Blood on his hands: Should Tony Blair be prosecuted for war crimes?
- Text by Max Gayler
- Photography by Seb Heseltine
“I will be with you, whatever,” Tony Blair allegedly told George Bush ahead of the Iraq invasion in 2003.
Blair’s decision to side with Bush over the millions of people who marched in the streets to oppose the war destroyed his political reputation. Today the Chilcot Inquiry delivered a damning assessment of Blair’s decision to push ahead with the war, on the basis of flawed intelligence and without exhausting all options for a peaceful solution to the diplomatic crisis.
“Blair should be held to the highest level of account in this country”, Caroline Lucas MP told Huck. “The first thing we need to do is to make sure this country ratifies the amendment with International Criminal Court, which means that lies of aggression can be punished.”
Blair’s failure to make a suitable plan for post-invasion governance was blamed for the Iraqi civil war that developed on his watch, the violence and corruption that still plagues the country, and the displacement of three-to-five million Iraqis.
Conservative estimates put the Iraq death toll at over 150,000, but if we take into account the regional instability unleashed, such as the Syrian conflict, that number could be even higher.
So, while Chilcot has not ruled on the legality of the war, he placed blame squarely at Blair’s door. Should he be tried for war crimes? We asked those who’d gathered outside the inquiry for their thoughts.
George Kerevan MP
Incasa Oraibi
Murad Qureshi
Zailat Mimi
Daniel Taylor
Simon Jay
Gareth Jenkins
Andy Robinson
Latest on Huck
Why London’s queers are flocking to line dance
Stud City — With a global boom in the popularity of country music, a host of new nights attended by LGBTQ+ folk are opening in the UK’s capital. Zoe Paskett went along to find out about the community’s love for the hustle.
Written by: Zoe Paskett
“My homeland Is everywhere”: Samantha Box is redefining contemporary photography
Confluences — Finding the boundaries of documentary photography too limiting, the US-based photographer has developed a style entirely her own as a canvas to explore her overlapping identities.
Written by: Miss Rosen
In the ’60s and ’70s, Greenwich Village was the musical heart of New York
Talkin’ Greenwich Village — Author David Browne’s new book takes readers into the neighbourhood’s creative heyday, where a generation of artists and poets including Bob Dylan, Billie Holliday and Dave Van Ronk cut their teeth.
Written by: Cyna Mirzai
How Labour Activism changed the landscape of post-war USA
American Job — A new exhibition revisits over 70 years of working class solidarity and struggle, its radical legacy, and the central role of photography throughout.
Written by: Miss Rosen
Analogue Appreciation: Emma-Jean Thackray
Weirdo — In an ever more digital, online world, we ask our favourite artists about their most cherished pieces of physical culture. Today, multi-instrumentalist and Brownswood affiliate Emma-Jean Thackray.
Written by: Emma-Jean Thackray
Meet the shop cats of Hong Kong’s Sheung Wan district
Feline good — Traditionally adopted to keep away rats from expensive produce, the feline guardians have become part of the central neighbourhood’s fabric. Erica’s online series captures the local celebrities.
Written by: Isaac Muk