God Lied, people Died

God Lied, People Died?

Alan Cowell of the NY Times takes his criticism of British PM Tony Blair to a higher level:

Blair Invokes God in Decision to Send British Troops to Iraq

By ALAN COWELL

LONDON, March 3 — Prime Minister Tony Blair has indicated that God influenced his deliberations when he committed British troops to fight alongside American forces in Iraq.

The remarks, which surprised some antiwar campaigners, were made in an Independent Television talk show to be broadcast Saturday night. A transcript was released by the ITV station on Friday.

"God influenced his deliberations"? That is not even supported by the interview excerpts presented by Mr. Cowell. Mr. Blair makes two points - history, other people, and, if you believe in the concept, God will judge Blair's decision to go to war with Iraq; and yes, Tony Blair prays.

Mr. Blair drew plenty of criticism in Britain, but the thrust was different:

The BBC:

PM attacked on Iraq 'God' remarks
Anti-war campaigners have criticised Tony Blair after he suggested his decision to go to war in Iraq would ultimately be judged by God.

The prime minister told ITV1's Parkinson chat show: "If you believe in God (the judgement) is made by God."

The Independent:

Blair: 'God will be my judge on Iraq'
Tony Blair has proclaimed that God will judge whether he was right to send British troops to Iraq, echoing statements from his ally George Bush.

An Independent editorial:

For Mr Blair to invoke God as the ultimate arbiter of his decision to go to war in Iraq suggests marks a change. In the past, the Prime Minister took the secular view that history would be his judge. With history turning against him in Iraq, perhaps God offers the prospect of greater mercy.

CNN International:

LONDON, England -- British Prime Minister Tony Blair says God and history will judge whether he was right to go to war in Iraq, according to the transcript of a television interview to be broadcast Saturday.

The Times is in their own choir on this one.

The BBC offers a more complete excerpt.

UPDATE: Via Matt Drudge, we see that the NY Times has the AFP, if not God, on their side:

Blair under fire for evoking God in Iraq war decision

LONDON (AFP) - Tony Blair triggered strong reactions from parents of soldiers killed in Iraq and the political opposition, after the British prime minister evoked God in his decision to go to war.

Details emerged Friday of Blair's interview on an ITV1 television talk show where he said God and history would judge his action in joining the US-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003.

"That decision has to be taken and has to be lived with, and in the end there is a judgment that -- well, I think if you have faith about these things then you realise that judgment is made by other people," Blair said in the interview with host Michael Parkinson which will air Saturday night.

Pressed to clarify what he meant, Blair, a devout Christian, replied: "If you believe in God, it's made by God as well."

hattip:Tom McGuire