Pawn will admit to being a little surprised when talk turned to Tony BLair being given the role of some sort of über-envoy to the Middle East. Now Robert Fisk, in his trademark no-hold-barred style lets loose a fusillade of invective on the issue:

I suppose that astonishment is not the word for it. Stupefaction comes to mind. I simply could not believe my ears in Beirut when a phone call told me that Lord Blair of Kut al-Amara was going to create “Palestine”. I checked the date – no, it was not 1 April – but I remain overwhelmed that this vain, deceitful man, this proven liar, a trumped-up lawyer who has the blood of thousands of Arab men, women and children on his hands is really contemplating being “our” Middle East envoy.
Robert Fisk: How can Blair possibly be given this job? – Independent Online Edition > Robert Fisk