Blair in E Asia silent on quitting over Iraq expert's death (Won't answer)

[NNN0LHI]

Put a fork in him. He is done. Don

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1504&ncid=1504&e=1&u=/afp/20030719/ts_afp/iraq_weapons_britain_030719124035

HAKONE, Japan (AFP) - British Prime Minister Tony Blair dramatically refused to say whether he might quit over the death of a former UN arms inspector at the center of allegations that Downing Street misused intelligence and exaggerated the threat of Saddam Hussein's Iraq.

Caught out at the start of an East Asia tour by the worst crisis in his six years in power, a visibly exhausted Blair said nothing when asked, point-blank, at a press conference if he had "blood on his hands" and might resign.

Instead, he stared silently out across the room full of journalists and TV cameras for several tense seconds and then with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi at his side, left the room.

Minutes before, Blair reiterated the stance he took earlier Saturday on the startling death of David Kelly, 59, a Ministry of Defense consultant on biological weapons and former UN arms inspector in Iraq -- that an independent judicial inquiry must be allowed to run its course and find out the truth.

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[jpgray]

1. Yikes! Blair at a loss? No "I sincerely believe"?

This is truly weird now.

[janx]

3. Blair's been very strange lately. Especially just before and during his

trip to the U.S., he was very giddy, almost manic.

[NNN0LHI]

8. Tell me about it

[janx]

9. Perfect example!

He has lost it.

[susu369]

2. Interesting image - "visibly exhausted Blair"

and glad to hear he was asked a real question.

However, to read: "he got a hero's welcome on Capitol Hill" enrages me. Shame on Capitol Hill.

[Cheswick2.0]

4. I guess Blair has lost some bluster

I do feel a little sorry for him, because he has been used by bush. However it is his own fault. He should have thought about how bush got to the whitehouse and had enough respect for American voters to stay clear of the fraud n the whitehouse.
Blair signed onto a bullshit war against the wishes of his people and the people of this country. If he had not, buhs would never have been able to go either.

[Cheswick2.0]

5. I guess Blair has lost some bluster

I do feel a little sorry for him, because he has been used by bush. However it is his own fault. He should have thought about how bush got to the whitehouse and had enough respect for American voters to stay clear of the fraud n the whitehouse.
Blair signed onto a bullshit war against the wishes of his people and the people of this country. If he had not, bush would never have been able to go either.

[hussar]

6. Blair won't quit as he has done nothing wrong

as far as he is concerned but he will be brought down by the rest of his party as he is a liability.

Oh how I despise that creature.

[DoYouEverWonder]

7. If you woke up to headlines like this

You'ld look like shit, too. Funny how Tony and W both managed to be out of their countries at just the right moments.

[liberalhistorian]

10. Whoa! Those are some headlines,

especially the "Proud of Yourselves" one! Now, just WHY THE HELL CAN'T WE HAVE A PRESS LIKE THAT?????????????????? If our own media would be as ruthlessly and relentlessly honest as the British press, and we woke up to headlines like that, things might just be a little different, you think?

I can't believe Blair didn't even try to answer the question, and then he actually left the room! For him, that is absolutely NOT a good sign, he's always been able to handle things like that. I think he knows his days are numbered, and I think he knows that the reasons for dragging his country into the invasion of Iraq were total bullshit and that he's been used and abused by the Bushista Cabal. If he does go down, and I'm sure he will before too much longer, things will get much more difficult for the Bushista Cabal, since whoever replaces Blair will NOT be supportive of the Iraqi mess and will move to distance both the government and the country from the U.S. Smirk will not be able to manipulate the new P.M. like he did Blair (and God knows how he was able to do it with Blair in the first place, I had thought Blair was smarter than that). And the British cannot stand Smirk or Cheney or any of the Bushistas, and rightfully so. Shit, folks, when we have allies who have almost ALWAYS been on our side, who have been the most steady, stalwart supporters no matter what, pissed off at us, you KNOW we're in trouble!

[Dover]

11. I doubt a Brit did the killing. Not their style. Such a blatantly

obvious and in your face murder is much closer to what we've come to expect from the Bush Crime Family. They probably invited Blair to the U.S. and then took care of business....as a warning to anyone else who might consider leaking information or being witness against the regime and allies. Afterall, wasn't this fellow's testimony just as damning to Bush?
And don't tell me to put on my tinfoil hat. I've thrown it away with regards to these evil-doers. ANYTHING is possible.

Are people assuming it's a suicide?