Difference between revisions of "Iraq Inquiry"

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The '''Iraq Inquiry''', also referred to as the '''Chilcot Inquiry''' after its chairman, [[John Chilcot|Sir John Chilcot]],<ref name=Guardian1>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/jul/31/iraq-inquiry-fourth-plinth-chilcot My alternative to another round of Iraq whitewashing] [[The Guardian]], 31 July 2009</ref><ref name=Guardian2>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/aug/14/british-army-abuses-iraq-chilcot-inquiry Investigate UK abuses in Iraq] The Guardian, 14 August 2009</ref> is a British public inquiry into the nation's role in the [[Iraq War]]. The inquiry was announced on 15 June 2009 by [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]] [[Gordon Brown]], with an initial announcement that proceedings would take place in private, a decision which was subsequently reversed after receiving criticism in the media and the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]].<ref name=BBC1>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8100432.stm Iraq war inquiry to be in private] BBC News, 15 June 2009</ref><ref name=AlJ1>[http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2009/06/200961514301331360.html UK PM announces Iraq war inquiry] [[Al Jazeera]], 15 June 2009</ref><ref name=Guardian3>{{cite news|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/jun/22/iraq-war-inquiry |title=Public Iraq war inquiry 'essential', says chairman |publisher=The Guardian |date= 22 June 2009|accessdate=24 November 2009| first=Haroon | last=Siddique |location=London}}</ref>
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{{event
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|image=Chilcott.jpg
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|image_width=300px
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|image_caption=Chilcot Report was published on 6 July 2016
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|wikipedia=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraq_Inquiry
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|type=Public Inquiry
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|website=http://www.iraqinquiry.org.uk
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|start=2009-11-24
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|end=2016-07-06
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|locations=London, England
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|participants=John Chilcot, Lawrence Freedman, Martin Gilbert, Roderic Lyne, Usha Prashar
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|description="The point of the delay is to give the impression Chilcot has been absolutely painstaking and therefore the bucket of whitewash he will throw cannot be hiding anything. Do not be fooled." ([[Craig Murray]])
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}}
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The '''Iraq Inquiry''', also referred to as the '''Chilcot Inquiry''' after its chairman, [[John Chilcot]],<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/jul/31/iraq-inquiry-fourth-plinth-chilcot "My alternative to another round of Iraq whitewashing"] ''The Guardian'', 31 July 2009</ref> was a long-drawn-out public inquiry into Britain's role in the [[Iraq War]].<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/aug/14/british-army-abuses-iraq-chilcot-inquiry "Investigate UK abuses in Iraq"] ''The Guardian'', 14 August 2009</ref> The inquiry was announced on 15 June 2009 by Prime Minister [[Gordon Brown]], who intended initially that proceedings would take place in private, a decision which was subsequently reversed after criticism in the media and the House of Commons.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8100432.stm "Iraq war inquiry to be in private"] BBC News, 15 June 2009</ref><ref>[http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2009/06/200961514301331360.html "UK PM announces Iraq war inquiry"] ''Al Jazeera'', 15 June 2009</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/jun/22/iraq-war-inquiry |title=Public Iraq war inquiry 'essential', says chairman |publisher=The Guardian |date= 22 June 2009|accessdate=24 November 2009| first=Haroon | last=Siddique |location=London}}</ref>
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On 6 July 2016, John Chilcot read out a 12-page public statement at the QEII Conference Centre in London,<ref>[http://www.iraqinquiry.org.uk/media/247010/2016-09-06-sir-john-chilcots-public-statement.pdf "Statement by Sir John Chilcot: 6 July 2016"]</ref> after which the 2.6 million-word [[Chilcot Report]], in 12 Volumes with 5 Annexes, was published on the Iraq Inquiry website.<ref>[http://www.iraqinquiry.org.uk/the-report/ "The Report of the Iraq Inquiry"]</ref>
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A commentary on the day's proceedings by ''[[Bella Caledonia]]'' concluded:
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:The full horror of what Blair unleashed will never be truly understood in the West. And, internationally the full consequences of this war are still to be felt. Today Blair is finished, and the process around trying him for war crimes will begin. As the sister of a soldier killed in Iraq said in the press conference that followed Chilcot:
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::“There is one terrorist in this world and his name is [[Tony Blair]].”<ref>"[[Document:Sanitising the Iraq War]]"</ref>
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==Open Sessions==
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The open sessions of the Iraq Inquiry commenced on 24 November 2009 and concluded on 2 February 2011. Later, the government vetoed the release of the documents to the Inquiry detailing minutes of Cabinet meetings in the days leading up to the invasion of Iraq in 2003. In 2012, the [[Foreign and Commonwealth Office]] successfully appealed against a judge's ruling and blocked the disclosure of extracts of a conversation between [[George W Bush]] and [[Tony Blair]] moments before the invasion.<ref>''Daily Mail'', 3 August 2012, [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2182924/Chilcot-inquiry-Hypocrisy-insidious-culture-secrecy.html "Hypocrisy and this insidious culture of secrecy"]</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iraq/10191047/Foreign-Office-braced-for-criticism-in-Chilcot-report-over-its-record-keeping-around-Iraq-War.html|title=Foreign Office braced for criticism in Chilcot report over its record-keeping around Iraq War|date=27 July 2013|work=The Daily Telegraph|publisher=Telegraph Media Group|accessdate=27 January 2013}}</ref><ref>James Cusick, ''The Independent'', 13 November 2011, [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/exclusive-us-blocks-publication-of-chilcots-report-on-how-britain-went-to-war-with-iraq-8937772.html "Exclusive: US blocks publication of Chilcot’s report on how Britain went to war with Iraq"]</ref>
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In January 2011, as Tony Blair appeared before the Chilcot Inquiry for the second time, [[Jeremy Corbyn]] was interviewed by ''[[Russia Today]]'' and spoke about Blair's first appearance on 29 January 2010:
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:"... and in the latter part of the day it turned into a sort of Tony Blair lecture in defence of his policies on what he calls "humanitarian invention" and then proceeded to warn the whole world on what he perceived to be the danger from [[Iran]]. I just thought the whole thing was a travesty as it was meant to be an inquiry looking into absolute finite details of the decision to go to war with [[Iraq]] and it turned into a Tony Blair ''tour de force''..."
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Corbyn told ''[[RT]]'' that a legal process should follow the Chilcot Inquiry in which Tony Blair is brought before the [[International Criminal Court]] at The Hague.<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/103686536674266/videos/240745262968392/ "Jeremy Corbyn on Blair and Iraq War inquiry"]</ref>
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==Procrastination==
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[[File:Cameron_and_Thatcher.jpg|300px|right|thumb|[[David Cameron]]'s South African nuke deal]]
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Following [[Nicola Sturgeon]]'s call to expedite publication of the Iraq Inquiry report,<ref>[http://www.channel4.com/news/nicola-sturgeon-scotland-chilcot-inquiry-iraq-report-video "Sturgeon: 'matter of concern' for Chilcot to be published"]</ref> John Chilcot gave evidence to the [[Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Commons]] on 4 February 2015:
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:“My committee and I want and intend to deliver our report to the Prime Minister as soon as we possibly can. But as I said to the Prime Minister in my letter of 20 January, I see “no realistic prospect” of doing so before the General Election. We have to maintain the principles by which we have operated throughout. The principles are those of fairness, thoroughness and impartiality. It is our duty to deliver a report which gives the Government, Parliament, the public and particularly all those who have been deeply affected by the events in Iraq the answers they deserve.”<ref>[http://www.iraqinquiry.org.uk/news/2015-02-04_sir_john_at_fac.aspx "Sir John gives evidence to the Foreign Affairs Committee"]</ref>
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On 7 February 2015, the ''Daily Mail'' announced that [[David Cameron]] had leaked details from the Chilcot Inquiry report which "will be a 'devastating' indictment of the Blair Government".<ref>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2944230/Chilcot-report-devastating-say-No-10-emerges-THIRTY-firing-line-heavily-critical-Iraq-Inquiry-Blair-s-secret-letters-Bush-revealed-full.html "Chilcot report will be 'devastating' says No 10 as it emerges THIRTY are in the firing line of heavily critical Iraq Inquiry... and Blair's secret letters to Bush to be revealed in full"]</ref>
  
