Thread: AT last

Bush and Blair admit Iraq errors


Mr Blair and Mr Bush have both seen their popularity fall


Blair and Bush speech

UK Prime Minister Tony Blair and US President George W Bush have made a stark public acknowledgement that they made mistakes in Iraq.
Mr Bush said the biggest US error was the prison abuse scandal in Abu Ghraib, which it was now paying for.
The two leaders have never admitted their mistakes in such frank terms, the BBC's Jonathan Beale says.
They also called for the international community to give its full support to the new Iraqi government.
In a Washington news conference, the British prime minister said it was important to Iraq's leaders to know that "we will stand firm with them" against "terrorism and violence".
The talks in Washington also focused on Iran, with Mr Bush offering rewards for Tehran if it ends uranium enrichment.
Both men have seen their popularity drop and are keen to ensure a positive legacy as their terms draw to a close, correspondents say.
BBC diplomatic correspondent Jonathan Marcus says Iraq has cast a shadow over the leaders' careers and both were seeking to play up the potential for change afforded by the new democratically-elected government in Baghdad.
'Daunting' challenge
Asked about mistakes in Iraq, Mr Bush brought up the prisoner abuse scandal at Baghdad's Abu Ghraib prison.
I learned some lessons about expressing myself maybe in a little more sophisticated manner, you know


George W Bush



Bush and Blair: Key points
Brotherly bonds
Send us your comments


"We've been paying for that for a long period of time," he said.
He also said he regretted having used unsophisticated language such as "Wanted dead or alive", which had been misinterpreted in some parts of the world.
The BBC's Jonathan Beale in Washington says the US president was full of introspection after frequently being criticised for lacking powers of self-analysis.
Mr Blair, who held talks with new Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki in Baghdad this week, was also prepared to acknowledge errors, accepting that the exclusion of all of Saddam Hussein's Baath party members from leadership roles may have only fuelled the insurgency.
But both men remained convinced that they had done the right thing in Iraq.
Mr Blair said: "I came away thinking the challenge is still immense, but I also came away thinking more certain than ever that we should rise to it."
That challenge, he said, was "daunting... but inspiring".
Whatever people's misgivings about the 2003 invasion of Iraq, he said, "our duty, but also the duty of the whole international community, is to get behind this government and support it".
However, neither man would set a timetable for the withdrawal of troops from Iraq.
Iran warning
They also discussed Iran's nuclear programme, and its refusal to suspend uranium enrichment. The US suspects Iran of seeking nuclear weapons, although Tehran says its work is for peaceful, energy purposes.
Both leaders refused to outline a timetable for withdrawing troops


Mr Bush said the US would continue to work with Iran's government despite its "intransigence" but urged it to suspend enrichment to avoid international isolation.
The leaders meet again on Friday after Mr Blair's foreign policy speech at Georgetown University.
In his speech, the UK leader is expected to focus on the values of democracy and reform of the post-World War II institutions, such as the UN and International Monetary Fund.
Mr Blair has pledged to resign before his third term ends, which will be in May 2010 at the latest. Mr Bush leaves office in 2009.
The prime minister was given wholehearted support by the president, however. Asked by a journalist what Mr Bush wanted to see in Mr Blair's successor, Mr Bush replied: "I want him to be here so long as I'm president."






KEY STORIES

Nine die in Baghdad market bombs
Marines' Iraq conduct scrutinised
Bush and Blair admit Iraq errors
Iraqi PM optimistic over security
Aziz testifies for Saddam defence

BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS

Troop withdrawal
The best and worst case scenarios for the pull-out of multinational troops
No quick fixes

Who's who in cabinet

War dead figures

Halabja: Seeking justice

Saddam trial timeline

Q&A: Saddam on trial


VIDEO AND AUDIO

Saddam on trial

HAVE YOUR SAY

Tackling sectarian violence in Iraq

Full in-depth report





RELATED INTERNET LINKS:
The White House
10 Downing Street
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites

TOP AMERICAS STORIES NOW

Mexico hails US immigration bill

Bush and Blair admit Iraq errors

Reggae's Desmond Dekker dies

Enron bosses 'shocked' at verdict

getRssUrlStory('/rss/newsonline_uk_edition/world/americas/rss.xml') | What is RSS?

Originally Posted by tony darling

"we will stand firm with them" against "terrorism and violence".

Fuking rhettoric.
I'm well sick of this bog standard response to any questions regarding any aspects of the war in Iraq, from troop withdrawal, to the legality of that cuban prison that i can't remember the name of.. he keeps reciting the standard Blair bollux.
It's exactly what he said on Pm's question time twice in the last 2 weeks.
no substance, all blousy blouse.

Originally Posted by ChiangMai noon

Originally Posted by tony darling

"we will stand firm with them" against "terrorism and violence".

Fuking rhettoric.
I'm well sick of this bog standard response to any questions regarding any aspects of the war in Iraq, from troop withdrawal, to the legality of that cuban prison that i can't remember the name of.. he keeps reciting the standard Blair bollux.
It's exactly what he said on Pm's question time twice in the last 2 weeks.
no substance, all blousy blouse.

At l;east your PMs a bloke.We've got a rug munching ladybloke.

"I admit a small mistake but all in all we did the right thing"..
What a fokkin wanker.

Originally Posted by Little chuch

We've got a rug munching ladybloke

we had one of them once, she was as far up reagan's arse as Blair is up Bush's.
At the same time she managed to destroy centuries of community in wales and most areas of industrial England.

Its was huge news this morning.
But why are they backing down,somethings going on