drew nearer, I felt an
increasingly profound sense of discomfort about attending a summit on "leadership"
with Mr Blair. I extend my humblest and sincerest apologies to Discovery, the summit
organisers, the speakers and delegates for the lateness of my decision not to attend.
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Comments
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quethiock
2 September 2012 12:14AM
May God bless you, Archbishop.
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(203)
2 September 2012 12:16AM
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Well said, sir.
On what grounds do we decide that Robert Mugabe
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should go the International Criminal Court, Tony
Blair should join the international speakers' circuit,
bin Laden should be assassinated, but Iraq should be
invaded, not because it possesses weapons of mass
destruction, as Mr Bush's chief supporter, Mr Blair,
confessed last week, but in order to get rid of
Saddam Hussein?
noalternative
2 September 2012 12:16AM
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Tony Blair.
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May his political career RIP.
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poppy23
2 September 2012 12:19AM
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Last year, an average of 6.5 people died there each
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day in suicide attacks and vehicle bombs, according
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to the Iraqi Body Count project. More than 110,000
Iraqis have died in the conflict since 2003 and
millions have been displaced. By the end of last year,
nearly 4,500 American soldiers had been killed and
more than 32,000 wounded.
Blair wasn't in charge of the Islamists who inflicted most of
these casualties. The war with Saddam was pretty smooth and
effective, the war with Islamists has been a disaster. If Blair was
guilty of anything, it was underestimating the threat Islamists
posed to rebuilding Iraq.
kingcreosote
2 September 2012 12:20AM
Blair's lies are no different to the lies perpetrated by every
leader since,they seem to think the more they lie the more
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gullible we become.
Well said Desmond,politicians have become an irrelevance since
seeding power to the multinationals.
themissing
2 September 2012 12:21AM
I was having a really shitty day, then I read that Desmond Tutu
had made the decision not to appear on the same stage as Blair.
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He said what all current politians and media should be saying
about Blair.
Really cheered me up.
Shame on the Guardian for not doing the same.
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peeps99
2 September 2012 12:24AM
Oh dear, not too many TB defenders are going to appear on this
thread I suspect. As for TB, I still think he was very good on the
domestic front but lost his way on the international front.
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Shame though that he had Bush in the White House and not Al
Gore, as arguably it should have been for at least one term.
As for the Archbishop, I have total and utter respect. His
support for LGBT rights for me personally has been
inspirational. I've said it before and I'll say it again ­ if only
more churchmen were like Archbishop Tutu, then I feel
(Christian) religion would appear more relevant to many more
people.
themissing
2 September 2012 12:25AM
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Response to poppy23, 2 September 2012 12:19AM
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The Iraq War created fundamentalists.
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Blair must have had his head up his arse if he didn't realise what
would happen.
LeDingue
2 September 2012 12:27AM
It's amazing how few people of public prominence and influence
are willing to value thier priciples and morals before
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inconvenience, criticism or being seen as making a fuss or
distraction. I'm sure many people have shaken Blair's hand with
gritted teeth or stayed in the same conference room as him
keping their thoughts to themselves.
It takes a certain courage to stick one's head above the parapet.
My already high regard for Desmond Tutu is raised another
notch.
Tony Blair is a criminal as far as I'm concerned and his crimes
caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands and physical
mutilation and life­trauma to millions. Not just any criminal, a
war criminal. Every single self respecting human being should
shun him.
fry10d
2 September 2012 12:27AM
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The church does not often throw up people of strong moral
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fortitude so let us rejoice in the integrity of the seemingly
highly­principled man, Tutu, and hope that his views cross the
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abyss into the moral vacuum that is the world of politics.
backbencher
2 September 2012 12:28AM
Well done! Good to know all those lies and deceptions haven't
been forgotten.