The Inquiry was pursued by a committee of [[Privy Council of the United Kingdom|Privy Counsellors]] with broad [[terms of reference]] to consider Britain's involvement in Iraq between mid-2001 and July 2009. It covered the run-up to the conflict, the subsequent military action and its aftermath with the purpose to establish the way decisions were made, to determine what happened and to identify lessons to ensure that in a similar situation in future, the British government is equipped to respond in the most effective manner in the best interests of the country.<ref name=BBC6>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7312757.stm |title=The key points of the Iraq war inquiry explained |publisher=BBC News |date=5 March 2010}}</ref> The open sessions of the inquiry commenced on 24 November 2009 and concluded on 2 February 2011.
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On 8 February 2015, it was revealed that the Chilcot Inquiry had been tasked specifically with tracking down those responsible for “misplacing” three nuclear weapons obtained from apartheid South Africa 25 years ago. Both [[David Cameron]] and [[Dr David Kelly]] are understood to have been involved in the diversion of these [[WMD]] which eventually became the pretext for the [[Iraq War]].<ref>[http://www.veteranstoday.com/2015/02/08/the-color-of-david-camerons-underwear/ "The Colour of David Cameron’s Underwear"]</ref>
  
In 2012, the government vetoed the release of the documents to the Inquiry detailing minutes of Cabinet meetings in the days leading up to the [[2003 invasion of Iraq|invasion of Iraq in 2003]]. Concurrently, the British Foreign Office successfully appealed against a judge's ruling and blocked the disclosure of extracts of a conversation between [[George W. Bush]] and [[Tony Blair]] moments before the invasion. The government stated that revealing a phone call conversation between Bush and Blair moments before the invasion would later present a "significant danger" to [[United Kingdom–United States relations|British-American relations]].<ref name="dailymail.co.uk">John Kampfner, ''[[Daily Mail]]'', 3 August 2012, [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2182924/Chilcot-inquiry-Hypocrisy-insidious-culture-secrecy.html Hypocrisy and this insidious culture of secrecy]</ref> The million word report of the Inquiry was due to be released to the public by 2014,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iraq/10191047/Foreign-Office-braced-for-criticism-in-Chilcot-report-over-its-record-keeping-around-Iraq-War.html|title=Foreign Office braced for criticism in Chilcot report over its record-keeping around Iraq War|date=27 July 2013|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|publisher=[[Telegraph Media Group]]|accessdate=27 January 2013}}</ref> but difficult negotiations were continuing with the United States over the publication of documents.<ref>James Cusick, ''[[The Independent]]'', 13 November 2011, [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/exclusive-us-blocks-publication-of-chilcots-report-on-how-britain-went-to-war-with-iraq-8937772.html Exclusive: US blocks publication of Chilcot’s report on how Britain went to war with Iraq ]</ref> The Lord-in-Waiting [[William Wallace, Baron Wallace of Saltaire|Lord Wallace of Saltaire]] said on behalf of the government that it would be "inappropriate" to publish the report in the months leading up to the [[Next United Kingdom general election|next general election]] in 2015.<ref name=BBCNov314>{{cite news |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-29884094|title=Iraq Inquiry set to cost taxpayers £10m|publisher=[[BBC News Online]]|date=3 November 2014|accessdate=14 November 2014}}</ref>
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On 14 June 2015, the ''Independent on Sunday'' reported that the inquiry is still engaged in the process of Maxwellisation, named after the [[Board of Trade]] investigation into [[Robert Maxwell]], the owner of the ''Daily Mirror'', in 1969. This requires draft criticisms to be put to the people concerned to give them the chance to comment and means, according to sources close to the inquiry, that the Chilcot report is “unlikely to be published for another year at least”.<ref>[http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/chilcot-report-into-the-iraq-war-unlikely-to-be-published-for-another-year-10318410.html "Chilcot report into Iraq war 'unlikely to be published for another year'"]</ref>
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In August 2015, families of British soldiers killed in Iraq were reported to be "losing patience". Lawyers acting for 29 of the families have written to Chilcott calling for him to set a deadline for witnesses to respond and to promise the report will be published by the end of the year or they will take their case to the High Court.<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-33898347 "Iraq inquiry: Soldiers' families threaten to sue Chilcot"]</ref>
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In October 2015, John Chilcot wrote to [[UK Prime Minister|Prime Minister]] [[David Cameron]] saying his two million word report into the [[Iraq War]] should be ready for publication in June or July 2016.<ref>[http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/10/29/date-set-for-publication-of-chilcot-iraq-inquiry-report_n_8415586.html "Chilcot Iraq Inquiry Report To Be Published In The Summer Of 2016"]</ref> On 6 May 2016, Chilcot confirmed that the report will be published on 6 July 2016.<ref>[http://www.iraqinquiry.org.uk/news/2016-05-09_iraq_inquiry_report_to_be_published_on_6_july_2016.aspx "Iraq Inquiry report to be published 6 July 2016"]</ref>
  
 
==Build up==
 
==Build up==
It was initially announced by Prime Minister [[Gordon Brown]] that the Iraq Inquiry would be held [[in camera]], excluding the public and press. However, the decision was later deferred to Sir [[John Chilcot]], the inquiry chairman, who said that it was "essential to hold as much of the proceedings of the inquiry as possible in public".<ref name="NS">{{cite news|url=http://www.newstatesman.com/2009/06/hold-public-inquiry-iraq|title=Chilcot calls for public Iraq inquiry|date=23 June 2009|work=[[New Statesman]]|accessdate=15 February 2010}}</ref><ref name="Tele 1">{{cite news|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iraq/5604841/Large-parts-of-Iraq-inquiry-to-be-heard-in-public.html|title=Large parts of Iraq inquiry to be heard in public|last=Whitehead|first=Tom|date=23 June 2009|work=[[Daily Telegraph]]|publisher=[[Telegraph Media Group]]|accessdate=15 February 2010|location=London}}</ref> In July 2009, when the inquiry commenced, it was announced that the committee would be able to request any British document and call any British citizen to give evidence.<ref name="BBC 30/7">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8176698.stm|title=Will Iraq probe worry ministers?|last=Chakrabarti |first=Reeta|date=30 July 2009|work=[[BBC News]]|accessdate=15 February 2010}}</ref> In the week before the inquiry began hearing witnesses, a series of documents including military reports were leaked to a newspaper which appeared to show poor post-war planning and lack of provisions.<ref name="Tele 2">{{cite news|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/defence/6625415/Iraq-report-Secret-papers-reveal-blunders-and-concealment.html|title=Iraq report: Secret papers reveal blunders and concealment|last=Gilligan|first=Andrew |date=21 November 2009|work=[[Daily Telegraph]]|publisher=[[Telegraph Media Group Limited]]|accessdate=15 February 2010 |location=London}}</ref>
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It was initially announced by [[Gordon Brown]] that the Iraq Inquiry would be held in camera, excluding the public and press. However, the decision was later deferred to John Chilcot, the inquiry chairman, who said that it was "essential to hold as much of the proceedings of the inquiry as possible in public".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.newstatesman.com/2009/06/hold-public-inquiry-iraq|title=Chilcot calls for public Iraq inquiry|date=23 June 2009|work=New Statesman|accessdate=15 February 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iraq/5604841/Large-parts-of-Iraq-inquiry-to-be-heard-in-public.html|title=Large parts of Iraq inquiry to be heard in public|last=Whitehead|first=Tom|date=23 June 2009|work=Daily Telegraph|publisher=Telegraph Media Group|accessdate=15 February 2010|location=London}}</ref> In July 2009, when the inquiry commenced, it was announced that the committee would be able to request any British document and call any British citizen to give evidence.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8176698.stm|title=Will Iraq probe worry ministers?|last=Chakrabarti |first=Reeta|date=30 July 2009|work=[[BBC News]]|accessdate=15 February 2010}}</ref> In the week before the inquiry began hearing witnesses, a series of documents including military reports were leaked to a newspaper which appeared to show poor post-war planning and lack of provisions.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/defence/6625415/Iraq-report-Secret-papers-reveal-blunders-and-concealment.html|title=Iraq report: Secret papers reveal blunders and concealment|last=Gilligan|first=Andrew |date=21 November 2009|work=Daily Telegraph|publisher=Telegraph Media Group Limited|accessdate=15 February 2010 |location=London}}</ref>
  
