Who is the opportunist then?

It seems that Mr Kennedy has decided it's ok to jump on bandwagons! He has announced that the LibDems will play no part in the inquiry into the quality and problems with pre-war intelligence on Iraq. He is saying that this is because he wants an inquiry into whether it was right to go to war at all. How can this be though? We can have no meaningful independent inquiry into whether any political decision was right, for the simple reason that politics isn't an issue of independence and impartiality but one of doing what you think is right. The report of this inquiry will surely show whether the intelligence was defective, and why, but it may also show that the intelligence was suitably disclaimered. If we have a thorough report on the nature of the intelligence and the way in which it was used by the Government, which is fairly and squarely within the remit, then it will be open to everyone to make their own judgements about why we went to war and whether the reasons were justified.It is then for us to decide whether we think the Government was right at the time to rely on the intel. There can be no independent, judicial, legal and objective decision as to whether this was right.

Still, it's a nice chance for Mr Kennedy to sling some mud and engage in typical negative politics, the sort he normally condemns...


Sweet hypocrisy from January 7:

"...it is not surprising – given Michael Howard’s comments at Prime Ministers’ Questions – that the Conservatives have decided to prejudge the conclusions of the inquiry in the same way that they prejudged their unquestioning and uncritical support for the war in Iraq.

Mr Howard seems prepared to approach this serious matter with a closed mind and an open mouth."

Today we need instead of the proposed one, an enquiry which deals with the issues deals with the issue "directly and openly. It does not seem to me that this inquiry will be able to do that."

Who has a closed mind and open mouth now then...?