Known for a parliament usually well-composed in its peaceful blandness and contented bickering, recent events within the British Government have erupted into a scandal entirely unprecedented in its unexpected gruesomeness and vast global implications. The sudden death of U.N . Arms Inspector David Kelly, after months of doubt of the real integrity in Tony Blair's Cabinet, leaves a country bewildered, and a once-favorite prime minister for the first time uncertain in his chance for re-election.On May 29, BBC journalist Andrew Gilligan shook parliamentary members and citizens alike when he reported that the Sept. 24, 2002 dossier - released by the British government - arguing the case for the War on Iraq was intentionally "sexed up" by governmental officials. They did this to gain support for the war.

The vital dossier - influenced largely by the government's head of communications, Alastair Campbell - asserted that an attack on Iraq was absolutely necessary for national security, an argument which was most forcefully backed by its claim that Saddam Hussein could launch chemical and biological attacks within 45 minutes. According to Gilligan, an unnamed senior governmental official stated that he feared assessments of the Iraqi threat were being "over-egged" as the dossier was compiled, in an intentional attempt to mislead the British public.

This dramatic statement led to an intense grilling on the part of the government to find Gilligan's anonymous source, and suspicions gradually leaned toward U.N. Arms Inspector for Iraq, Kelly. Blair's Cabinet was not impressed. In response to the claim, Campbell - often referred to as Blair's "right hand man" - decried heatedly the "irresponsible reporting" of Gilligan, and demanded an independent inquiry into the claim. During the following investigation, Campbell vigorously demanded an apology from the BBC, and said that the corporation had "not a shred of evidence for their lie."

On June 30, Kelly - harassed unremittingly by deepening suspicions of his involvement with Gilligan - wrote to his line manager, confessing his communication with the reporter and asserting that he "most certainly had never attempted to undermine government policy in any way."

Campbell was found by the investigative committee to be clear of any crime worse than undue exaggeration in his dossier. Kelly was reprimanded by his superiors and fled London to escape media attention. On July 16, Kelly appeared before the Foreign Affairs Committee to defend his actions.

The following morning, Kelly wrote an e--mail to a friend with the cryptic message, "I will wait until the end of the week before judging - many dark actors playing games."

Three hours later, Kelly was found dead outside his house in Oxfordshire, in Southern England. The apparent cause of death was thought to be suicide, but the inquest admits to being uncertain.

For all his admirable qualities, Tony Blair has never been celebrated as an especially strong person. Until his decision to join the United States in the invasion of Iraq, Blair had never advertised himself as particularly anxious to press his opinions on the public. Rather his easy-going middle-path approach -- for example, to the euro debate - has for six years won him an easy grasp on the votes of the British public.

But this war was different. For the first time in his premiership, Blair argued that the call to his integrity was greater than his need for popularity; that he would resign if necessary, but that he was compelled by moral responsibility to protect the British people, and free the people of Iraq.

But the problem remains: What if a man has enough integrity to sacrifice his career for a moral cause, but is - by nature - too weak to admit defeat? Blinded by his higher goal, Blair quietly allowed his senior government to act in a way that was far from honest or moral, and in doing so, shattered the strength of the Labour party, and opened the door for ruthless criticism from the media. Thus, is the fate of the politician who uses power gained by easy compromise to follow his convictions.

The ensuing inquiry into the death of Kelly, which opened August 1, has since held a seemingly hypnotic monopoly over the British press, and has filled the minds and conversation of the British public without respite. On August 31, Blair's "other half," Campbell, resigned his position as head of communications because it was "time to move on and do other things."

Now Blair stands alone, leaving a stunned British public asking whether the honest smile of their fallen hero can possibly justify four months of scandal. Does he accept the blame for Kelly's death, a reporter asked Blair last Friday? His answer: No comment.