 
==Committee members==
 
==Committee members==
The committee of inquiry, the members of which were chosen by Gordon Brown,<ref>[http://www.iraqinquiry.org.uk/faq.aspx#I03 About the Iraq Inquiry: questions and answers] The Iraq Inquiry</ref> comprises:<ref name=BBC1/><ref>"[http://www.iraqinquiry.org.uk/about.aspx About the Inquiry]" The Iraq Inquiry</ref>
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[[File:Murray_Chilcot.jpg|300px|left|thumb|[[Craig Murray]]'s take on the Chilcot Inquiry]]
 
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The Committee of Inquiry, the members of which were chosen by [[Gordon Brown]],<ref>[http://www.iraqinquiry.org.uk/faq.aspx#I03 "About the Iraq Inquiry: questions and answers"]</ref> comprises:<ref>"[http://www.iraqinquiry.org.uk/about.aspx About the Inquiry]" The Iraq Inquiry</ref>
*[[John Chilcot|Sir John Chilcot]] (chairman), a career diplomat and senior civil servant who was previously a member of the [[Butler Review]]
 
*[[Lawrence Freedman|Sir Lawrence Freedman]], a military historian, and Professor of War Studies at [[King's College London]]. His memo outlining five tests for military intervention was used by [[Tony Blair]] in drafting his Chicago foreign policy speech
 
*[[Martin Gilbert|Sir Martin Gilbert]], a historian who supported the invasion of Iraq and claimed in 2004 that [[George W. Bush]] and Blair may one day "join the ranks of [[Franklin D. Roosevelt|Roosevelt]] and [[Winston Churchill|Churchill]]"<ref name=Observer1>[http://observer.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,1379819,00.html Statesmen for these times] [[The Observer]], 26 December 2004</ref>
 
*[[Roderic Lyne|Sir Roderic Lyne]], former Ambassador to [[Russia]] and to the [[United Nations]] in [[Geneva]], previously served as private secretary to Prime Minister [[John Major]]
 
*[[Usha Prashar, Baroness Prashar|Baroness Prashar]], a [[crossbencher]], member of the [[Joint Committee on Human Rights]], and the current chairwoman of the [[Judicial Appointments Commission]]
 
 
 
The committee also takes secretarial support during proceedings from Margaret Aldred.<ref name="opening statement">{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6929445.ece?print=yes&randnum=1151003209000|title=Sir John Chilcot's opening statement to Iraq Inquiry|date=24 November 2009|work=Times Online|publisher=[[Times Newspapers Ltd]]|accessdate=12 February 2010|location=London|first1=Anushka|last1=Asthana|first2=Jill|last2=Sherman}}</ref>
 
  
===Advisors to the committee===
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*[[John Chilcot]] (chairman), a career diplomat and senior civil servant who was previously a member of the [[Butler Review]]
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*[[Lawrence Freedman]], a military historian, and Professor of War Studies at King's College London. His memo outlining five tests for military intervention was used by [[Tony Blair]] in drafting his Chicago foreign policy speech
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*[[Martin Gilbert]], a historian who supported the invasion of Iraq and claimed in 2004 that [[George W Bush]] and Blair may one day "join the ranks of [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] and [[Winston Churchill]]"<ref>[http://observer.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,1379819,00.html "Statesmen for these times"] ''The Observer'', 26 December 2004</ref>
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*[[Roderic Lyne]], former Ambassador to [[Russia]] and to the [[United Nations]] in [[Geneva]], previously served as private secretary to Prime Minister [[John Major]]
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*[[Usha Prashar]], Baroness Prashar, a crossbencher, member of the Joint Committee on Human Rights, and the current chairwoman of the Judicial Appointments Commission
  
[[Roger Wheeler (British Army officer)|General Sir Roger Wheeler]] Ex Chief of the General Staff, and Commander in Chief Land Forces.<ref>http://www.iraqinquiry.org.uk/media/36690/roger_wheelercv1.pdf</ref>
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The Committee also takes secretarial support during proceedings from Margaret Aldred.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6929445.ece?print=yes&randnum=1151003209000|title=Sir John Chilcot's opening statement to Iraq Inquiry|date=24 November 2009|work=Times Online|publisher=Times Newspapers Ltd|accessdate=12 February 2010|location=London|first1=Anushka|last1=Asthana|first2=Jill|last2=Sherman}}</ref>
  
[[Rosalyn Higgins|Dame Rosalyn Higgins]] former President of the International Court of Justice.<ref>http://www.iraqinquiry.org.uk/media/36687/dame_rosalyn_cv.pdf</ref>
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Advisors to the Committee are General Sir [[Roger Wheeler]], ex Chief of the General Staff, and Commander-in-Chief, Land Forces;<ref>http://www.iraqinquiry.org.uk/media/36690/roger_wheelercv1.pdf</ref> and Dame [[Rosalyn Higgins]], former President of the [[International Court of Justice]].<ref>http://www.iraqinquiry.org.uk/media/36687/dame_rosalyn_cv.pdf</ref>
  
 
==Proceedings==
 
==Proceedings==
The inquiry commenced in July 2009, with public hearings commencing on 24 November 2009 with [[Peter Ricketts]], chairman of the [[Joint Intelligence Committee (United Kingdom)|Joint Intelligence Committee]] at the time of the invasion of Iraq, as the first witness. Opening the proceedings, Sir John Chilcot announced that the inquiry was not seeking to apportion blame, but to "get to the heart of what happened" but that it would not "shy away" from making criticism where it was justified.<ref name="Telegraph 25/11">{{cite news|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/6645689/Iraq-Inquiry-British-officials-discussed-regime-change-two-years-before-war.html|title=Iraq Inquiry: British officials discussed regime change two years before war|date=25 November 2009|work=[[Daily Telegraph]]|publisher=[[Telegraph Media Group]]|accessdate=12 February 2010|location=London}}</ref> The commission resumed its hearings in January 2011 with the former prime minister, [[Tony Blair]], as its prime witness.
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The Inquiry commenced in July 2009, with public hearings commencing on 24 November 2009 with [[Peter Ricketts]], chairman of the [[Joint Intelligence Committee]] at the time of the invasion of Iraq, as the first witness. Opening the proceedings, Sir John Chilcot announced that the Inquiry was not seeking to apportion blame, but to "get to the heart of what happened" but that it would not "shy away" from making criticism where it was justified.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/6645689/Iraq-Inquiry-British-officials-discussed-regime-change-two-years-before-war.html|title=Iraq Inquiry: British officials discussed regime change two years before war|date=25 November 2009|work=Daily Telegraph|publisher=Telegraph Media Group|accessdate=12 February 2010|location=London}}</ref> The Committee resumed its hearings in January 2011 with the former PM, [[Tony Blair]], as its prime witness.
  
