Now that Sir John Chilcot’s report has landed with a shuddering crash, how are we to judge Tony Blair, at the centre of it all?

The criticisms in Sir John’s two and half million words are widespread and damning. He charges Mr Blair with leading Britain into a war of choice in which peaceful options had not been exhausted, with devastating results.

And so much more: keeping legal advice from the cabinet; overstating the certainty of intelligence; dispensing with Cabinet committees; committing to the use of force without cabinet discussion; too easily following the US lead; failing to ensure proper preparations for occupation; overstretching the military.

The report lays bare the failures in excruciating detail.

The thrust of Mr Blair’s defence, delivered in breaking voice after the report’s publication, was that he did what he thought was right, acting in good faith. He wishes us to judge him not only on what he did, which Chilcot does forensically, but on his motivations.

Read the full article at the Jewish Chronicle.