Brothers in arms

Tony Blair, like George Bush, has appeared to bow to pressure to establish an inquiry about prewar intelligence on banned weapons in Iraq.

Tony Blair, like George Bush, has found a way to skunk the results even before the committee has its first meeting.

And Tony Blair, like George Bush, did it by circumscribing the scope of the inquiry.

The inquiry into intelligence on Iraq before the war will focus on systems rather than the actions of individuals [reports the BBC on February 13].

The Butler Inquiry has also confirmed that all its hearings will be held in private to avoid giving the public a partial view of the evidence.

A non-public inquiry that won't be allowed to ask the questions that most need to be asked and will inevitably result in a report blathering about a need for "more open communication" and "improved review" instead of declaring, as it should, "you BSed us from start to finish."

You have learned well, grasshopper.