FURY AT BLAIR WAR CRIMES HYPOCRISY
Ex-PM denounces witch-hunt of troops – but HE left them open to criminal charges
SOLDIERS hounded over their roles in the Iraq War reacted with fury last night after Tony Blair sought to absolve himself of blame. The former prime minister said criminal investigations should never have been launched.
But soldiers and MPs angrily pointed out that Mr Blair’s actions led to the inquiries because he ignored expert advice in signing up to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and took Britain to war in Iraq.
A Tory MP said the former PM’s comments were ‘contemptible’, while a serving soldier said they were ‘disgraceful’. A former Army major said Mr Blair
was trying to ‘absolve himself’ after ‘feeding soldiers to the wolves’, while the daughter of a tormented soldier said he had ‘hung soldiers out to dry’ to save himself.
In his first comments on the controversial investigations into alleged abuses by British troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, the ex-PM said it was wrong to put soldiers through the ‘ordeal’ of a criminal probe.
Mr Blair said: ‘I do not think this process should ever had been put in place. I am very sorry that our soldiers and their families have been put through this ordeal.’
But the controversial taxpayer-funded Iraq Historic Allegations Team (Ihat), which is investigating 1,668 allegations of criminality, was only set up in 2010 to stop soldiers being dragged before the ICC, which Mr Blair signed up to. The ICC’s Rome Statute was incorporated into UK law in 2001, meaning Britain had to abide by international law on the battlefield.
Mr Blair was also the architect of the Human Rights Act, which became law in 2000. Subsequent legal rulings have extended the reach of human rights to include the actions of soldiers overseas.
Former defence minister Sir Gerald Howarth warned Mr Blair about signing up to the ICC in 2001, saying it would ‘inhibit troops on the battlefield’. He said: ‘If we are seen to fail to bring people to account then the ICC can step in and over-ride our parliament and our courts and that is completely and utterly intolerable.’
The Tory MP added: ‘It was Blair that insisted we sign up to the ICC. It is absolutely contemptible for him to now say we got it wrong when he was told at the time it was wrong. The man has contributed to putting our troops at risk.’
Demi Catterall, whose father Richard was dragged through three probes over the death of an Iraqi 12 years ago and is too unwell to speak, said: ‘Tony Blair hasn’t been held accountable for anything. This makes my blood boil. He has hung the soldiers out to dry to save himself.’
Tory MP Colonel Bob Stewart, who is on the defence select committee, added: ‘It is a bit rich coming from Tony Blair. I blame the government for not getting a grip on this years ago. Ihat is a disgrace.’
Ex-Army major Milos Stankovic, whose career was destroyed after he was falsely accused of spying in the 1990s, said: ‘Tony Blair fed soldiers to the wolves and now he is trying to absolve himself of it.’
Mr Blair was condemned by the Chilcot report for the way he dragged Britain to war in Iraq on flawed intelligence when peaceful options had not been exhausted.
But the ICC has said he will not face war crime charges because his decision to go to war in Iraq is outside its jurisdiction.
A serving soldier quizzed by Ihat, who cannot be named, said: ‘Am I going to get someone like Pol Pot on my side next? He’s got a nerve.’ Another serviceman, who lives in constant fear of being dragged through a probe, added: ‘This is disgraceful. It is Tony Blair who should be in front of a judge.’
Ian Sadler, whose son Jack was killed in Afghanistan, added: ‘When did Tony Blair start caring about British soldiers?’
Mr Blair did not respond to requests for comment last night.