Decision Iraq exhibition Comes To Canadian War Museum

"This exhibition is a fantastic opportunity for visitors to see contemporary history in the making," stated Mark O'Neill, the War Museum's Director General. "It provides an insider's view of the decision-making process leading to the war in Iraq and examines the crucial role played by leaders in shaping history."

In March 2003, photojournalist Nick Danziger and Times (of London) Literary Supplement editor Peter Stothard began what became a month-long, ground-breaking study of a British prime minister at war. Originally a routine assignment to mark Tony Blair's 50th birthday for The Saturday Times Magazine, it grew into a unique study of a leader facing down a divided nation and deploying British forces in the United States-led effort to oust Saddam Hussein.

Danziger and Stothard gained unprecedented access to Blair's inner circle, often wondering why they were not asked to leave, staying as far as possible in the background as the extraordinary story of diplomacy and war unfolded.

Five years after the invasion of Iraq, these photographs provide a remarkable insight into a leader's role in one of the defining events of our times. -- www.civilization.ca