 
===29 October Protocol===
 
===29 October Protocol===
On 29 October 2009, the UK Government published a Protocol in agreement with the Iraq Inquiry on the treatment of sensitive written and electronic information.<ref>[http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/media/306669/protocol.pdf Iraq Inquiry Protocol] Cabinet Office</ref> Evidence which will not be made available to the public includes anything likely to:
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On 29 October 2009, the UK Government published a Protocol in agreement with the Iraq Inquiry on the treatment of sensitive written and electronic information.<ref>[http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/media/306669/protocol.pdf "Iraq Inquiry Protocol"] Cabinet Office</ref> Evidence which will not be made available to the public includes anything likely to:
  
 
*a) cause harm or damage to the public interest, guided by the normal and established principles under which the balance of public interest is determined on grounds of [[Public Interest Immunity]] in proceedings in England and Wales, including, but not limited to,
 
*a) cause harm or damage to the public interest, guided by the normal and established principles under which the balance of public interest is determined on grounds of [[Public Interest Immunity]] in proceedings in England and Wales, including, but not limited to,
Line 36: Line 70:
 
*b) endanger the life of an individual or otherwise risk serious harm to an individual;
 
*b) endanger the life of an individual or otherwise risk serious harm to an individual;
 
*c) make public commercially sensitive information;
 
*c) make public commercially sensitive information;
*d) breach the principle of [[legal professional privilege]] (LPP);
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*d) breach the principle of legal professional privilege (LPP);
 
*e) prejudice, in the case of legal advice (following any voluntary waiver of LPP) rather than material facts, the position of HMG in relation to ongoing legal proceedings;
 
*e) prejudice, in the case of legal advice (following any voluntary waiver of LPP) rather than material facts, the position of HMG in relation to ongoing legal proceedings;
*f) breach the rules of law which would apply in proceedings in England and Wales under the provisions of Section 17 of the [[Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000]];
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*f) breach the rules of law which would apply in proceedings in England and Wales under the provisions of Section 17 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000;
 
*g) breach the rules of law applicable to the disclosure of information by the Security Service, SIS or GCHQ, the third party rule governing non-disclosure of intelligence material or other commitments or understandings governing the release of sensitive information;
 
*g) breach the rules of law applicable to the disclosure of information by the Security Service, SIS or GCHQ, the third party rule governing non-disclosure of intelligence material or other commitments or understandings governing the release of sensitive information;
*h) breach the [[Data Protection Act 1998]]; or
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*h) breach the Data Protection Act 1998; or
 
*i) prejudice the course or outcome of any ongoing statutory or criminal inquiry into matters relating to the information proposed for release
 
*i) prejudice the course or outcome of any ongoing statutory or criminal inquiry into matters relating to the information proposed for release
  
 
==Witnesses==
 
==Witnesses==
{{main|List of witnesses of the Iraq Inquiry}}
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The Inquiry heard evidence from a variety of witnesses, such as politicians, including several cabinet ministers at the time of the invasion; senior civil servants, including lawyers and intelligence chiefs; diplomats, mostly composed of British ambassadors to Iraq and the United States; and high-ranking military officers including former Chiefs of the General Staff and Chiefs of the Defence Staff as well as senior operational commanders.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/6645689/Iraq-Inquiry-British-officials-discussed-regime-change-two-years-before-war.html|title=Iraq Inquiry: British officials discussed regime change two years before war|date=25 November 2009|work=Daily Telegraph|publisher=Telegraph Media Group|accessdate=12 February 2010|location=London}}</ref>
The inquiry heard evidence from a variety of witnesses, such as politicians, including several cabinet ministers at the time of the invasion; senior civil servants, including lawyers and intelligence chiefs; diplomats, mostly composed of British ambassadors to Iraq and the United States; and high-ranking military officers including former Chiefs of the General Staff and Chiefs of the Defence Staff as well as senior operational commanders.<ref name="Telegraph 25/11">{{cite news|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/6645689/Iraq-Inquiry-British-officials-discussed-regime-change-two-years-before-war.html|title=Iraq Inquiry: British officials discussed regime change two years before war|date=25 November 2009|work=[[Daily Telegraph]]|publisher=[[Telegraph Media Group]]|accessdate=12 February 2010|location=London}}</ref>
 
  
The inquiry heard mostly from civil servants, intelligence and security officials, diplomats and military officers from the first public hearings up until it recessed for Christmas. Key witnesses included [[Christopher Meyer|Sir Christopher Meyer]], former ambassador to the United States who gave evidence on [[List of witnesses of The Iraq Inquiry#26 November|26 November]]; [[Michael Boyce, Baron Boyce|Admiral Lord Boyce]], former [[Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom)|Chief of the Defence Staff]]; [[John Scarlett|Sir John Scarlett]], Chief of the [[Secret Intelligence Service]]; [[Tim Cross|Major-General Tim Cross]], the most senior British officer on the ground in the aftermath of the invasion; and [[Brian Burridge|Air Chief Marshall Sir Brian Burridge]], overall commander of British forces in the invasion.
+
The Inquiry heard mostly from civil servants, intelligence and security officials, diplomats and military officers from the first public hearings up until it recessed for Christmas. Key witnesses included Sir Christopher Meyer, former ambassador to the United States who gave evidence on 26 November; Admiral Lord Boyce, former Chief of the Defence Staff; [[Sir John Scarlett]], Chief of the [[Secret Intelligence Service]]; Major-General Tim Cross, the most senior British officer on the ground in the aftermath of the invasion; and Air Chief Marshal Sir Brian Burridge, overall commander of British forces in the invasion.
  
Former Prime Minister Tony Blair was publicly questioned by the enquiry on 29 January 2010, and again on 21 January 2011.<ref>http://www.iraqinquiry.org.uk/hearings/timetable.aspx</ref> On both of these occasions protests took place outside the conference centre.<ref name="Tele 3">{{cite news|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/tony-blair/8274202/Chilcot-Inquiry-Tony-Blair-heckled-as-he-expresses-regret-for-this-loss-of-life-in-the-Iraq-war.html|work=[[Daily Telegraph]]|publisher=Telegraph Media Group|accessdate=19 June 2011|location=London|first=Rosa|last=Prince|title=Chilcot Inquiry: Tony Blair heckled as he expresses regret for this loss of life in the Iraq war|date=21 January 2011}}</ref> Because of widespread public interest in Blair's evidence, public access to the hearings had to be allocated by lottery.<ref>http://www.iraqinquiry.org.uk/news/20101208-ballot.aspx</ref> Special dispensations to attend where allocated to those whose close family where casualties of the war, some of whom shouted angry accusations at Blair during his second appearance.<ref name="Tele 3"/>
+
Former Prime Minister [[Tony Blair]] was publicly questioned by the enquiry on 29 January 2010, and again on 21 January 2011.<ref>http://www.iraqinquiry.org.uk/hearings/timetable.aspx</ref> On both of these occasions, protests took place outside the conference centre.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/tony-blair/8274202/Chilcot-Inquiry-Tony-Blair-heckled-as-he-expresses-regret-for-this-loss-of-life-in-the-Iraq-war.html|work=Daily Telegraph|publisher=Telegraph Media Group|accessdate=19 June 2011|location=London|first=Rosa|last=Prince|title=Chilcot Inquiry: Tony Blair heckled as he expresses regret for this loss of life in the Iraq war|date=21 January 2011}}</ref> Because of widespread public interest in Blair's evidence, public access to the hearings had to be allocated by lottery.<ref>http://www.iraqinquiry.org.uk/news/20101208-ballot.aspx</ref> Special dispensations to attend where allocated to those whose close family where casualties of the war, some of whom shouted angry accusations at Blair during his second appearance.
  
From the inquiry's resumption in January 2010, it heard predominantly from politicians and former government officials, including [[Alastair Campbell]], Tony Blair's director of communications.
+
From the Inquiry's resumption in January 2010, it heard predominantly from politicians and former government officials, including [[Alastair Campbell]], Tony Blair's director of communications.
  
