Former British prime minister Tony Blair speaks to media reporters after making a presentation on countering violent extremism through education during an open sessin of the United Nations Security Council Committee on Counter-Terrorism, at the UN headquarters in New York, on Nov. 21, 2013. (Xinhua/Niu Xiaolei)
by Larry Neild
LONDON, July 8 (Xinhua) -- The report into Britain's involvement in the 2003 Iraq War dominated the front pages of every national newspaper as Fleet Street went into overdrive.
Tony Blair, the Labour prime minister who took the country to war, figured in all of the front page stories. Most zoomed in on a few words found on an official note Blair sent months before the war to the then U.S. President George Bush.
Those five words "I'll be with you whatever..." made up the banner headline in the tabloid Daily Mirror on Thursday, which carried a sub-headline "Families call for ex-PM to be prosecuted."
The rival Sun newspaper headlined the story "Weapon of Mass Deception," featuring a large photo of Blair, saying in an editorial his reputation was in ruins.
The Financial Times went with the headline: "Chilcot report into Iraq War delivers harsh verdict on Blair."
The Daily Mail, popular with middle Englanders, said: "A Monster of Delusion," above a photo of a serious-looking Blair. "For two hours, Blair dissembled and denied in the face of Chilcot's devastating verdict. Then, with sickening egomania, he declared: I can't say sorry for Iraq... I'd do it again."
The broadsheet Daily Telegraph headlined the story "I'd take the same decision," using a quote by Blair from a briefing he made as the report by civil servant Sir John Chilcot was being unveiled."
"Blair's Private War" was how the London Times viewed the story, with sub-headings "Former PM is crushed by Chilcot" and "Secret pledge to back Bush in Iraq."
The Guardian's headline was: "Blair defiant as Chilcot delivers devastating verdict into Iraq War." The rest of the national press, The Independent, Daily Express, Daily Star and the Metro, all devoted their front pages on Blair and the war.
The Guardian, in an eight-page supplement, dissected the war and the Chilcot report, as well as Blair, saying "Looking tired, his voice sometimes croaking with emotion, Blair described his decision to join the U.S. attack as "the hardest, most momentous, most agonizing decision I took in 10 years as British prime minister."
The Times, in its editorial said "Saddam is no more, but the price of his removal has been immeasurable," reminded that a total of 179 British service personnel died in a mission never accomplished.
