Readers' letters - July 12

Time to leave Blair alone
Former Prime Minister Tony Blair responded to the Chilcot report during a press conference at Admiralty House, LondonFormer Prime Minister Tony Blair responded to the Chilcot report during a press conference at Admiralty House, London
Former Prime Minister Tony Blair responded to the Chilcot report during a press conference at Admiralty House, London

The latest news regarding the Chilcot Inquiry and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, concerning his role in the war in Iraq, has also been a ‘war of words’ – some 2.6 million of them apparently. For seven years Mr Blair has had to put up with a most hostile level of ‘Blair-mongering’ in the media, whilst he has had to remain silent until the report was concluded, a situation endured by his good friend Sir Cliff Richard, who also had to keep shtum until exonerated by the courts.

It was good to see Mr Blair speaking out at last in his own words, extremely sensitive about the people who were killed, yet pointing out the difficult position he was in.

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No doubt there will always be people who continue to vilify Mr Blair, like those heard on the television news reports who shouted “war criminal!” brandishing placards with the word “Bliar”on them or citing him as “the world’s worst terrorist.”

I had the privilege to prepare food for Mr Blair when he was Prime Minister, along with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in 2002 when he was conducting peace talks in the Middle East and I was a chef at the Tel-Aviv Hilton.

Saddam Hussein was a serious threat back then and I had to have a gas mask and underground bunker along with my Israeli friends, both Jewish and Arab, when the Iraqi tyrant was threatening to send a barrage of scud missiles and poison gas onto Tel-Aviv.

He wasn’t just sabre-rattling.

With the benefit of hindsight it is always easy to apportion blame, but Mr Blair has stood by his convictions and has shown integrity in the face of his detractors. Let’s hope, after seven long years, a special Biblical number, that Mr Blair and his family can enjoy a bit of ‘Sabbath-rest’ after such an ordeal.

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I was living in the city when Israeli Prime Minister, Yitzhak Rabin, was assassinated by his own people in Tel-Aviv because there were those who opposed him so vehemently for his actions, which were carried out with the intent also to help an intractable situation. I think now it’s time to leave Mr Blair alone.

Colin Nevin

via email

sport

Well done to Wales team

May I say well done to the Wales team, who put the over-paid, selfie-obsessed, so-called ‘celebrities’ of the England team to shame. Likewise their fans who have been, apparently, the epitome of politeness and good humour compared to some of the England fans. The Welsh players made a point of applauding their fans at the end of the Portugal match, which is more than some England players bothered to do.

The fans have expressed their thanks to the team for doing so well and for providing such hope and entertainment (one of the main reasons sport is supposed to exist, let’s face it).

So, well done and thanks for entertaining me, a person who can, most of the time, get by quite happily without taking the slightest interest in footie.

T Maunder,

Address supplied


POLITICS

Make Brexit vote work

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The march in London against the result of the referendum is indicative of how completely disrespectful some people are to the democratic system that, hopefully, is still in operation in this country. We fought two world wars against being taken over and controlled by outside forces, and we must fight again to make this Brexit decision work for us all.

Phyllis Capstick,

via email