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Forward into battle

Bush's call for the US to go to war leaves Blair facing the moment he hoped would never come

Jackie Ashley
Thursday January 30, 2003
The Guardian

This was not a calm assessment of the dangers posed by Iraq; this was a commander ordering his troops into battle. After George Bush's second state of the union address, there can be no doubt that America is set on war. Here in London, Jack Straw and Tony Blair are still talking about Saddam having a last chance to persuade the inspectors, and to disarm. Over there in Washington, time has run out.
So is the Blair strategy already in ruins? Is there any chance of Bush being persuaded to delay much beyond next week's UN session in which Colin Powell will unveil the alleged links between Saddam and al-Qaida? Will the prime minister be able to bring the French and Germans alongside? When he sets off for Camp David later today, is it to discuss the situation, and advise, and urge, and warn - or simply to get his...