Blair Sent Troops into Afghanistan on `Short-Lived Exercise’ in 2001

Tony Blair’s diatribe of Saturday, Aug. 21, in which he denounced President Joe Biden’s withdrawal decision as “imbecilic,” is not being well received by everyone in the British establishment. “Blair has some front criticizing Biden when along with Bush he was responsible for the greatest loss of civilian life in war in the 21st century,” said former Labour shadow Chancellor (i.e., Treasury Minister) John McDonnell in a Twitter posting yesterday. “I also recall when he sent troops into Afghanistan he implied it would be a short-lived exercise. Liar or imbecile or both?”