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The contrition is too late Tony!

Blair has always been something of a "show pony". Not really smart he has seen whatever reputation he might have had in tatters as it becomes clearer and clearer that he almost blindly, and against advice, followed or joined George Bush into the Iraq War. He now appears somewhat contrite.

"Former British prime minister Tony Blair has acknowledged that he ignored the warning of his then-Attorney General that attacking Iraq was illegal without United Nations approval.

Mr Blair, who was summoned on Friday for a second time by the official inquiry into Britain's role in the Iraq war, said he believed the warning was provisional.

During a four hour appearance, he said he thought the Attorney General would change his mind on whether a second UN resolution was necessary when he knew the full details of negotiations that had been taking place.

Mr Blair said he regrets deeply and profoundly the loss of life during and after the 2003 Iraq war.

The ex-PM said his refusal to express regret for the decisions that led to war at his first appearance before the committee had been misinterpreted.

But his words were met with cries of too late from the public gallery. The BBC reports Committee chairman Sir John Chilcot had to tell the public gallery to be quiet."

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