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Rabbit8
2 September 2012 12:29AM
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We do not forget
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On Iraq, I believe that the prevailing mood of the British people
is sound. They do not doubt that Saddam is a brutal dictator,
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but they are not persuaded that he is a clear and present danger
to Britain.
They want inspections to be given a chance, and they suspect
that they are being pushed too quickly into conflict by a US
Administration with an agenda of its own.
Above all, they are uneasy at Britain going out on a limb on a
military adventure without a broader international coalition
and against the hostility of many of our traditional allies.
From the start of the present crisis, I have insisted, as Leader of
the House, on the right of this place to vote on whether Britain
should go to war.
It has been a favourite theme of commentators that this House
no longer occupies a central role in British politics.
Nothing could better demonstrate that they are wrong than for
this House to stop the commitment of troops in a war that has
neither international agreement nor domestic support.
I intend to join those tomorrow night who will vote against
military action now. It is for that reason, and for that reason
alone, and with a heavy heart, that I resign from the
government.
The truth will out .....
CleevesMort
2 September 2012 12:29AM
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These nuts set a precedent with the illegal invasion of Iraq
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it served to undermine international law and an argument could
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be made for it weakening domestic law and order
Blair needs to face justice,he lied, he's a murderer
CruiskeenLawn
2 September 2012 12:30AM
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Luckily for Tutu, he has spent his life in a situation and position
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where he could judge others rather than have to make
extremely difficult executive decisions.
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Blair had to deal with realpolitik.
Tutu has gone too far here with the self­righteous
judgementalism. Who knows, including his gracious self, how he
would have ponied up if push came to shove.
I don't like religious "leaders" pushing their oars in on elected
representatives.
themissing
2 September 2012 12:34AM
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Response to CruiskeenLawn, 2 September 2012 12:30AM
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Any person is entitled to air their views.
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poppy23
2 September 2012 12:34AM
Response to themissing, 2 September 2012 12:25AM
The Iraq War created fundamentalists.
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Blair must have had his head up his arse if he didn't
realise what would happen.
So you don't think there were many fundamentalists pre­2003?
themissing
2 September 2012 12:36AM
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Response to poppy23, 2 September 2012 12:34AM
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Plenty.
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There was many more after the Iraq War.
When you have a unpredictable enemy, its best not to cause
them to multiply.
quethiock
2 September 2012 12:37AM
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Response to CruiskeenLawn, 2 September 2012 12:30AM
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Your comment is breathtaking in its ignorance. You clearly don't
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know anything about apartheid or about Desmond Tutu's role in
ending it. Tutu could have stayed in a fairly comfortable clergy
job in England but returned to South Africa and was a vocal
critic of apartheid, even to the point of being arrested. What
have you ever done?
Objectify
2 September 2012 12:37AM
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Pontificating about lies over WMD is disingenuous. Where was
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your voice when the CIA were installing Saddam in the first
place? And what exactly was your plan to remove him? Sort out
your own back yard for Stompie yet? God forbid his killer is
making a living in a job that includes public speaking. That
would be criminal.
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6ofclubs
2 September 2012 12:40AM
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You sir have no right to criticize anyone. You support and are
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part of an organisation that seeks to control people based on a
lie as well as centuries of invasion and war based on said lie. I
would have walked out when I saw you there.
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CruiskeenLawn
2 September 2012 12:42AM
Response to quethiock, 2 September 2012 12:37AM
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Your comment is breathtaking in its ignorance. You
clearly don't know anything about apartheid or about
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Desmond Tutu's role in ending it.
All I was saying is that Tutu never had to make executive
decisions.
Your inability to differentiate between what I actually said and
what you think I said is fart worthy.
victorjara
2 September 2012 12:42AM
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Response to poppy23, 2 September 2012 12:19AM
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Blair was warned by British experts on Iraq in late 2002 about
the secterain divisions and the anti­western current prevailing
in the country . His siimplistic response was Saddam was
uniquely evil and therefore needed to be removed .
