Was there a deal in place?

On the front page of yesterday's Independent On Sunday with the revelation that Tony Blair misled the Cabinet over the reasons for going into the Iraq war, specifically that it was legal ("lies upon lies upon lies" I can hear you say).

In this article published by the New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/25/business/media/25murdoch.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all

we learn that during the run-up to the Iraq war Rupert Murdoch and News International were seeking to extend ownership of media in the USA and were encountering difficulties in the American Congress. 

Rupert Murdoch received the backing of the Bush administration in finessing a deal with Congress.

Why?

Was there a deal in place?  News International delivers Tony Blair's support for the Iraq war in return for the Bush adminstration's support for News International's expansion in America; News International backs Labour in the British 2005 general election in return for British participation in Iraq.  179 British personnel died in Iraq, so these questions cannot be brushed to one side.