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Faust in our midst

The names of men fade with the passage of the centuries but their creations linger. Faust is a name which was created to symbolise the constant lure of the devil. The play is considered the finest in German literature and was the prime creation of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. The play is in two parts and begins with the devil (Mephistopholes) making a bet with God that he can lure the well read Faust away from righteous pursuits. Faust is found despairing of human vanity and is soon approached by the devil who promises him everything he desires while on earth provided Faust serves the devil in hell. The contract is duly signed with the blood of Faust and so begins one of the most famous of all stories. The story has inspired countless pieces of music as well as various literary classics.

But what place has Faust in the modern world? Faust is an allegory for the weakness of power and is relevant to any epoch in history. Watching the former Prime Minister Tony Blair desperately seeking to justify his reasoning for inflicting war on Iraq in 2003 put me in mind of Faust. Here was a man who has an unquenchable thirst for power, wealth and adulation. A more contrite man than he might have declined to comment in the wake of such a damning report as that published yesterday by Chilcot. Even when all evidence points to Blair having deceived both his fellow MPs and the general public, still he protests his innocence.

But for every Faust (and there are plenty of examples), there is thankfully a person nearby with a stronger will to do good. For every Blair there is a Jeremy Corbyn and a Robin Cook. For every Donald Trump there is a Bernie Sanders. For every Neil Hamilton there is a Martin Bell. For every Klu Klux Klan there is a Martin Luther King. So while Blair remains in denial over his Faustian pact with George Bush in 2003, there will thankfully be enough people to see the truth as it really is.

For every pact, there is a price to pay. On Blair's conscience is the death, suffering and misery of the millions. After this life, a greater judge than I will decide his fate. But back on earth, for all the agony of Iraq and the continued legacy of that terrible decision, there lies a rainbow of hope. Plans by the Labour Party to try and dispense with democracy to be rid of their Faustian antidote (Jeremy Corbyn), have now failed. The voice of good has triumphed and for all Blair's vast wealth and power, the real power now mercifully lies with a notorious peace-monger. The price of Iraq will be paid by us all for many years to come but none will pay a heavier price than Tony Blair. One of the most unsavoury chapters in British history is coming to an end but the ever present Faust was needed in the first place to make it happen. This Faust like all his predecessors will not be missed. But beware the appearance of the next Faust because we know he is seldom far away whether close to home or not.

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