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Blair was either a fool that was unaware of the neo­con agenda
or complicit with it. If Iraq had gone well Syria and Iran were
next to be targeted .
TimMiddleton
2 September 2012 12:43AM
If it is acceptable for leaders to take drastic action on
the basis of a lie, without an acknowledgement or an
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apology when they are found out, what should we
teach our children?
Indeed.
Your article might have had more authority had you addressed
the plight of South African mineworkers.
SpurofMoment
2 September 2012 12:44AM
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Response to poppy23, 2 September 2012 12:19AM
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This is not directly true, US policy in Iraq was precisely to train
and arm fundamentalists who would cause chaos and destabilise
the country. Kinda like they're doing in Syria now:
http://www.kpfa.org/archive/id/81458
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They've been doing this for about 30 years; that's what Al Qaeda
is.
There has been no rebuilding of Iraq, the country has been
levelled. Those who destroyed a country are obviously
uninterested in construction. Don't be so naive.
RobspierreRules
2 September 2012 12:44AM
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Thank you. Like the man just above said,
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"Well done! Good to know all those lies and deceptions haven't
been forgotten."
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Good that the Guardian would present this to us.
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poppy23
2 September 2012 12:46AM
Response to themissing, 2 September 2012 12:36AM
Plenty.
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There was many more after the Iraq War.
When you have a unpredictable enemy, its best not
to cause them to multiply.
The Islamic world is plagued by ignorance, a strictly censored
press and well funded Islamists backed by Middle Eastern oil
money. Iraq was a drop in the ocean. Bush and Blair were acting
in a somewhat paranoid manner in the aftermath of 9/11, but
the enemy is all too real and far more of an irrational threat
than most left wingers accept.
Carrington90
2 September 2012 12:47AM
The re­invented left­wing/third way rhetoric of Tony Blair pre­
1997 allowed for one of the most right wing governments in
British history. New Labour's Machiavellian foreign policy and
illiberal anti­terrorism laws were such, that a Tory government
probably wouldn't have dared bother.
quethiock
2 September 2012 12:49AM
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Response to CruiskeenLawn, 2 September 2012 12:42AM
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No, you were downplaying the significance of Tutu being a black
bishop who spoke out against apartheid in apartheid­era
South Africa. The decision to do so may or may not have been
"executive" (you do realise a bishop is a leader, don't you?) but
was certainly more impressive than Blair's mockery of truth in
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the run­up to the Iraq War. I repeat: you are clearly ignorant of
that period and of Tutu's role in it.
You also said that religious people shouldn't interfere with the
decisions of elected representatives. It's just stunning that you
hold such strongly secularist beliefs that you would argue
religious people should keep quiet in the face of war and
oppression, simply because they're religious.
Now go back to reading A Journey.
Resistance
2 September 2012 12:51AM
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Oh, the same story again. Most of the deaths were caused by
Iraqis themselves etc. as though that would make a difference,
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even if it were true. Let me ask you this question:
Let us say you have a house where your family live and you have
a security guard that guards your house. One day, some guys
came and they shot the security guard and left, without doing
anything else. Some thugs saw this and took the opportunity,
went into your house, ransacked it, stabbed to death all your
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family members. Would you somehow feel that the guy who
shot your security guard might at least somewhat be
responsible for all that befell you?
BaronGrovelville
2 September 2012 12:51AM
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Hat's off to Desmond Tutu.... and any lawyers willing and able to
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make this happen, and anyone willing and able to help those
lawyers. Make it happen.
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Fainche
2 September 2012 12:51AM
Sad reflection of the times we live in that we should be
applauding Archbishop Tutu for having the courage of his
convictions and exhibiting a moral conscience when it should be
the norm?
themissing
2 September 2012 12:51AM
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Response to poppy23, 2 September 2012 12:46AM
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The threat to the west is always overegged.
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The people in the Islamic world have had to deal with most of
the consequences. Those people are not all ignorant and against
the West.
