Airstrip One

Iain, we hardly knew ye

The most underrated politician of all time, Iain Duncan Smith, had a blind spot when it came to America, and still does. However in Monday's debate on Britain's contribution to the Bush reelection campaign he spoke of his concern (he used the term question, but we know parliamentary language when we see it) at British troops being subject to thick torture happy Yank troops (again its the parliamentary language thing, we know what he meant). Have the AEI and other Conservative foundations dropped him, enquiring minds demand to know. However as Julian Lewis, Nicholas Soames and David Heathcote-Amery made pretty similar points this is probably not the case - unless the Atlanticist case among the Tories has been hollowed even further than has been apparent.

The debate itself is worth reading, with the edited highlights of Hoon's pratfall when he effectively admitted to lying to the house about not having made the decision. Also interesting are former supporters of the war such as Geraldine Smith, Teddy Taylor, Rob Marris and Andrew Mackinley getting nervous. The constant talk is of exit strategies.

It seems that even people who were pro-war can now talk about getting out of Iraq quickly without admitting that the invasion is wrong?

See, Mr Howard, there is a way of making the war a vote winner.