International

`Rebellion' in Blair Cabinet over Iraq

By Hasan Suroor

LONDON MARCH 8. Senior Ministers are reported to have warned the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, against backing any military attack on Iraq in what is seen as the first overt sign of a simmering "rebellion'' in the Cabinet on the issue. The move is likely to queer the pitch for Mr. Blair's upcoming talks with the U.S. President, George W.Bush, over tackling Baghdad denounced by Washington as part of an "axis of evil''.

At a Cabinet meeting on Thursday, Mr. Blair was told that the opposition to a military solution was not confined to backbench MPs but shared across the Government. The former Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, who is now Leader of the Commons, is among the senior Cabinet members opposed to the idea of Britain rushing into Baghdad with bombs and guns without first exhausting all diplomatic possibilities to make the Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, agree to let the U.N. weapons inspectors back in.

Another prominent "dove'' is Ms. Clare Short, the outspoken Secretary of State for International Development, though she was not present at yesterday's meeting.

Reports of a Cabinet "revolt'' with one newspaper even retailing "rumours of threatened resignations among Ministers'' if British troops were sent to attack Iraq gave a new edge to the divisions in the Labour Party over Mr. Blair's aggressive stance. More than 60 party MPs have signed a parliamentary motion voicing their "deep unease'', and in the Commons the Government came under pressure to assure that no decision would be taken without consulting Parliament.

The misgivings, initially confined to "Old Labour'' socialists who instinctively dislike being dragged into American war aims, have spread and the "trade war'' which Washington is seen to have declared against its European allies by slapping a hefty import levy on steel has further inflamed the anti-U.S. sentiment.

The Daily Telegraph today quoted Labour "rebels'' as saying that the Government might have to rely on Tory votes to win Parliament's support for any military action against Baghdad.

Agitated Labour MPs were assured by Mr. Cook that no decision had been taken and there was no "imminent prospect'' of a decision either. While reports of a "revolt'' were denied, it was acknowledged that the discussion at the Cabinet meeting was "robust''. According to The Times, one Cabinet Minister said it would be a "huge task'' to justify military action against Iraq.

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