Blair wins votes on Iraq

LONDON: Britain's House of Commons supported Prime Minister Tony Blair's policy on Iraq yesterday by defeating a motion opposing military action against Saddam Hussein.

But many rebel legislators in Blair's own Labor Party voted against his Iraq policy — which prompted three ministers to resign this week - showing that opposition to his pro-war remains strong. With a US-led war appearing increasingly inevitable, legislators voted 396 to 217 to defeat a parliamentary amendment by Labor Party rebels that declared the case for war "has not yet been established." The 217 votes included about 135 Labor Party backbenchers, reports said. Last month, a similar parliamentary showdown regarding Iraq and its weapons saw 122 Labor lawmakers vote against the government, the biggest revolt since the party came to power in 1997. "Back away from this confrontation now and future conflicts will be infinitely worse and more devastating in their effects," Blair said Thursday, during hours of Commons debate about Iraq before the vote.

In a second vote last night, legislators voted 412 to 149 to approve the government's resolution supporting the use of "all means necessary" to ensure Iraq's disarmament. In Britain, where public and legislative opposition to a war without U.N. approval is strong, an invasion could present Blair's government with serious risks, especially if the hundreds of thousands of US and British forces in the Gulf aren't successful. In yesterday's Commons debate, Blair said the Iraq crisis would determine the shape of international politics for a generation. "Back away from this confrontation now and future conflicts will be infinitely worse and more devastating in their effects," he said.  Blair said far more was at stake than disarming Saddam — the fundamental framework of international relations was being re-examined. "It will determine the way Britain and the world confront the central security threat of the 21st century; the development of the United Nations; the relationship between Europe and the United States; the relations within the European Union; and the way that the United States engages with the rest of the world. "So it could hardly be more important. It will determine the pattern of international politics for the next generation," Blair said.

 Many disaffected Labor Party legislators have ignored party discipline and opposed Blair's handling of the crisis. Already, senior Cabinet minister Robin Cook and two other officials — junior Health Minister Lord Hunt and Home Office Minister John Denham - have quit over Iraq. But Blair had been expected to win Tuesday's votes because he has the support of the opposition Conservative Party as well as many Labor lawmakers. There also have been signs of growing nationalism in Britain in support of the British troops massed in the Persian Gulf. During yesterday's debate, Labor lawmaker Peter Kilfoyle joined many other members of his party in arguing that military action against Saddam would be "illegal, immoral and illogical." But Blair said that to back away from conflict now, "would put at hazard all that we hold dearest, turn the U.N. back into a talking shop, stifle the first steps of progress in the Middle East, leave the Iraqi people to the mercy of events on which we would have relinquished all power to influence for the better. "I would not be party to such a course," he said.

Blair's defenders in the Commons debate included an old foe, former Conservative Party leader William Hague. In his speech, Hague said a war with Iraq was in Britain's national interest, and he praised the prime minister for sustaining the country's close ties with Washington. "The reason why the United States takes on so many responsibilities in the world is because others shirk those responsibilities," Hague said. "Those who will not venture out when there is a criminal coming down the street should not complain when somebody else acts as the policeman." Hague said Europe must differ with the United States from time to time but never forget the important roles it has played on the world stage, especially in saving Europe from Naziism and communism. Hitting out at France, Hague said that during the UN Security Council debate about Iraq there was "a hint of appeasement" similar to that of World War II among countries who oppose fighting Saddam.