Wednesday, July 6, 2016

Chilcot report: Iraq war based on 'flawed intelligence'

Britain decided to join the 2003 invasion of Iraq based on "flawed intelligence" which was not challenged and should have been, the author of a long-awaited report has said.

John Chilcot, the chair of the Iraq Inquiry, said on Wednesday that the invasion went "badly wrong".

"Military action in Iraq might have been necessary at some point, but in March 2003, there was no immediate threat from Saddam Hussein," he said.

The 2.6 million-word Iraq Inquiry, also known as the Chilcot report - which took seven years to prepare - is to be published in full on Wednesday.

Speaking thirty minutes ahead of the official publication, Chilcot said: "The UK chose to join the invasion of Iraq before the peaceful options for disarmament had been exhausted."

Chilcot said that, despite explicit warnings, the consequences of the invasion were underestimated.

Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis and at least 179 British soldiers were killed during the eight-year conflict.

Investigators also found that the planning and preparations for Iraq after Saddam Hussein was overthrown were wholly inadequate, said Chilcot.

Chilcot was not asked to rule on the legality of the invasion.

"The people of Iraq have suffered greatly," Chilcot said, solemnly.

Al Jazeera's Neave Barker, reporting from London, said: "[Chilcot's remarks were] about as damning as you can possibility get without explicitly saying that war in Iraq was illegal."

  • Tony Blair in focus
Labour politician Tony Blair was Prime Minister at the time of the US-led invasion, and strongly supported joining Britain's key ally.

Blair responded to the inquiry's findings, saying that he made the war decision "in good faith".

In a statement issued by his office, Blair said: "The report should lay to rest allegations of bad faith, lies or deceit.

"Whether people agree or disagree with my decision to take military action against Saddam Hussein, I took it in good faith and in what I believed to be the best interests of the country."

As Chilcot addressed media at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre in west London, anti-war protesters gathered outside.

Before Britain entered the war thirteen years ago, at least one million people marched in the capital against a military invasion.
 Source: Al Jazeera and agencies
6/7/16
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Related:
Findings of Chilcot inquiry puts role of former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair in 2003 Iraq War under intense scrutiny...

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