Most are just like you or me and want to just get on with their
lives.
themissing
2 September 2012 12:53AM
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Response to peeps99, 2 September 2012 12:24AM
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Read this tomorrow and you'll probably find more criticising
Tutu because of his religion.
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CruiskeenLawn
2 September 2012 12:54AM
If Blair was such a bloodthirsty, warmongering British PM how
come he was the one that drove the peace process in Ireland?
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In ways that none of his predecessors (with the unrecognised
exception of John Major) would have done.
Perhaps the Right Reverend here would be better dealing with
matters of the soul.
He has no more idea what he would have done in Blairs, or any
other elected leaders shoes, than I do.
Perhaps he is missing the limelight that he used to enjoy.
DrBrianRobinson
2 September 2012 12:55AM
Absolutely right, Archbishop, and it's great to have someone of
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your authority and moral standing say so.
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You wrote this: "Leadership and morality are indivisible. Good
leaders are the custodians of morality. The question is not
whether Saddam Hussein was good or bad or how many of his
people he massacred. The point is that Mr Bush and Mr Blair
should not have allowed themselves to stoop to his immoral
level ..."
Einstein said long ago that if [hu]mankind is to survive, we need
a substantially new way of thinking.
Yes, Saddam was a monster as bad as they come, but he wasn't
the first and we know he hasn't been the last. We must find a
completely different way of dealing with moral monsters. But
even to say this is to give a credence to Blair's post hoc
rationalisations that they don't deserve.
A man who daily demonstrates his insightlessness and
shamelessness is not fit to give lectures on leadership, or
anything else ­­ except perhaps if he stands before the world in
sackcloth and ashes confessing and doing penance.
Time for another look here http://www.arrestblair.org/ ­­
thank you, George Monbiot.
CruiskeenLawn
2 September 2012 12:56AM
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Response to quethiock, 2 September 2012 12:49AM
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Idiotic comment.
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We are talking about Tutu deciding he can judge those who
actually make decisions.
suIaco
2 September 2012 12:58AM
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Response to CruiskeenLawn, 2 September 2012 12:30AM
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Blair did have to make a tough decision. Either Yes or No. He
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chose poorly. Being a elected representative, Blair should be
held accountable for the lives cut short, based on this poor
decision. I think that's all Tutu is driving at here and he has a
point (regardless if he is a religious leader or not).
themissing
2 September 2012 12:58AM
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Response to CruiskeenLawn, 2 September 2012 12:54AM
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Major actually pushed the peace process in Ireland.
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Blair came in on his coattails and his motivation was more
likely to be seen as the saviour of Ireland.
Tutu has shown what he would have done. He, along with many,
would have said no to Bush.
properbostonian
2 September 2012 1:06AM
You are a member of our family, God's family. You
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are made for goodness, for honesty, for morality, for
love; so are our brothers and sisters in Iraq, in the
US, in Syria, in Israel and Iran.
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I'll be crucified here for saying this, but this "appeal" reads to
me like a paean to the Bishop's sense of his own nobility, and I
write as someone in complete agreement with his views on Iraq.
Who possibly takes himself so seriously as to write high­
sounding and meaningless crap as the above citation? You didn't
want to attend the Summit: fine, don't attend and send a letter
of regret to the Organisers. But of course had you done that, the
members of your "noblest man who ever lived" fan club would
have been cheated out of one of those "not a dry eye in the
house" deals at this magnificent display of selfless sacrifice.
poppy23
2 September 2012 1:06AM
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Response to SpurofMoment, 2 September 2012 12:44AM
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This is not directly true, US policy in Iraq was
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precisely to train and arm fundamentalists who
would cause chaos and destabilise the country. Kinda
like they're doing in Syria now:
http://www.kpfa.org/archive/id/81458
They've been doing this for about 30 years; that's
what Al Qaeda is.
