Lazy guide to the internet

Does anyone remember that war in Iraq?

It happened earlier this year. There was a bit of unpleasantness in a country far away. Then on 1 May, President George Bush declared it was all over.

Since then democracy has blossomed in the desert kingdom. Peace has spread across the Middle East. The threat of terror has for ever been quelled and furthermore ...

Ah, wait a minute.

Yes, sorry that should read: "Iraq remains a chaotic mess, whose suffering citizens seem to be no closer to democracy. US soldiers are being killed at the rate of about one a day and innocent civilians still become collateral damage. Al-Qaeda is alive, well and still totally unrelated to Saddam Hussein, who, sadly, is also alive and well. The Middle East remains a timebomb.

Oh yes and not one single weapon of mass destruction has been found. Remember them? Saddam’s vast stock of ready-to-use WMDs was our causus belli. Now Tony Blair’s government is up to its collective neck in the sticky stuff over the question of whether it used false evidence to justify the war.

And just as the fighting continues in Iraq and recriminations resound across the political landscape, so bitter debates have erupted on the internet.

These are not just restricted to news sites, current affairs bulletin boards and political organisations. Entire sites are being devoted to the rights or wrongs of what we did in Iraq. Judging by their positions in results from Google, searches on Iraq and Iraq and Bush, it is the anti-war sites that are more popular.

At Alternet.org you can read Ten appalling lies we were told about Iraq. IraqBodyCount.net offers a constantly updating total of civilian deaths in Iraq. BushWatch.com offers a less-than-friendly analysis of President Bush’s actions.

However, one of the most fascinating Iraq sites is very much pro-war. It’s ThankYouTony.com, a message board for people wishing to thank Mr Blair for supporting the US. There are some 100 messages in it - all of them unsurprisingly supportive of the Prime Minister. I searched in vain for messages from France, or indeed Britain.

However, among the exhortations (all of them anonymous and undated), two stand out: "You ROCK! You should consider moving to Texas. Also, I absolutely love your Frosted Flakes cereal - Texas, USA."

The other: "My wife has shifted her home decorating tastes from French Country to English Country in the aftermath of the war - California, USA"

Those words will no doubt encourage our holidaying PM. He may be facing a judicial enquiry and electoral oblivion, but when he’s turfed out of Downing Street, he can rest safe in the knowledge that in one home on America’s west coast, the fleurs de lys have been for ever banned.

His place in history is secure. He should also worry about the company that ThankYouTony keeps. Among the sites it links to is the Republican High blog, which suggests France, Germany, and Russia might comprise the new Axis of Evil. Here’s hoping that the blog doesn’t give Tony and his mate Dubya any more good ideas.

•Stewart Kirkpatrick is editor of scotsman.com