THE TELEGRAPH writes:

Any fair-minded person watching Tony Blair’s performance in the House of Commons yesterday would have concluded that we have a prime minister fit to lead us into war.

Mr Blair displayed courtesy, conviction, clarity, courage and even wit. His line was that the UN has willed the end of the disarmament of Saddam Hussein again and again: now the members of the Security Council must show that they will the means. Whether or not it was a mistake to “go the UN route” is, for the time being, irrelevant.

Mr Blair has taken that route, and he is following its logic with determination and belief. President Chirac said on Monday: “No matter what the circumstances, we will vote No.” Those were not the words of someone who wants to make the international system work; Mr Blair’s words were.

Indeed.