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Bliar: Tony Blair's appearance at the Arlington Theater

by Marie
Former British prime minister Tony Blair is on a three date speaking tour of the U.S. Over 25 protested his appearance at the Arlington Theater on State St, S. Barbara as part of the University of California Arts and Lectures series. Tony Blair was a crucial ally of the US during Bush's escalation of the war in Iraq, and subsequent military occupation in the region.
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Millions of americans participated in the antiwar/imperialist movement during the 7 years since September 11, 2001, and 5 years since the occupation of Iraq. While congress impeached Bill Clinton in 1999 over a relatively trivial lie about his affair, congress never impeached Bush over much more substantial illegal acts. Indeed, we haven't been able to achieve an honest investigation of what even happened during this period.
With the inauguration of the democrats to the Whitehouse/congress this January, the antiwar/democracy movement still has not achieved justice. The number of soldiers in Afghanistan will increase by 17,000 as policing is escalated in this region, and the US will continue to be present in Iraq for the foreseeable future.
Indeed, this weekend, it was announced that there will be no indictments for torture which occurred under the Bush administration, in violation of international law. In order to nod to the antiwar side, the Obama administration released four memos describing methods of CIA torture at Guantanamo and other prisons. Cable news stations have been interviewing Bush era CIA officials and letting them spin this as a threat to national security by Obama, which could embolden al Qaeda. The torture memos largely repeated previously released information, and don't represent a substantial step towards achieving justice over what was done, ending military occupation of the region, or plundering of oil wealth by large companies.

Here is a good article about Tony Blair's role in enabling the Bush administration's campaign in Iraq. "Britain's silence when George W Bush sanctioned the use of torture is to the enduring shame of the former prime minister" Andrew Tawnsley
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/feb/08/tony-blair-human-rights-torture

Tony Blair was to speak on "The Road Ahead - Faith and Reconciliation in a Time of Global Interdependence"

Biography: "Tony Blair served as Prime Minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from May 1997 to June 2007 and continues to be active in public life. He currently works for the USA, UN, Russia and EU as the Quartet Representative in the Middle East as part of the international community's effort to secure peace by helping Palestinians prepare for statehood. He will speak about his mission to promote understanding between the major faiths and the role of faith in the modern world."
https://artsandlectures.sa.ucsb.edu/Details.aspx?PerfNum=1353
§Tony Blair speaks on faith
by Marie
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Telegraph UK
Mon, Apr 20, 2009 8:37PM
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