Rupert Cornwell (Extracted from "Clinton The big mistake of the Iraq war", The Independent, 18 November 2005)

"The dam has burst. Former President Bill Clinton's verdict that the war in Iraq was "a big mistake" is echoing around the world. The unease, the misgivings, and downright opposition can be contained no longer. From Senate Republicans, to one of the most influential Democratic lawmakers on Capitol Hill yesterday, the message has been the same. The Iraq war has been a disaster, and the sooner American troops leave the better."

[Ed But why didn't you say so at the time, Bill Clinton? Too many Iraqi women and children have been killed and maimed for life. Why did you come over here in September 2002, six months before the invasion, in order to help Blair persuade the left-wingers at the Trade Union Congress' annual meeting that they must support the Bush-Cheney war? We can expect the Conservative Party to follow American Republicans like sheep -- which they did -- but there was no need to strengthen Blair's hand with the Labour Party.]