Former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan says that Tony Blair could have stopped the Iraq war had he decided to walk away from a partnership with the US. He said this after releasing his memoir, hope the book sells. But we people on the street don’t need any insiders story, we knew it all the way.
Mr. Annan however said he did not agree with fellow Nobel peace prize laureate, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, over his suggestion that Bush and Blair should face proceedings in the international criminal court. Annan says “they were democratically elected leaders acting in what they believed were their national interest”. Really was there a referendum?!! Was it there in their election manifesto? Who admitted to 'sexed up' reports? So wy did they lose the election? Secondly, even if there was referendum, that doesn’t give any nation any right to attack another country. Furthermore it’s now very clear that attack on Iraq was manipulated for selfish interest of few, what is also very clear is that lots of innocent people died.
Wonder what more evidence does International Court of Justice wants? Or is it that they are only interested in brutalities by leaders in Africa. The neo-colonial white man’s burden, shall we. Democracy (secularism/religion, freedom of expression...) have become convenient alibi for lots of disgusting acts in recent times.
(courtesy Guardian Newspaper)
Correction: in my last blog...the line should read "...must add here that his fiction does lack, where Naipaul glitter". Pankaj Mishra is amazing as non fiction writer, indeed he is arguably one of the best contemporary writers i have read.
