Former Brit Defense Secretary Admits Brits Underestimated Cheney Influence

If you click on the link in this entry's title, you can read a story in the Guardian, a British newspaper, about David Hoon. Hoon was the British defense secretary during the invasion of Iraq. In this article he admits that the Brits totally missed the influence of Dick Cheney on Bush regarding Iraq. This is from the article: "Sometimes ... Tony had made his point with the president, and I'd made my point with Don [Rumsfeld] and Jack [Straw] had made his point with Colin [Powell] and the decision actually came out of a completely different place. And you think: what did we miss? I think we missed Cheney."

Hoon points out that the Brits disagreed with the Bush Administration over two key points. This is also from the article: Geoff Hoon reveals that Britain disagreed with the US administration over two key decisions in May 2003, two months after the invasion - to disband Iraq's army and "de-Ba'athify" its civil service.

Disbanding the Iraqi Army led to a lot of soldiers who had military training being put on the streets, free to link up with insurgent elements, especially among the Sunni Muslims. Purging the civil service of Ba'athist party members meant that the people who had been running the government, carrying out functions such as education, public utilities, etc., weren't there. The consequences of both of these decisions have been horrible for both the United States and Iraq.

In the past we have commented on the fact that anyone who gets involved with George W. Bush has their reputation tarnished. Take Colin Powell. There was a man who was well thought of by the American people and the American media. He was talked about as possibly a candidate for President. He was admired by members of both parties. After getting involved with the Bush Administration, his reputation has been greatly diminished and no one now speaks of him as a possible presidential candidate or even as a future Cabinet member. He is now scorned as one of the persons who helped lead us into a war that is costing us both lives and treasure.

He is but one example and to that list you can add Tony Blair. He is shortly to leave office after 10 years as Prime Minister and his popularity with his countrymen has plummented. He is referred to as "Bush's lap-dog." All because he got involved with George W. Bush.