Blair adamant on Iraqi war despite no WMD evidence

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, January 12, 2004

Blair adamant on Iraqi war despite no WMD evidence

British Prime Minister Tony Blair on Sunday continued justifying the military action against Iraq although the alleged weapons of mass destruction (WMD) are yet to be found.

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British Prime Minister Tony Blair on Sunday continued justifying the military action against Iraq although the alleged weapons of mass destruction (WMD) are yet to be found.

In an interview with the BBC television, the prime minister said he "would have been irresponsible not to have acted upon" the intelligence that Saddam Hussein had WMD.

"You can only imagine what would have happened if I'd ignored the intelligence and then something terrible had happened," said Blair.

He also suggested that the WMD might never be found in Iraq.

"In a land mass twice the size of the UK it may well not be surprising you don't find where this stuff is hidden," Blair said.

Blair has been under heavy pressure since one BBC report said the government had played up the capabilities of Iraq's WMD.

Weapons expert David Kelly committed suicide last summer after the government named him as the source of the BBC report.

Blair had vehemently denied that he authorized the leaking of Kelly's name to the press, only to be accused by his critics of lying.

Ministry of Defense top official Sir Kevin Tebbit had told the Hutton inquiry into Kelly's death that Blair chaired the meeting at which the decision to name Kelly was taken.

With the Hutton report expected to be published within weeks, Blair said in the interview that he would resign if the report finds he lied over the Kelly affair.

Blair hoped that the Hutton's report would be "final" and bring an end to the current speculation.

"What the judge finds will be of huge persuasive importance for the public, for parliament and I hope for the media," Blair said. "It's final."

Source: Xinhua

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