Gordon Brown had to retract his claim that spending on defence rose every year during the Iraq war, as this was found not to have been the case.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8573664.stm Brown misled Iraq inquiry over defence budget - Cameron] BBC News, 17 March 2010</ref>
+
[[Gordon Brown]] had to retract his claim that spending on defence rose every year during the Iraq war, as this was found not to have been the case.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8573664.stm "Brown misled Iraq inquiry over defence budget - Cameron"] BBC News, 17 March 2010</ref>
  
After a recess to avoid influencing the [[United Kingdom general election, 2010|general election]], the inquiry resumed public hearings on 29 June 2010. The first witness was [[Douglas Brand]], chief police adviser to the Iraqi Interior Ministry from 2003–05.<ref name="BBC IV">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/politics/10437254.stm|title=Iraq inquiry told of post-war police training errors|date=29 June 2010|work=[[BBC News]]|accessdate=29 June 2010}}</ref>
+
After a recess to avoid influencing the May 2010 General Election, the Inquiry resumed public hearings on 29 June 2010. The first witness was Douglas Brand, chief police adviser to the Iraqi Interior Ministry from 2003–05.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/politics/10437254.stm|title=Iraq inquiry told of post-war police training errors|date=29 June 2010|work=[[BBC News]]|accessdate=29 June 2010}}</ref>
  
The final witness in the public hearings, heard on 2 February 2011, was [[Jack Straw]], Foreign Secretary from 2001–06.<ref name="BBC-evidencetimeline">{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12224606|title=Iraq inquiry - day by day timeline of evidence given|date=2 February 2011|work=[[BBC News]]|accessdate=5 February 2011}}</ref>
+
The final witness in the public hearings, heard on 2 February 2011, was [[Jack Straw]], Foreign Secretary from 2001–06.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12224606|title=Iraq inquiry - day by day timeline of evidence given|date=2 February 2011|work=[[BBC News]]|accessdate=5 February 2011}}</ref>
  
 
==Criticism==
 
==Criticism==
The timing and nature of the inquiry generated a certain political controversy as it would not report back until after the [[United Kingdom general election, 2010|general election]].<ref name="Tele 1"/> [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]] leader [[David Cameron]], dismissed the inquiry as "an [[The Establishment|establishment]] stitch-up", and the [[Liberal Democrats]] threatened a boycott.<ref name=BBC2>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8102203.stm Anger over 'secret Iraq inquiry'] BBC News, 16 June 2009</ref> In a Parliamentary debate over the establishment of the inquiry, [[Member of Parliament|MPs]] from all the major parties criticised the government's selection of its members.<ref name=TWFY1>{{cite web|url=http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2009-06-24c.800.1#g808.1|date=24 June 2009|title=Iraq Inquiry|publisher=They Work For You}}</ref> MPs drew attention to the absence of anyone with first hand military expertise, the absence of members with acknowledged or proven inquisitorial skills, and the absence of any elected representatives.
+
The timing and nature of the inquiry generated a certain political controversy as it would not report back until after the 2010 General Election. Conservative Party leader [[David Cameron]], dismissed the inquiry as "an Establishment stitch-up", and the [[Liberal Democrats]] threatened a boycott.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8102203.stm "Anger over 'secret Iraq inquiry'"] BBC News, 16 June 2009</ref> In a Parliamentary debate over the establishment of the Inquiry, MPs from all the major parties criticised the government's selection of its members.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2009-06-24c.800.1#g808.1|date=24 June 2009|title=Iraq Inquiry|publisher=They Work For You}}</ref> MPs drew attention to the absence of anyone with first hand military expertise, the absence of members with acknowledged or proven inquisitorial skills, and the absence of any elected representatives. Sir Martin Gilbert's appointment to the Inquiry was criticised on the basis that he had once compared Bush and Blair to Roosevelt and Churchill. Several MPs drew attention to the fact that Chilcot would be unable to receive evidence under oath.
Gilbert's appointment to the enquiry was criticised on the basis that he had once compared Bush and Blair to Roosevelt and Churchill.<ref name=Observer1/> Several MPs drew attention to the fact that Chilcot would be unable to receive evidence under oath.
 
  
The criticism by the Liberal Democrats continued with the start of public hearings, with party leader [[Nick Clegg]] accusing the government of "suffocating" the inquiry, referring to the power given to government departments to veto sections of the final report. Meanwhile, a group of anti-war protestors staged a demonstration outside the conference centre.<ref name="Times 25/11">{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6931594.ece?print=yes&randnum=1151003209000|title=Gordon Brown accused of suffocating the Chilcot Iraq Inquiry|coauthors=Hines, Nico; Brown, David|date=25 November 2009|work=Times Online|publisher=[[Times Newspapers Ltd]]|accessdate=12 February 2010|location=London|first1=Anushka|last1=Asthana|first2=Jill|last2=Sherman}}</ref><ref name="BBC 25/11">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/uk_politics/8375439.stm|title=Iraq inquiry being 'suffocated' - Lib Dem leader Clegg|date=25 November 2009|work=[[BBC News]]|accessdate=12 February 2010}}</ref> Concerns were also raised about the expertise of the panel, particularly with regard to issues of legality by senior judges.<ref name="Telegraph II">{{cite news|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/6637328/Iraq-inquiry-civil-servant-Sir-John-Chilcot-incapable-of-addressing-legal-issues.html|title=Iraq inquiry: civil servant Sir John Chilcot 'incapable of addressing legal issues'|last=Laing |first=Aislinn|date=24 November 2009|work=[[Daily Telegraph]]|publisher=[[Telegraph Media Group]]|accessdate=12 February 2010 |location=London}}</ref> On 22 November 2009, former British Ambassador [[Oliver Miles]] published an article in the ''[[Independent on Sunday]]'',<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/oliver-miles-the-key-question-ndash-is-blair-a-war-criminal-1825374.html |title=The key question – is Blair a war criminal?}}</ref> in which he questioned the appointment to the inquiry panel of two British historians on the basis of their previous support for [[Israel]]. In a diplomatic cable from the US embassy in London, released as part of [[Cablegate]], Jon Day, director general for security policy at the British Ministry of Defence is cited having promised the US to have "put measures in place to protect your interests" regarding the inquiry.<ref>{{cite web | title=09LONDON2198, U/S TAUSCHER'S MEETINGS WITH FS MILIBAND AND OTHER| url=http://www.cablegatesearch.net/cable.php?id=09LONDON2198&version=1291138620  | accessdate=11 November 2011}}</ref> This has been interpreted as an indication that the inquiry is  restricted "to minimize embarrassment for the United States."<ref>{{ cite news | title=WikiLeaks cable reveals secret pledge to protect US at Iraq inquiry | url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/nov/30/wikileaks-chilcot-iraq-war-inquiry | work=The Guardian | first=Robert | last=Booth| accessdate=30 November 2010 | location=London | date=30 November 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.salon.com/news/wikileaks/index.html?story=/politics/war_room/2010/11/30/wikileaks_uk_iraq_inquiry | title=Is Britain's Iraq war inquiry compromised? | work=www.salon.com | first=Justin | last=Elliott | accessdate=30 November 2010 }}</ref>
+
==="Suffocating" the inquiry===
 +
The criticism by the Liberal Democrats continued with the start of public hearings, with party leader [[Nick Clegg]] accusing the government of "suffocating" the inquiry, referring to the power given to government departments to veto sections of the final report. Meanwhile, a group of anti-war protestors staged a demonstration outside the conference centre.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6931594.ece?print=yes&randnum=1151003209000|title=Gordon Brown accused of suffocating the Chilcot Iraq Inquiry|coauthors=Hines, Nico; Brown, David|date=25 November 2009|work=Times Online|publisher=Times Newspapers Ltd|accessdate=12 February 2010|location=London|first1=Anushka|last1=Asthana|first2=Jill|last2=Sherman}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/uk_politics/8375439.stm|title=Iraq inquiry being 'suffocated' - Lib Dem leader Clegg|date=25 November 2009|work=[[BBC News]]|accessdate=12 February 2010}}</ref> Concerns were also raised about the expertise of the panel, particularly with regard to issues of legality by senior judges.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/6637328/Iraq-inquiry-civil-servant-Sir-John-Chilcot-incapable-of-addressing-legal-issues.html|title=Iraq inquiry: civil servant Sir John Chilcot 'incapable of addressing legal issues'|last=Laing |first=Aislinn|date=24 November 2009|work=Daily Telegraph|publisher=Telegraph Media Group|accessdate=12 February 2010 |location=London}}</ref> On 22 November 2009, former British Ambassador [[Oliver Miles]] published an article in the ''Independent on Sunday'',<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/oliver-miles-the-key-question-ndash-is-blair-a-war-criminal-1825374.html |title=The key question – is Blair a war criminal?}}</ref> in which he questioned the appointment to the Inquiry panel of two British historians on the basis of their previous support for [[Israel]]. In a diplomatic cable from the US embassy in London, released as part of [[Cablegate]], Jon Day, director general for security policy at the British Ministry of Defence is cited having promised the US to have "put measures in place to protect your interests" regarding the Inquiry.<ref>{{cite web | title=09LONDON2198, U/S TAUSCHER'S MEETINGS WITH FS MILIBAND AND OTHER| url=http://www.cablegatesearch.net/cable.php?id=09LONDON2198&version=1291138620  | accessdate=11 November 2011}}</ref> This has been interpreted as an indication that the Inquiry is  restricted "to minimise embarrassment for the United States."<ref>{{ cite news | title=WikiLeaks cable reveals secret pledge to protect US at Iraq inquiry | url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/nov/30/wikileaks-chilcot-iraq-war-inquiry | work=The Guardian | first=Robert | last=Booth| accessdate=30 November 2010 | location=London | date=30 November 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.salon.com/news/wikileaks/index.html?story=/politics/war_room/2010/11/30/wikileaks_uk_iraq_inquiry | title=Is Britain's Iraq war inquiry compromised? | work=http://www.salon.com | first=Justin | last=Elliott | accessdate=30 November 2010 }}</ref>
  
