The inquiries into the Iraq War have thrown up many shortcomings in process, misleading intentions on many of the participants and a cavalier attitude to law. But no conspiracy, more cock-up: the legacy of 'sofa government', so far. Steve Richards sums up the difficulties that Blair faced in that time:
Evidently Blair regarded Saddam Hussein as a threat and had come to regard the removal of dictators as one of his causes. I doubt if he was as evangelical about this as his public performances suggest, but when a leader of a middling power signs up to the agenda of a much bigger one he has made the only decision in the sequence over which he has some control. After that Blair was largely in the hands of a divided, incompetent US administration and had no choice but to follow its timetable while pretending to be in command.
I wish he had felt strong enough to turn away but I do not underestimate what would have happened if he had done so. Those condemning him would have included many of his current tormentors in the media: "Blair turns his back on Bush as US removes evil dictator". The intensity would have quadrupled if he had withdrawn support later in the face of opposition here.
There is a selective amnesia from Blair's critics that wash their hands of blood by drenching his instead. It is an unedifying sight.