Blair stands alone among European leaders on Iraq

Los Angeles Times

LONDON -- In a sign of the political battle to precede any military strike against Iraq, British Prime Minister Tony Blair on Wednesday encountered resistance at home and among European neighbors to his call for ousting Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

A day after Blair declared support for the Bush administration's campaign against Hussein, the reaction in Britain was mixed. Voters and leaders of Blair's own party expressed misgivings about Blair's willingness to use force against Hussein.

Britain remains the closest U.S. ally, but even here polls show considerable opposition to Washington's war talk. And that sentiment is widespread throughout Europe: German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder responded to Blair's speech with a rebuff Wednesday.

"With all respect for Tony Blair: Just like anyone else, he will not speak for Europe alone on this issue or on others," said Schroeder, whose opposition to the Bush policy on Iraq has been a centerpiece of his campaign for re-election in Germany. "We have absolutely no reason to change our well-founded position. Under my leadership, Germany will not take part in an intervention in Iraq."

Debate in Britain on Wednesday centered on Blair's promise to make the case against Iraq by presenting evidence to support the claim that Hussein's regime is developing nuclear, chemical and biological weapons.

Critics predicted that the dossier would not produce compelling new arguments to prove the prime minister's assertion that Hussein poses "a real and unique threat" to world security.

"I have my doubts that hard evidence will be produced in time to allay the great fears that people have in this country of delivering action against Saddam Hussein," said Ian Gibson, a Labor Party member of Parliament.

Polls have consistently shown a reluctance in Britain to engage in a military campaign against Iraq. A survey by the Guardian newspaper last month, for example, showed 52 percent of respondents opposed to using British forces in such an attack. However, a poll taken Wednesday by GMTV, a commercial station, showed 65 percent of respondents would favor a war -- if evidence showed Hussein had developed weapons of mass destruction.