As Fallujah flares, an unprecedented letter from fifty two former Ambassadors and High Commissioners calls President Bush's Middle East policy "one sided and illegal", and claims there is “no effective plan” for a post-Saddam Iraq.
And they criticise Mr Blair for backing a US line they say is "doomed to failure".
All this as Britain discusses whether to send more troops to Iraq.
The Americans say they're still hoping the militants in Fallujah will surrender after negotiation, but today at least one American marine and 8 Iraqis were killed in fighting, and the Americans bombed the town from helicopters.
The British in south haven't faced anything like this yet - but maybe they soon will, because they're now expected to join other coalition troops in the volatile centre of Iraq.
The British are currently in command of the South East sector of Iraq, with almost eight thousand troops.
The main town - Basra - has been largely peaceful.
The Central zone - under Polish command - includes the restive holy city of Najaf.
Thirteen hundred Spanish troops are now leaving the region and the British are their most likely replacements.
Today American troops entered Najaf to relieve the Spanish. They may yet attack the rebel Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and his armed militia inside the holy city.
The Americans want their best friends to help fight what President Bush has called fanatics and thugs, but today 52 former British ambassadors launched an unprecedented protest against British support for America in Iraq.
In an open letter to the Prime Minister they said:
"The conduct of the war in Iraq has made it clear that there was no effective plan for the post-Saddam settlement. All those with experience of the area predicted that the occupation of Iraq by the Coalition forces would meet serious and stubborn resistance, as has proved to be the case. To describe the resistance as led by terrorists, fanatics and foreigners is neither convincing nor helpful."
Last week's joint press conference in Washington was the straw that broke the camel's back.
Not only did Tony Blair provide President Bush with unquestioning support over Iraq but he also appeared to back President Bush's decision that Israel may retain some Jewish settlements in the West Bank.
"The international community has now been confronted with the announcement by Ariel Sharon and President Bush of new policies which are one-sided and illegal and which will cost yet more Israeli and Palestinian blood. Our dismay at this backward step is heightened by the fact that you yourself seem to have endorsed it, abandoning the principles which for nearly four decades have guided international efforts to restore peace in the Holy Land."
The last time British diplomats rebelled en masse was over Suez - many Foreign Office officials disagreed with Prime Minister Anthony Eden's decision to invade Egypt in 1956.
Iraq and Israel policy tied up together. It's a big mess.
|
