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Ex-aide: Blair lied Iraq had weapons

By WARREN HOGE
New York Times

LONDON -- Prime Minister Tony Blair conceded privately that Iraq did not have quickly deployable weapons of mass destruction as the British government was claiming as justification for war, says Robin Cook, a former foreign minister.

Cook quit his post as leader of the House of Commons in March because of Britain's decision to join in the American-led war in Iraq.

He says Blair also made it clear to him in a conversation two weeks before combat began that he did not believe Saddam Hussein's weapons posed a "real and present danger" to Britain....