Not a Hint of Contrition

Inquiry chairman Sir John Chilcot began the six hour question session by stressing that Mr Blair was not "on trial" but said he could be recalled to give further evidence if necessary.

But of course he's on trial: that's precisely how this farce has been presented to us from the start. No, he'll not be convicted as such, but in the court of public opinion, as defined by our media, he'll forever be a pariah. And today's the day when he gets to face his accusers.

Here's some "analysis" from the BBC's World Affairs correspondent Peter Biles:

So Tony Blair remains a "true believer" in the Iraq war.

There was not a hint of contrition or regret, in spite of the fact that bereaved families who lost loved ones in Iraq were among those sitting behind him in the public gallery, listening to every word of his evidence.

The incredulity is palpable. Blair still believes that deposing Saddam Hussein was the right thing to do, despite what all we at the BBC, plus our media colleagues at the Guardian, the Daily Mail, the Independent...despite what we all believe - what we all know to be true.

The detail that families of servicemen killed in Iraq are packing the court echoes - as no doubt it's meant to echo - the way that the families of murder victims pack the court when a killer is on trial: or perhaps - why not, the level of hysteria is this great - the way that concentration camp survivors sit in silent judgement as  camp guards and other such monsters are finally brought to justice. That's what it's come to here.

Comments

[Robert Hanks]

Yesterday's lunchtime news on BBC1 featured the reaction to Blair's testimony of Peter Brierley, whose son, Shaun, was a soldier killed on active service: the on-screen caption labelled him "Victim's father" - I don't think I have never seen a serving soldier referred to as a "victim" before; and the implication was apparently that he had been murdered by Blair.

I think, too, that when the media allows Peter Brierley to speak for bereaved families, they should perhaps mention that his son was not one of those killed by a roadside bomb during the occupation: he was killed in a traffic accident in Kuwait during the run-up to war.