London:
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair's memoirs A Journey published barely three years after he left office, has become the fastest selling political memoir in publishing history.
Described as a political best seller, it gives an insight into an extraordinary life. Blair when elected in 1997 won by the biggest victory in labour's history bringing to an end, 18-years of a Conservative government, leading his party to a historic three terms in office.
The book may be on the best seller list but its provoked anger and protests for Blair's defence of his actions in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Anti-war protesters hurled shoes and eggs at the former British Prime Minister on Saturday as he arrived to promote his book in Dublin. (Read: Dublin: Shoes, eggs hurled at former British PM Tony Blair)
The book may be flying off the shelves but it has generated more controversy with Blair using this as yet another chance to justify his unpopular decision to go to war in Iraq. It's a decision that has come to haunt him ultimately becoming the catalyst for Blair having to leave office. But he says he has no regrets.
"How can you not feel sorry about people who have died? You would be inhuman if you didn't think that. But when I'm asked whether I regret the decision, I have to say that I take responsibility for it, but I can't regret the decision. And that's because if I were to say that to you, I wouldn't be saying what I think.
The thing about this issue is that it's still going on today. There is not a single part of the Middle East that is not touched by exactly the same problem we have in Iraq and Afghanistan today. My view is that the West has got to understand this is a generation-long struggle and we've got to be in it," said Tony Blair, former British Prime Minister.
"What he has said here though is that he's shed tears that he truly does understand - he's a family man - he understands the grief of the families. But crucially he's not said sorry, and so of course, the families of those who died are going to feel perhaps let down. But again, I'm not sure they're going to feel surprised by this," said Sue Jameson, GMTV political correspondent.
It's not just his defence of the Iraq war but his description of the relationship that defined his political career, the relationship with his successor Gordon Brown that makes for the juiciest reading. The two started out closer than two best friends only for the relationship with his Chancellor to sour spectacularly. He says he knew Gordon Brown would be a disaster as PM.
Blair on Gordon Brown: "Political calculation, yes. Political feelings, no. Analytical intelligence, absolutely. Emotional intelligence, zero."
There is little doubt that the book, all 700 pages of it, is engaging, chatty and politically incorrect. He describes how he nearly tripped and landed at the Queen's feet when he went to meet her for the first time, how Princess Diana was a manipulator just like him, how he started drinking much more than he would have liked to as PM.
Blair on becoming PM: "On May 2, 1997, I walked into Downing Street as PM for the first time. I had never held office not even as the most junior of junior ministers. It was my first and only job in government."
Young, charming and charismatic, he heralded a new modern era in British politics. But by 1997 even though he'd won a third term, his position as PM had become untenable because of his unpopularity after the Iraq war and his strained relationship with Brown. By then Blair could almost do nothing right. The fall was dramatic. Blair is expected to do a book signing and promotional appearance on the 8th of this month in central London, anti war protesters will try and disrupt that as well.
Described as a political best seller, it gives an insight into an extraordinary life. Blair when elected in 1997 won by the biggest victory in labour's history bringing to an end, 18-years of a Conservative government, leading his party to a historic three terms in office.
The book may be on the best seller list but its provoked anger and protests for Blair's defence of his actions in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Anti-war protesters hurled shoes and eggs at the former British Prime Minister on Saturday as he arrived to promote his book in Dublin. (Read: Dublin: Shoes, eggs hurled at former British PM Tony Blair)
The book may be flying off the shelves but it has generated more controversy with Blair using this as yet another chance to justify his unpopular decision to go to war in Iraq. It's a decision that has come to haunt him ultimately becoming the catalyst for Blair having to leave office. But he says he has no regrets.
"How can you not feel sorry about people who have died? You would be inhuman if you didn't think that. But when I'm asked whether I regret the decision, I have to say that I take responsibility for it, but I can't regret the decision. And that's because if I were to say that to you, I wouldn't be saying what I think.
The thing about this issue is that it's still going on today. There is not a single part of the Middle East that is not touched by exactly the same problem we have in Iraq and Afghanistan today. My view is that the West has got to understand this is a generation-long struggle and we've got to be in it," said Tony Blair, former British Prime Minister.
"What he has said here though is that he's shed tears that he truly does understand - he's a family man - he understands the grief of the families. But crucially he's not said sorry, and so of course, the families of those who died are going to feel perhaps let down. But again, I'm not sure they're going to feel surprised by this," said Sue Jameson, GMTV political correspondent.
It's not just his defence of the Iraq war but his description of the relationship that defined his political career, the relationship with his successor Gordon Brown that makes for the juiciest reading. The two started out closer than two best friends only for the relationship with his Chancellor to sour spectacularly. He says he knew Gordon Brown would be a disaster as PM.
Blair on Gordon Brown: "Political calculation, yes. Political feelings, no. Analytical intelligence, absolutely. Emotional intelligence, zero."
There is little doubt that the book, all 700 pages of it, is engaging, chatty and politically incorrect. He describes how he nearly tripped and landed at the Queen's feet when he went to meet her for the first time, how Princess Diana was a manipulator just like him, how he started drinking much more than he would have liked to as PM.
Blair on becoming PM: "On May 2, 1997, I walked into Downing Street as PM for the first time. I had never held office not even as the most junior of junior ministers. It was my first and only job in government."
Young, charming and charismatic, he heralded a new modern era in British politics. But by 1997 even though he'd won a third term, his position as PM had become untenable because of his unpopularity after the Iraq war and his strained relationship with Brown. By then Blair could almost do nothing right. The fall was dramatic. Blair is expected to do a book signing and promotional appearance on the 8th of this month in central London, anti war protesters will try and disrupt that as well.
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