Wednesday' Letters: Sycophantic interrogation let Blair off the hook over Iraq

As he nudged aside the sycophantic interrogations of Laurence Freedman and Martin Gilbert at the Chilcot inquiry, it was hard not to get

really angry. Why was Freedman allowed a free hand over the 45 minute issue? How the establishment succour their own.

Surely Teflon Tony wasn't going to get out of the political kitchen un-scorched?

Regime change is an offence under international law.

Aggression without substantive provocation is an offence under

international law.

If we fail to pursue this matter with the full rigour of national and international law, this country's reputation for democracy and

probity will be tainted in the eyes of the world for generations.

From: Alan Marsden, Gamblesby, Penrith, Cumbria.

From: Phyllis Capstick, Hellifield, Skipton.

THE "performance" given by Tony Blair was, most probably, carefully rehearsed in front of a mirror at one of his homes.

He called Saddam Hussein "a monster". In this case, I would say that it takes one to know one.

If Saddam Hussein was still alive, and did now pose a threat, now would be the time to decide what action was needed.

Mr Blair is supported by his barrister wife, who continues to worry that they will never have enough money. He must not be allowed to be above the law.

From: Michelle Catherall, Fylingthorpe, Whitby.

PAUL Andrews says in his letter (Yorkshire Post, January 29) that Tony Blair "sorted Northern Ireland out" but it was John Major who did all the ground work.

Tony Blair merely took the glory. He also took this country to war in Iraq on the back of a lie – WMDs and dodgy dossiers which proved not to be the case – and apparently by pre-arrangement with George W Bush.

The Chilcot inquiry is not going to punish Tony Blair or anyone else. In fact, the toothless questioning has been quite pathetic.

Tony Blair should have been before a panel of ordinary people, including the parents, wives, etc of the dead soldiers he sent into war.

Have him back? I don't think so. He should apply to RADA and go on the stage to add yet another job to his growing list of occupations.

From: M Hellawell, Cross Lane, Scarborough.

I totally agree with Paul Andrews and his views about Tony Blair. I would also like to add that Saddam Hussein and his cohorts constituted a very real threat to the stability and well-being of the world. Non-action would have been wrong.

No war is good news. Our servicemen and women know when they sign up that this includes the possibility of fighting in wars. This is their job. Their parents must also accept this, and not blame Tony Blair for their deaths. The Army is to blame for inadequate armour – not Tony Blair.

Saddam Hussein was the one responsible for the invasion of his country, not those who decided to remove this evil and dangerous man.

From: Brian Dresser, Dryden Street, Hull.

WITH reference to the letter from Paul Andrews, I thought Mr Blair and the Labour Party were voted into power to do good for this country.

He quit because he knew the financial side of this country was going downhill fast.

Tony Blair made a mess of running this country, as he made a mess of trying to sort out the problems of other countries.

From: Dr S U Ruff, Gowland Court, Ogleforth, York.

CAREFUL study of Tony Blair's answers makes it very clear that the decision to invade Iraq had little to do with saving the world from terrorism or any plot with George W Bush.

There was simply the repetitive plea of every knife-wielding thug or cane-wielding public school prefect that the victim "did not show proper respect".

Public back keeping law on fox hunts

From: Steve Taylor, head of campaigns and communications, League

Against Cruel Sports.

The story (Yorkshire Post, January 28) on the report published by the "Better Government Initiative", in which several retired mandarins attack the Government for "unnecessary" lawmaking, including the fox hunting ban, missed one rather crucial point, and it is that the public elect politicians to make decisions, not civil servants.

Quite how anyone can suggest that a law passed by our democratically elected House of Commons, and with almost 140 successful prosecutions under its belt, is a "failure", is beyond me. Polling by Ipsos-MORI in September found that 74 per cent of people in Yorkshire believe fox hunting should remain illegal, while 85 per cent and 88 per cent think that way about hare coursing and stag hunting respectively.

It is a brave politician who ignores such enormous public opinion, and so some of your readers might be surprised by the comments you quoted from the Tory Shadow Environment Secretary Nick Herbert. Remember, though, that he used to work at the pro-hunting Countryside Alliance and has himself hunted on many occasions, and we see that it's hardly surprising that he holds such views and wants to repeal the Hunting Act.

The problem for Mr Herbert, and for any prospective Parliamentary candidate, is that Yorkshire's electorate, like the public nationally, are overwhelmingly supporting our campaign to Keep Cruelty History.