In 2012, [[Attorney General for England and Wales|Attorney General]] [[Dominic Grieve]] was criticized when he vetoed the release of documents to the Inquiry detailing minutes of Cabinet meetings in the days leading up to the [[2003 invasion of Iraq|invasion of Iraq]] in 2003. Concurrently, the Foreign Office successfully appealed against a judge's ruling and blocked the disclosure of extracts of a conversation between Bush and Blair moments before the invasion. The British government stated that revealing the content of a phone call between Bush and Blair moments before the invasion would later present a "significant danger" to [[United Kingdom–United States relations|British-American relations]].<ref name="dailymail.co.uk"/> In his submission to the inquiry, [[Philippe Sands]] observed that:
+
In 2012, Attorney General [[Dominic Grieve]] was criticised when he vetoed the release of documents to the Inquiry detailing minutes of Cabinet meetings in the days leading up to the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Concurrently, the Foreign Office successfully appealed against a judge's ruling and blocked the disclosure of extracts of a conversation between Bush and Blair moments before the invasion. The British government stated that revealing the content of a phone call between Bush and Blair moments before the invasion would later present a "significant danger" to British-American relations. In his submission to the inquiry, [[Philippe Sands]] observed that:
  
 
{{Quote|
 
{{Quote|
an independent Dutch Inquiry has recently concluded – unanimously and without ambiguity – that the war was not justified under international law. The Dutch inquiry Committee was presided by W.J.M. Davids, a distinguished former President of the Dutch Supreme Court, and four of its seven members were lawyers. The Dutch Committee was well-placed to address the substantive legal issues. I note, however, that the composition of this Inquiry includes no members with any legal background.<ref>{{Cite web |last= Sands |first= Philippe |authorlink= Philippe Sands |date=  4 October 2010 |title= Submission to Iraq inquiry |url= http://www.theguardian.com/law/interactive/2010/oct/04/iraq-inquiry-submissions-philippe-sands |publisher= [[The Guardian|theguardian.com]] |accessdate= 15 February 2013 }}</ref>
+
An independent Dutch Inquiry has recently concluded – unanimously and without ambiguity – that the war was not justified under international law. The Dutch Inquiry Committee was presided by W.J.M. Davids, a distinguished former President of the Dutch Supreme Court, and four of its seven members were lawyers. The Dutch Committee was well-placed to address the substantive legal issues. I note, however, that the composition of this Inquiry includes no members with any legal background.<ref>{{Cite web |last= Sands |first= Philippe |authorlink= Philippe Sands |date=  4 October 2010 |title= Submission to Iraq inquiry |url= http://www.theguardian.com/law/interactive/2010/oct/04/iraq-inquiry-submissions-philippe-sands |publisher= The Guardian |accessdate= 15 February 2013 }}</ref>
 
}}
 
}}
  
In 2011, the ''[[The Independent|Independent]]'', published an article with 15 charges that have yet to be answered by the inquiry.<ref name="Independent 1/11">{{Cite web|author=Michael Savage|date=21 January 2011|title=The case against Blair: 15 charges that have yet to be answered|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/the-case-against-blair-15-charges-that-have-yet-to-be-answered-2190375.html|publisher=[[The Independent|independent.co.uk]]|accessdate=29 August 2013}}</ref> Speaking at a public meeting in 2013, [[David Owen]] said that the inquiry "is being prevented from revealing extracts that they believe relevant from exchanges between President Bush and Prime Minister Blair". He blamed Blair and Cameron for this state of affairs, who he believed, have entered into a private deal to prevent the publication of important documents out of mutual self-interest.<ref>{{Cite news | last = Oborne | first = Peter | authorlink = Peter Oborne | date = 29 May 2013 | title = The whiff of suspicion over the Chilcot Inquiry grows stronger | url = http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iraq/10086837/The-whiff-of-suspicion-over-the-Chilcot-Inquiry-grows-stronger.html | publisher = [[The Daily Telegraph|telegraph.co.uk]] }}</ref> It emerged that the Cabinet Office was resisting the release of "more than 130 records of conversations" between Bush and Blair, as well as "25 notes from Mr Blair to President Bush" and "some 200 cabinet-level discussions".<ref>{{Cite news | last = Doward | first = Jamie | date = 10 November 2013 | title = Iraq war inquiry blocked in bid to make Bush-Blair 'kick ass' memo public | url = http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/nov/10/iraq-war-tony-blair-george-bush | accessdate = 10 November 2013 | publisher = [[The Observer]] }}</ref>
+
===Release of documents vetoed===
 +
In 2011, ''The Independent'' published an article with 15 charges that have yet to be answered by the Inquiry.<ref>{{Cite web|author=Michael Savage|date=21 January 2011|title=The case against Blair: 15 charges that have yet to be answered|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/the-case-against-blair-15-charges-that-have-yet-to-be-answered-2190375.html|publisher=The Independent|accessdate=29 August 2013}}</ref> Speaking at a public meeting in 2013, [[David Owen]] said that the Inquiry "is being prevented from revealing extracts that they believe relevant from exchanges between President Bush and Prime Minister Blair". He blamed Blair and Cameron for this state of affairs, who he believed, have entered into a private deal to prevent the publication of important documents out of mutual self-interest.<ref>{{Cite news | last = Oborne | first = Peter | authorlink = Peter Oborne | date = 29 May 2013 | title = The whiff of suspicion over the Chilcot Inquiry grows stronger | url = http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iraq/10086837/The-whiff-of-suspicion-over-the-Chilcot-Inquiry-grows-stronger.html | publisher = The Daily Telegraph }}</ref> It emerged that the Cabinet Office was resisting the release of "more than 130 records of conversations" between Bush and Blair, as well as "25 notes from Mr Blair to President Bush" and "some 200 cabinet-level discussions".<ref>{{Cite news | last = Doward | first = Jamie | date = 10 November 2013 | title = Iraq war inquiry blocked in bid to make Bush-Blair 'kick ass' memo public | url = http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/nov/10/iraq-war-tony-blair-george-bush | accessdate = 10 November 2013 | publisher = The Observer }}</ref>
  
