'Mission from God' Blair aides doubted Bush had control of his troops in Iraq
The Guardian|December 31, 2024
Tony Blair's advisers privately questioned whether the US had "proper political control" of military operations in Iraq after a senior Washington official confided that George W Bush believed he was on a "mission from God" against insurgents, newly released documents reveal.
Caroline Davies
'Mission from God' Blair aides doubted Bush had control of his troops in Iraq

Blair needed to "deliver some difficult messages" to the US president for a "more measured approach" in April 2004, following an operation to suppress a major uprising in the city of Falluja, according to papers released to the National Archives in Kew, west London.

In a candid conversation, recorded in a document marked "please protect very carefully", Richard "Rich" Armitage, the US deputy secretary of state, told Sir David Manning, the UK ambassador, that Bush had needed a "dose of reality" after demanding his forces "kick ass" when four private military contractors were killed.

Armitage appealed to Blair to use his influence in a visit to Washington on 16 April to urge Bush to deal with Falluja "as part of a carefully judged political process".

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة December 31, 2024 من The Guardian.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة December 31, 2024 من The Guardian.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

المزيد من القصص من THE GUARDIAN مشاهدة الكل
Money hacks How to use your Christmas gift vouchers wisely
The Guardian

Money hacks How to use your Christmas gift vouchers wisely

The first thing to do is read the small print (it could be very small if it is squeezed on the back).

time-read
4 mins  |
January 04, 2025
'It's not job done' More change to come as M&S gets its spark back
The Guardian

'It's not job done' More change to come as M&S gets its spark back

M&S menswear, above, is starting to compete for style with specialist rivals while the company's menswear has successfully caught the attention of younger buyers

time-read
4 mins  |
January 04, 2025
Taken to court ... as a victim of identity theft
The Guardian

Taken to court ... as a victim of identity theft

A fraudulent phone contract has been taken out in my husband's name and he is now threatened with court action.

time-read
1 min  |
January 04, 2025
New start Is 2025 the right time to become your own boss?
The Guardian

New start Is 2025 the right time to become your own boss?

Going freelance is not without risk but if you want to shed the shackles of your 9-5, then Suzanne Bearne can help you plan it properly

time-read
7 mins  |
January 04, 2025
Feeling the heat British Gas hit by 400,000 complaints
The Guardian

Feeling the heat British Gas hit by 400,000 complaints

It has been both astonishing and appalling in equal measure,\" says Jonathan Hattersley, 66, from Cambridgeshire.

time-read
3 mins  |
January 04, 2025
The Guardian

Biden Blocks Japanese Firm's $15bn Bid for US Steel Over Security Fears

Joe Biden blocked a $14.9bn (£12bn) bid by Japan's Nippon Steel for US Steel yesterday, citing concerns the deal could hurt national security and following through on a pledge to keep the company domestically owned as he prepares to depart the White House.

time-read
1 min  |
January 04, 2025
We're like snipers' Lethal and cheap, drones dominate the frontline now
The Guardian

We're like snipers' Lethal and cheap, drones dominate the frontline now

Denys, a soldier with Ukraine's Khyzhak brigade, describes a new kind of war. Standing in a barracks workshop with piles of basic Ukrainian first-person view (FPV) drones behind him, he says: \"There are fewer gunfights because there are more drone fights.\" Frontlines that were once a gunshot apart are now a killing zone several miles deep as Russian and Ukrainian drone squads hidden behind the frontlines target each other's forces with aerial attacks. \"Back in 2022, we were still running around with machine guns from the tree lines,\" Denys says, almost with nostalgia.

time-read
4 mins  |
January 04, 2025
The Guardian

Profits at GB News owner's hedge fund plunge 64%

Profits at the hedge fund co-founded by the GB News and Spectator owner Sir Paul Marshall plunged by almost two-thirds last year, resulting in significantly reduced payouts for its partners.

time-read
1 min  |
January 04, 2025
Call to stick to tougher green targets amid record EV sales
The Guardian

Call to stick to tougher green targets amid record EV sales

Carmakers sold a record number of electric cars in the UK last year, prompting environmental groups to urge the government to stick to tougher green targets even as the industry argues they are unsustainable.

time-read
2 mins  |
January 04, 2025
Handbags and watches help take Thailand PM's declared worth to £322m
The Guardian

Handbags and watches help take Thailand PM's declared worth to £322m

Thailand's prime minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, has declared £322m in assets, including a collection of 217 designer handbags and 75 luxury watches in submissions on her wealth to a government body.

time-read
1 min  |
January 04, 2025