Blair's secret war meetings with Clinton

http://politics.guardian.co.uk/iraq/story/0,12956,943161,00.html

>"Mr Clinton was careful to say that Mr Bush was sincere in his pursuit of UN support, but added: "The question is, do they want the support bad enough to let Mr Blix finish his work and give enough time to do that?"

At that point, Mr Blair had been pressing the US in private to extend a deadline by which Saddam would have to shown to be cooperating with the UN.

Mr Blair and Mr Clinton had a warm, mutually supportive relationship during the latter's presidency. After the election of Mr Bush, Downing Street aides were anxious to maintain the "special relationship" between the US and the UK. Private polling for No 10 during the build-up to war showed hostility towards Mr Bush among British voters and Labour MPs, who disliked his language and manner."<