==References==
+
===Bucket of whitewash===
{{Reflist|30em}}
+
"The Chilcot team was handpicked by [[Gordon Brown]].
 +
 
 +
"Sir Lawrence Freedman was an active propagandist for the invasion while Sir Martin Gilbert was so enamoured of the invasion he compared [[George W Bush|Bush]] and [[Tony Blair|Blair]] to [[Franklin D. Roosevelt|Roosevelt]] and [[Winston Churchill|Churchill]].
 +
 
 +
"The point of the delay is to give the impression Chilcot has been absolutely painstaking and therefore the bucket of whitewash he will throw cannot be hiding anything. Do not be fooled." [[Craig Murray]]
  
 
==External links==
 
==External links==
*{{Official website|http://www.iraqinquiry.org.uk}}
+
*[http://www.iraqinquiry.org.uk Iraq Inquiry website]
 
*[http://www.iraqinquirydigest.org/ Iraq Inquiry Digest]
 
*[http://www.iraqinquirydigest.org/ Iraq Inquiry Digest]
 +
{{SMWDocs}}
 +
==References==
 +
{{reflist|2}}

Revision as of 16:28, 13 January 2020

Event.png Iraq Inquiry  Rdf-entity.pngRdf-icon.png
Chilcott.jpg
Chilcot Report was published on 6 July 2016
Date2009-11-24 - 2016-07-06
LocationLondon,  England
ParticipantsJohn Chilcot, Lawrence Freedman, Martin Gilbert, Roderic Lyne, Usha Prashar
Websitehttp://www.iraqinquiry.org.uk
TypePublic Inquiry
Description"The point of the delay is to give the impression Chilcot has been absolutely painstaking and therefore the bucket of whitewash he will throw cannot be hiding anything. Do not be fooled." (Craig Murray)

The Iraq Inquiry, also referred to as the Chilcot Inquiry after its chairman, John Chilcot,[1] was a long-drawn-out public inquiry into Britain's role in the Iraq War.[2] The inquiry was announced on 15 June 2009 by Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who intended initially that proceedings would take place in private, a decision which was subsequently reversed after criticism in the media and the House of Commons.[3][4][5]

On 6 July 2016, John Chilcot read out a 12-page public statement at the QEII Conference Centre in London,[6] after which the 2.6 million-word Chilcot Report, in 12 Volumes with 5 Annexes, was published on the Iraq Inquiry website.[7]

A commentary on the day's proceedings by Bella Caledonia concluded:

The full horror of what Blair unleashed will never be truly understood in the West. And, internationally the full consequences of this war are still to be felt. Today Blair is finished, and the process around trying him for war crimes will begin. As the sister of a soldier killed in Iraq said in the press conference that followed Chilcot:
“There is one terrorist in this world and his name is Tony Blair.”[8]

Open Sessions

The open sessions of the Iraq Inquiry commenced on 24 November 2009 and concluded on 2 February 2011. Later, the government vetoed the release of the documents to the Inquiry detailing minutes of Cabinet meetings in the days leading up to the invasion of Iraq in 2003. In 2012, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office successfully appealed against a judge's ruling and blocked the disclosure of extracts of a conversation between George W Bush and Tony Blair moments before the invasion.[9][10][11]

In January 2011, as Tony Blair appeared before the Chilcot Inquiry for the second time, Jeremy Corbyn was interviewed by Russia Today and spoke about Blair's first appearance on 29 January 2010:

"... and in the latter part of the day it turned into a sort of Tony Blair lecture in defence of his policies on what he calls "humanitarian invention" and then proceeded to warn the whole world on what he perceived to be the danger from Iran. I just thought the whole thing was a travesty as it was meant to be an inquiry looking into absolute finite details of the decision to go to war with Iraq and it turned into a Tony Blair tour de force..."

Corbyn told RT that a legal process should follow the Chilcot Inquiry in which Tony Blair is brought before the International Criminal Court at The Hague.[12]

Procrastination

David Cameron's South African nuke deal

Following Nicola Sturgeon's call to expedite publication of the Iraq Inquiry report,[13] John Chilcot gave evidence to the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Commons on 4 February 2015:

“My committee and I want and intend to deliver our report to the Prime Minister as soon as we possibly can. But as I said to the Prime Minister in my letter of 20 January, I see “no realistic prospect” of doing so before the General Election. We have to maintain the principles by which we have operated throughout. The principles are those of fairness, thoroughness and impartiality. It is our duty to deliver a report which gives the Government, Parliament, the public and particularly all those who have been deeply affected by the events in Iraq the answers they deserve.”[14]

On 7 February 2015, the Daily Mail announced that David Cameron had leaked details from the Chilcot Inquiry report which "will be a 'devastating' indictment of the Blair Government".[15]

On 8 February 2015, it was revealed that the Chilcot Inquiry had been tasked specifically with tracking down those responsible for “misplacing” three nuclear weapons obtained from apartheid South Africa 25 years ago. Both David Cameron and Dr David Kelly are understood to have been involved in the diversion of these WMD which eventually became the pretext for the Iraq War.[16]

On 14 June 2015, the Independent on Sunday reported that the inquiry is still engaged in the process of Maxwellisation, named after the Board of Trade investigation into Robert Maxwell, the owner of the Daily Mirror, in 1969. This requires draft criticisms to be put to the people concerned to give them the chance to comment and means, according to sources close to the inquiry, that the Chilcot report is “unlikely to be published for another year at least”.[17]

In August 2015, families of British soldiers killed in Iraq were reported to be "losing patience". Lawyers acting for 29 of the families have written to Chilcott calling for him to set a deadline for witnesses to respond and to promise the report will be published by the end of the year or they will take their case to the High Court.[18]

In October 2015, John Chilcot wrote to Prime Minister David Cameron saying his two million word report into the Iraq War should be ready for publication in June or July 2016.[19] On 6 May 2016, Chilcot confirmed that the report will be published on 6 July 2016.[20]

Build up

It was initially announced by Gordon Brown that the Iraq Inquiry would be held in camera, excluding the public and press. However, the decision was later deferred to John Chilcot, the inquiry chairman, who said that it was "essential to hold as much of the proceedings of the inquiry as possible in public".[21][22] In July 2009, when the inquiry commenced, it was announced that the committee would be able to request any British document and call any British citizen to give evidence.[23] In the week before the inquiry began hearing witnesses, a series of documents including military reports were leaked to a newspaper which appeared to show poor post-war planning and lack of provisions.[24]

Committee members

Craig Murray's take on the Chilcot Inquiry

The Committee of Inquiry, the members of which were chosen by Gordon Brown,[25] comprises:[26]

The Committee also takes secretarial support during proceedings from Margaret Aldred.[28]

Advisors to the Committee are General Sir Roger Wheeler, ex Chief of the General Staff, and Commander-in-Chief, Land Forces;[29] and Dame Rosalyn Higgins, former President of the International Court of Justice.[30]

Proceedings

The Inquiry commenced in July 2009, with public hearings commencing on 24 November 2009 with Peter Ricketts, chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee at the time of the invasion of Iraq, as the first witness. Opening the proceedings, Sir John Chilcot announced that the Inquiry was not seeking to apportion blame, but to "get to the heart of what happened" but that it would not "shy away" from making criticism where it was justified.[31] The Committee resumed its hearings in January 2011 with the former PM, Tony Blair, as its prime witness.