No need for treatment

From: JG Riseley, Harcourt Drive, Harrogate.

NEWS that Tiger Woods is in therapy for "sex addiction" has drawn little reaction from the psychiatric profession. This is puzzling given that recently this community publicly ridiculed and rebuked some of its members who were purporting to treat patients for being gay. Why is Mr Woods's sexual orientation towards pluralism any less entitled to respect?

The man is paying a high price for his one mistake, that of entering into a lifelong exclusive monogamous marriage contract which was incompatible with his nature. If there is a need for counselling, it is to help others come to terms with this sexual identity early enough so they can resist social pressure to marry.

To answer a possible objection from those who are ill-informed on biology, no, this would not preclude fathering (or indeed helping to raise) children. Rather, it would circumvent the limit to such activity which is typical in modern affluent marriage. A couple of children, for a multimillionaire, is laughable and derisory.

Mr Woods's behaviour has cost him valuable sponsorships, but this does not make it an illness. If therapists are short of clients they could perhaps address the psychology of consumers whose spending decisions are influenced by celebrity endorsements even though they know these are elicited by large payments of money.

Guilty of a runny nose

From: Mike Smith, Birkby, Huddersfield.

I SHARE Bill Carmichael's hilarity with "Reliably stupid bureaucracy" (Yorkshire Post, January 29) but I take issue with him that it was the best laugh of the week.

Surely that was transcended on page four of the same edition by a driver fined for blowing his nose; or may be it wasn't quite so funny because the driver was handed a 60 fixed penalty.

That surely raises a few questions. It is said the car was stopped with the handbrake on but the offence was the driver was not in control of it. How much control does a stopped car need with the handbrake on? In addition to watching out for a myriad of revenue collecting speed cameras and constantly checking our speedos instead of concentrating on the road, are we now expected to make sure we have both hands showing on the wheel at all times even when we are stopped? Or perhaps it will become an offence to drive a car if you have a cold with a runny nose?

I would find it hard to believe an offence was committed in the first place and it is the police who are out of control in addition to the other legions of stupid politically correct bureaucrats.

Danger from pothole the size of a bomb crater

From: Aled Jones, Mount Crescent, Bridlington, East Yorkshire.

WHILE we cannot blame East Riding Council for cold-damaged roads, I think we can blame it for not filling in large potholes now the weather has improved.

As a cyclist, I know the dangers of potholes on our roads. Last month, I was cycling along Bempton Crescent, Bridlington, and rode straight into a pothole the like of which I could previously only have had nightmares about. The shock of the impact threw me right over my handlebars, frightening the life out of me in the process. Luckily though, I fell on to my elbows and not my head, receiving just minor grazing. The incident happened close to my home, and so, thankfully, I had first aid equipment close to hand.

Being a safety-conscious person, I always use strong lights when I'm cycling and would normally have been able to attempt a manoeuvre of some kind.

But as it was raining heavily, the pothole was filled with water and this made it impossible to see in the road. This pothole can only be described as a bomb crater. It measures 120cm by 70cm and is 7.6cm deep. There is also another large pothole a few feet away, making the street doubly treacherous.

It is only a matter of time before a speeding car hits the thing and

ends up going through somebody's garden wall.

Seemingly, the council has failed in its responsibility to provide safety for the motorists, cyclists and pedestrians from whom it

receives millions in rates.

Time for a change

From: Coun John Marshall, Cold Bath Road, Harrogate.

WAS Tom Richmond being ironic when he described Newsnight's Michael Crick as its "esteemed" political editor (Yorkshire Post, January 30)?

Mr Crick is the man often seen on TV, hanging around street corners shouting questions at Cabinet Ministers. They tend to treat him as a joke.

In the same way that Newsnight is overdue for a shake-up, perhaps the powers-that-be will consider appointing a new political editor – someone with more credibility than Michael Crick.

Sharp suits

From: ME Wright, Grove Road, Harrogate.

IMAGE consultant Angela Marshall states that "...when people dress smarter, they behave better" (Yorkshire Post, January 29). For many of us, the abiding memory of 2009 is of bankers and politicians, whose sharp suits set off their crisp shirts and ties beautifully; but what about behaviour? Don't judge a book by its cover; at least read a few pages first.

Pity the US

From: AW Briglin, Sefton Street, Hull.

IT is not very often I feel sympathy for the Americans but it is

reported that the Jeremy Kyle Show is being exported to the US. The thought of him shouting at the semi-idiots over there, as he does here, is an affliction that the viewing audiences do not deserve.