Britain feared US would 'nuke' Afghanistan: ex-diplomat

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070618/wl_asia_afp/britainpoliticsmilitaryafghanistanus_070618020433

LONDON (AFP) - Britain joined the United States' invasion to oust the Taliban in 2001 because it feared America would "nuke the shit" out of Afghanistan, the former British ambassador to Washington reportedly told a television documentary to be screened Saturday.

In comments printed in advance in the Daily Mirror tabloid on Monday, Christopher Meyer said that fear explained why Prime Minister Tony Blair chose to stand with US President George W. Bush in his decision to invade Afghanistan in the immediate aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks -- to temper his aggressive battle plans.

"Blair's real concern was that there would be quote unquote 'a knee-jerk reaction' by the Americans ... they would go thundering off and nuke the shit out of the place without thinking straight," Meyer reported told the documentary, according to the Mirror.

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Not sure of the sources here, but it does fit with Smirky's "cowboy diplomacy". Nuke 'em now, ask questions later. And, they are quoting a former British ambassador.

There has always been the feeling that Afghanistan was justified, because OBL was there. But I have seen several articles this weekend that even this is coming under question. If Smirk lied us into Iraq, then why not Afghanistan?

Sounds like the Brits are digging deep to justify their own mistakes.

"If Smirk lied us into Iraq, then why not Afghanistan?"

I always did have a funny feeling about that move. And certainly the Bushies are capable of throwing nukes around. But somehow I think Tony Blair's taking on too much credit. Lots of countries came into Afghanistan, but Tony stayed on the rollercoaster when it careened into Iraq. Did he just go along to prevent us from nuking there too? I don't buy it.

Tony Blair.

Bear in mind that ballons have been floated as to a Blair candidacy for EU president. But the Iraq War is so unpopular in most of Europe--Bush/Blair really put many Europeans in great danger from it (they are a lot closer to Iraq and the Middle East than we are)--that his reputation needs major cosmetic work. This is how it's done--by this kind of unsoliticed disclosure. If Bush and Cheney were normal politicians, and not fascist tyrants, we might be hearing the same sort of disclosures to rehabilitate them, for future positions. ("It was all Rummy's fault, really.") But they care not a fuck about public opinion. They are puremongers, and, if they want something, will just take it--buy it, take it over, "arrange" it through their gang of corporate predators and financial criminals, hit squads and thugs. The EU countries, though, are more--much more--democratic than the U.S. is, and will need some convincing, or at least smoothing of Blair's Iraq War edges. This fits the bill. He was sparing Afhganistan a nuke holocaust. I'd guess it's utter bullshit.