Anger in armed forces over Iraq
A News investigation today reveals bitter resentment among parts of the navy and other armed forces over Tony Blair's handling of the Iraq conflict.
The views of service personnel published today – the third anniversary of the start of hostilities – make for stark reading.
One officer said his comrades had 'died on the altar of Tony Blair's arrogance' while others called for the prime minister to be impeached.
They spoke so openly only because The News agreed to keep their identities secret.
And their views heaped further pressure on Downing Street, which is struggling to justify the war after key evidence proved to be untrue.
Today The News can reveal that:
n Just half of the service personnel we questioned felt Britain was right to invade Iraq in 2003.
n A third of those who expressed an opinion felt Tony Blair should be impeached.
n The vast majority, though, agreed that Britain must finish what it started and cannot pull out yet.
There are currently nearly 8,000 British servicemen in Iraq, although 800 are due home in May.
The death toll stands at more than 100, while 4,000 have been injured.
The aftermath of the war has also lasted far longer – and been much more bloody – than people expected, with the cost to the taxpayer running at 3bn so far. And only yesterday, former Iraqi prime minister Iyad Allawi said Iraq was in the grip of civil war.
In the run-up to today's anniversary The News spoke to 20 sailors, soldiers and others in the armed forces at random.
Some supported Mr Blair and the war but others were angry that the evidence presented by Tony Blair to the Commons has since proved untrue – no weapons of mass destruction have been found nor any operational links with Al Qaeda.
jon.rosamond@thenews.co.uk
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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