-Caveat Lector- http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/allnews/page.cfm?objectid=12709416 &method=full&siteid=50143 BLAIR: I'LL DEFY TRIPLE UN WAR VETO
By Paul Gilfeather Whitehall Editor TONY Blair dramatically announced yesterday Britain would join a war on Iraq even if Russia, France and China vetoed military action. His decision was branded "appalling" by his own MPs who said it spelt "political suicide" and shattered the credibility of the UN. FACE TO FACE: Mr Blair faces MTV forum in London yesterday where he came under intense grilling over his war plans Mr Blair has previously said Britain would only attack without UN backing if ONE of the five permanent Security Council members wielded a veto "unreasonably". But yesterday he signalled that even THREE vetoes would not derail the British and US war machine. Asked if he would press ahead with war without a new UN resolution, he said: "If there was a veto applied by one of the countries with a veto, or by countries that I thought were applying the veto unreasonably, then in those circumstances I would." The development came as chief UN weapons inspector Hans Blix prepared for today's report to the Security Council and Britain haggled with "doves" over the wording of a second resolution. The US wants the resolution to give the go-ahead for war. Labour MPs, who gave Mr Blair a bloody nose in a Commons revolt last week, could barely contain their fury. Senior backbencher Dr Ian Gibson said: "Having won plaudits for taking the UN route, Mr Blair has now decided to reject any Security Council verdict that does not suit his timetable for conflict. "If he does this while defying three permanent members of the Security Council he'd commit political suicide. "It absolutely shatters the credibility of the UN." Fellow backbencher Malcolm Savidge added: "I find this appalling and disturbing. "The Prime Minister keeps changing the rules for starting war with Iraq. He seems to have already decided that an invasion will happen." Lib-Dem leader Charles Kennedy asked Mr Blair what he meant by "unreasonable". He said: "If Dr Blix believes progress can be made on disarming Saddam, a veto to allow weapons inspectors more time could scarcely be described as unreasonable." Downing Street refused to comment on the Government's revised position. Mr Blair's spokesman said: "He was not signalling any change in his belief that the second resolution will be passed. Nothing has changed." The Premier made his defiant announcement while facing 40 young people from 24 countries at an MTV forum in London to be screened to homes worldwide tonight. Admitting war was not the "first answer", he said 300,000 troops sent to the Gulf could not be there indefinitely. He said: "We can't wait for ever. If we don't act now we'll go back to what has happened before and then, of course, the whole thing begins again. "I think it's right that the UN now makes it clear that if Saddam is not prepared to disarm peacefully then he will have to be disarmed by force." In a tense confrontation, Mr Blair said war could still be avoided if Saddam fled. He said: "I'd be prepared to accept a situation where Saddam and his immediate entourage went into exile." Mr Blair dismissed claims that Britain and the US wanted war to seize control of Iraq's oil. He declared: "It's nothing to do with oil." Raising the idea of Iraq's reserves being put under UN control, he added: "We should make sure that in any post-conflict Iraq oil goes into a trust fund. We don't touch it, and the Americans don't touch it without UN authority." Iraqi Ammar Hassan, 23, who is now living in Britain, praised Mr Blair's stance on Iraq, saying: "I'd like you to remove Saddam." But he said later: "I want to make it clear that I'm against war. I only hope Mr Blair's motives are sincere." Top Forwarded for your information. 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