Wednesday, April 19, 2006

Turmoil in UK Government Over Iran Plans

PM Tony Blair and his Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, are at odds over how to deal with the situation in Iran.

Jack Straw has warned Cabinet colleagues that it would be illegal for Britain to support the United States in military action against Iran. But Tony Blair has backed President George Bush by warning that ruling out military action would send out a "message of weakness" to Iran.

According to The Independent, Straw has the support of most Labour party MPs and "was given tacit support at a meeting of European foreign ministers in Luxembourg last week."

On Sunday, the Scotsman had reported that, according to a Foreign office source, Blair would not offer military support to Bush to attack Iran. It now appears that story may have been a plant to simply put public pressure on Blair since he clearly hasn't taken the military option off the table.

Just as I cautioned on Sunday, , mind your sources on the escalating rhetoric about Iran. What plays out in the media may not reflect what's really going on behind the scenes.

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