Veteran BBC Journalist Talks New Podcast on Iraq Invasion

WHAT WAS THE DRIVING FORCE FOR YOU TO RE-EXAMINE THIS VERY MUCH EXAMINED TOPIC?

I THINK IT WAS BECAUSE I WAS PUZZLED BY THE WAY THAT BLAIR KEPT SUPPORTING GEORGE W. RIGHT THROUGH, DESPITE IMMENSE POLITICAL PRESSURE IN BRITAIN FROM HIS OWN POLITICAL PARTY.

AND WHAT IT WAS THAT DROVE THIS MAN TO STICK WITH BUSH AND THEREFORE MAKE IT A BIT EASIER FOR BUSH IN THE UNITED STATES DO GO TO WAR IN IRAQ BECAUSE HE HAD A CLOSE ALLY WITH HIM.

IT'S THAT PROCESS.

IT'S THE WAY IN WHICH ONCE YOU DECIDED TO DO SOMETHING POLITICALLY, AND BLAIR IS AN IDEALIST POLITICALLY, HE BELIEVED IN REGIME CHANGE, BELIEVED IN GETTING RID OF DICTATORS BUT YOU COULDN'T DO THAT UNDER BRITISH LAW, SO HE GETS SUCKED INTO THIS THING THAT HE WANTS TO BE WITH BUSH, WANTS TO GET RID OF SADDAM AFTER 9/11 BECAUSE BUSH DOES.

THERE'S NO EVIDENCE THAT AL QAEDA AND SADDAM ARE CONNECTED.

SO HE GETS THIS IDEA THAT IT'S WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION.

THAT THE WORLD'S GOT TO BE PRESERVED FROM.

GRADUALLY AS THE WEEKS UNFOLD, THAT EVIDENCE BECOMES FLAKIER AND FLAKIER, HE STILL HANGS ON TO IT AND THAT'S WHERE THE ISSUE OF TRUST COMES IN BECAUSE HE'S TELLING HIS PUBLIC IN BRITAIN, HE'S TELLING PEOPLE IN THE STATES, SADDAM HAS WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION.

AS WE KNOW, IT TURNS OUT HE DIDN'T.

WE DO KNOW THAT, BUT I REALLY WANT TO DRILL DOWN, ACTUALLY, ON WHAT YOU'VE SAID IS ONE OF THE CASUALTIES.

THAT IS TRUST IN LEADERSHIP.

TRUST IN DEMOCRACY.

BUT FIRST, I WANT TO PLAY A LITTLE SOUND BITE WHICH HAS FROM YOUR PODCAST, SOME BLAIR AND SOME BUSH.

LET'S PLAY IT.

WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF FORMAL VISITS.

MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE HAD A NICE WALK AROUND CAMP DAVID AND GOT TO KNOW EACH OTHER.

AND AS THEY TOLD ME, HE'S A PRETTY CHARMING GUY.

HE PUT THE CHARM OFFENIVE ON ME.

AND IT WORKED.

SO THAT WAS GEORGE W. BUSH.

AND THEN THERE WAS A MEMO THAT -- THAT YOU DISCOVERED AND OTHERS DID, SORT OF THE BLAIR MEMO ON I'LL DO WHATEVER YOU WANT ME TO DO, KIND OF.

TALK TO ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.

AGAIN, IT'S VERY WELL KNOWN, BUT HOW DOES IT RELATE TO TODAY?

WELL, THE FIRST THING ABOUT THAT MEMO IS THAT NOBODY WANTED HIM TO SEND IT.

AND HE INSISTED ON SENDING IT AND HE SAYS IN THE PODCAST, WELL, IT WAS JUST EXPLAINING I WAS ON HIS SIDE.

BUT HIS OWN FOREIGN SECRETARY WAS SAYING, WHAT ON EARTH IS HE DOING?

AMBASSADORS WERE SAYING, WHY IS HE SENDING THIS MEMO?