Islamists have a strong influence from Somalia to Kashmir. This
is a problem in the whole Islamic world and has a lot more to do
with Arab countries getting wealthy from oil money and funding
a particularly conservative branch of Islam, than US foreign
policy.
poppy23
2 September 2012 1:08AM
Response to Resistance, 2 September 2012 12:51AM
Oh, the same story again. Most of the deaths were
caused by Iraqis themselves etc. as though that
would make a difference, even if it were true. Let me
ask you this question:
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Let us say you have a house where your family live
and you have a security guard that guards your house
Not just by Iraqis, but by sectarian fighters and Islamists of
many nationalities. As for your question, I ceased to see its
relevance when you described Saddam Hussein as a security
guard protecting Iraqis.
quethiock
2 September 2012 1:08AM
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Response to CruiskeenLawn, 2 September 2012 12:56AM
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So you fail to acknowledge that not only elected politicians have
to make decisions, you think Blair is beyond criticism despite
having taken the UK into an illegal war, and you're calling me an
idiot? Incredible.
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If you think nobody can have an opinion on their political
leaders, you'd probably be happier living in a dictatorship.
By the way, I suspect from your Blair fandom that you are the
reincarnation of MarkGreen0.
YukonKid
2 September 2012 1:11AM
Response to CruiskeenLawn, 2 September 2012 12:54AM
If Blair was such a bloodthirsty, warmongering
British PM how come he was the one that drove the
peace process in Ireland?
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In ways that none of his predecessors (with the
unrecognised exception of John Major) would have
done.
First, I think most do recognise the peace process as Major's
prime achievement.
Then, anyway, pushing for peace in your own country, and
pushing for war elsewhere is not contradictory in the least, in
terms of real politik.
I was there in apartheid South Africa, and Tutu put his money
where his mouth was, constantly under attack from the govt for
advocating tirelessly for an outcome that was so obviously right.
His activities were instrumental in changing South Africa ­ ­ ­
(and opposing aprtheid is a matter of the soul. Do you judge his
active opposition to apartheid as a religious leader "pushing his
oar" into elected representatives (ie, that exclusively of white
peoples) where it don't belong? And now his criticism of the
current SA govt?
So well you might denigrate him; but that says more about you
than anything else
TeaJunkie
2 September 2012 1:11AM
Thankyou for taking such a public stand for justice and peace.
The world would be a better place if others would follow this
example.
Temulkar
2 September 2012 1:12AM
Well said Desmond.
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couchtripper
2 September 2012 1:13AM
Mr Tutu is a man of honour. Much respect.
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danielwaweru
2 September 2012 1:13AM
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www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/sep/02/desmond‑tutu‑tony‑blair‑iraq?intcmp=239
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9/2/12
Why I had no choice but to spurn Tony Blair | Desmond Tutu | Comment is free | The Observer
God Bless you, your grace!
sharpeiboy
2 September 2012 1:14AM
Leadership and morality are indivisible. Good leaders
are the custodians of morality.
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Now come on, Mr Tutu, idealism is a good thing, but in your
lifetime, how many leaders have followed this precept? I can
think of 2 or 4 but thousands have ignored those words & done
well out of it. And they were all god's children too
. If your christian god smote just one or two, I might have a
more favourable opinion of him, but creatures like Bush & Blair
appear to believe in him just as much as you do and, more
importantly, think they're following his teachings just as much
as you do.
renaissancemoron
2 September 2012 1:14AM
Blair reckons he was guided into the war by God. I'd love to hear
him explaining that one to the archbishop.
CruiskeenLawn
2 September 2012 1:15AM
Perhaps Tutu would better serve his "flock" by attending to the
legal and pastoral needs of South African miners rather than
making judgements on the decisions made by democratically
elected heads of state regarding countries he frankly has nothing
to do with.
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On the other hand he was an Anglican bishop, so I suppose for
him the seperation of Church and State has always been
confusing.
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