Good faith covers a multitude of sins. To the untutored layman’s eye, it almost appears contradictory. For example, on March 15, 2002, the Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC) advised 10 Downing Street: "Intelligence on Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles programmes is sporadic and patchy." On August 21, 2002, the JIC told Blair: "We have little intelligence on Iraq’s chemical and biological weapons doctrine and know little about Iraq’s chemical and biological weapons work since late 1998." On September 9 that same year the JIC further warned Blair: "Intelligence remains limited."

Two weeks later, Blair wrote in his personal foreword to the notorious "dodgy" dossier on Iraq: "I am in no doubt that the threat is serious and current. The assessed intelligence has established beyond doubt that Saddam has continued to produce chemical and biological weapons." A lie? Obviously; but in good faith. On September 24, 2002, with three reports sitting on his desk which described our intelligence on Iraq as "sporadic and patchy", "little" and "limited", Blair told the House of Commons that intelligence was "extensive, detailed and authoritative".

Further egging the pudding, he reasserted the dossier’s claims that Saddam’s "military planning allows for some of the WMD to be ready within 45 minutes of an order to use them". He added: "His WMD programme is active, detailed and growing." All this was in direct contradiction of the intelligence reports he had received, but also - remember - in good faith.

Robin Cook, in his diary entry for March 5, 2003, a contemporary record rather than a subsequent recollection, recorded that, in his then capacity as Foreign Secretary, he told Blair that day: "It’s clear from the private briefing I have had that Saddam has no weapons of mass destruction in a sense of weapons that could strike at strategic cities. But he probably does have several thousand battlefield chemical munitions. Do you never worry that he might use them against British troops?" Blair answered: "Yes, but all the effort he has had to put into concealment makes it difficult for him to assemble them quickly for use." What? Not within 45 minutes?

The Butler Report was not an investigation, but a provocation. There is a seething anger among the British public at the bastardisation of the entire system of parliamentary democratic government. The electorate has finally lost confidence in Parliament, the civil service and even the over-deferential media. Butler was the fourth pseudo-investigation into the means by which our country was dragged into a war it did not want, with the public lied to ruthlessly, relentlessly and shamelessly. Everyone knows Blair is as guilty as hell; everyone knows he is a congenital liar; everyone knows he should resign the high office which he pollutes.

For so long as media commentators recite the "good faith" mantra, the living lie that is Blairism will continue to leech upon Britain like a toxic fungus.
http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/opinion.cfm?id=820092004