29 October Protocol

On 29 October 2009, the UK Government published a Protocol in agreement with the Iraq Inquiry on the treatment of sensitive written and electronic information.[32] Evidence which will not be made available to the public includes anything likely to:

  • a) cause harm or damage to the public interest, guided by the normal and established principles under which the balance of public interest is determined on grounds of Public Interest Immunity in proceedings in England and Wales, including, but not limited to,
    • i) national security, defence interests or international relations;
    • ii) the economic interests of the United Kingdom or of any part of the United Kingdom;
  • b) endanger the life of an individual or otherwise risk serious harm to an individual;
  • c) make public commercially sensitive information;
  • d) breach the principle of legal professional privilege (LPP);
  • e) prejudice, in the case of legal advice (following any voluntary waiver of LPP) rather than material facts, the position of HMG in relation to ongoing legal proceedings;
  • f) breach the rules of law which would apply in proceedings in England and Wales under the provisions of Section 17 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000;
  • g) breach the rules of law applicable to the disclosure of information by the Security Service, SIS or GCHQ, the third party rule governing non-disclosure of intelligence material or other commitments or understandings governing the release of sensitive information;
  • h) breach the Data Protection Act 1998; or
  • i) prejudice the course or outcome of any ongoing statutory or criminal inquiry into matters relating to the information proposed for release

Witnesses

The Inquiry heard evidence from a variety of witnesses, such as politicians, including several cabinet ministers at the time of the invasion; senior civil servants, including lawyers and intelligence chiefs; diplomats, mostly composed of British ambassadors to Iraq and the United States; and high-ranking military officers including former Chiefs of the General Staff and Chiefs of the Defence Staff as well as senior operational commanders.[33]

The Inquiry heard mostly from civil servants, intelligence and security officials, diplomats and military officers from the first public hearings up until it recessed for Christmas. Key witnesses included Sir Christopher Meyer, former ambassador to the United States who gave evidence on 26 November; Admiral Lord Boyce, former Chief of the Defence Staff; Sir John Scarlett, Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service; Major-General Tim Cross, the most senior British officer on the ground in the aftermath of the invasion; and Air Chief Marshal Sir Brian Burridge, overall commander of British forces in the invasion.

Former Prime Minister Tony Blair was publicly questioned by the enquiry on 29 January 2010, and again on 21 January 2011.[34] On both of these occasions, protests took place outside the conference centre.[35] Because of widespread public interest in Blair's evidence, public access to the hearings had to be allocated by lottery.[36] Special dispensations to attend where allocated to those whose close family where casualties of the war, some of whom shouted angry accusations at Blair during his second appearance.

From the Inquiry's resumption in January 2010, it heard predominantly from politicians and former government officials, including Alastair Campbell, Tony Blair's director of communications.

Gordon Brown had to retract his claim that spending on defence rose every year during the Iraq war, as this was found not to have been the case.[37]

After a recess to avoid influencing the May 2010 General Election, the Inquiry resumed public hearings on 29 June 2010. The first witness was Douglas Brand, chief police adviser to the Iraqi Interior Ministry from 2003–05.[38]

The final witness in the public hearings, heard on 2 February 2011, was Jack Straw, Foreign Secretary from 2001–06.[39]

Criticism

The timing and nature of the inquiry generated a certain political controversy as it would not report back until after the 2010 General Election. Conservative Party leader David Cameron, dismissed the inquiry as "an Establishment stitch-up", and the Liberal Democrats threatened a boycott.[40] In a Parliamentary debate over the establishment of the Inquiry, MPs from all the major parties criticised the government's selection of its members.[41] MPs drew attention to the absence of anyone with first hand military expertise, the absence of members with acknowledged or proven inquisitorial skills, and the absence of any elected representatives. Sir Martin Gilbert's appointment to the Inquiry was criticised on the basis that he had once compared Bush and Blair to Roosevelt and Churchill. Several MPs drew attention to the fact that Chilcot would be unable to receive evidence under oath.

"Suffocating" the inquiry

The criticism by the Liberal Democrats continued with the start of public hearings, with party leader Nick Clegg accusing the government of "suffocating" the inquiry, referring to the power given to government departments to veto sections of the final report. Meanwhile, a group of anti-war protestors staged a demonstration outside the conference centre.[42][43] Concerns were also raised about the expertise of the panel, particularly with regard to issues of legality by senior judges.[44] On 22 November 2009, former British Ambassador Oliver Miles published an article in the Independent on Sunday,[45] in which he questioned the appointment to the Inquiry panel of two British historians on the basis of their previous support for Israel. In a diplomatic cable from the US embassy in London, released as part of Cablegate, Jon Day, director general for security policy at the British Ministry of Defence is cited having promised the US to have "put measures in place to protect your interests" regarding the Inquiry.[46] This has been interpreted as an indication that the Inquiry is restricted "to minimise embarrassment for the United States."[47][48]

In 2012, Attorney General Dominic Grieve was criticised when he vetoed the release of documents to the Inquiry detailing minutes of Cabinet meetings in the days leading up to the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Concurrently, the Foreign Office successfully appealed against a judge's ruling and blocked the disclosure of extracts of a conversation between Bush and Blair moments before the invasion. The British government stated that revealing the content of a phone call between Bush and Blair moments before the invasion would later present a "significant danger" to British-American relations. In his submission to the inquiry, Philippe Sands observed that:

An independent Dutch Inquiry has recently concluded – unanimously and without ambiguity – that the war was not justified under international law. The Dutch Inquiry Committee was presided by W.J.M. Davids, a distinguished former President of the Dutch Supreme Court, and four of its seven members were lawyers. The Dutch Committee was well-placed to address the substantive legal issues. I note, however, that the composition of this Inquiry includes no members with any legal background.[49]

Release of documents vetoed

In 2011, The Independent published an article with 15 charges that have yet to be answered by the Inquiry.[50] Speaking at a public meeting in 2013, David Owen said that the Inquiry "is being prevented from revealing extracts that they believe relevant from exchanges between President Bush and Prime Minister Blair". He blamed Blair and Cameron for this state of affairs, who he believed, have entered into a private deal to prevent the publication of important documents out of mutual self-interest.[51] It emerged that the Cabinet Office was resisting the release of "more than 130 records of conversations" between Bush and Blair, as well as "25 notes from Mr Blair to President Bush" and "some 200 cabinet-level discussions".[52]

Bucket of whitewash

"The Chilcot team was handpicked by Gordon Brown.

"Sir Lawrence Freedman was an active propagandist for the invasion while Sir Martin Gilbert was so enamoured of the invasion he compared Bush and Blair to Roosevelt and Churchill.

"The point of the delay is to give the impression Chilcot has been absolutely painstaking and therefore the bucket of whitewash he will throw cannot be hiding anything. Do not be fooled." Craig Murray

External links

 

Related Quotation

PageQuoteAuthorDate
UK/Deep state“I testified last week to the Chilcot inquiry. My experience demonstrates an emerging and dangerous problem with the process. This is not so much a problem with Sir John Chilcot and his panel, but rather with the government bureaucracy – Britain's own "deep state" – that is covering up its mistakes and denying access to critical documents... I asked for access to all the documents I had worked on as Britain's Iraq "expert" at the UN Security Council, including intelligence assessments, records of discussions with the US, and the long paper trail on the WMD dossier. Large files were sent to me to peruse at the UK mission to the UN. However, long hours spent reviewing the files revealed that most of the key documents I had asked for were not there. I was told that specific documents, such as the records of prime minister Tony Blair's visit to Syria, could not be found. This is simply not plausible.”Carne Ross25 July 2010

 

Known Participants

2 of the 5 of the participants already have pages here:

ParticipantDescription
John ChilcotChair of the Inquiry into the UK's involvement in the Iraq War.
Lawrence FreedmanEmeritus Professor of War Studies at King's College London, single Bilderberger

 

Related Documents

TitleTypePublication dateAuthor(s)Description
Document:Cabinet Office Briefing Paper 21 July 2002briefing paper12 June 2005Generated for participants for the secret meeting of Blair’s inner circle on July 23, 2002, this classified paper states that since regime change was illegal it was "necessary to create the conditions" which would make it legal. The last page is missing.
Document:Exclusive: I Can Reveal the Legal Advice on Drone Strikes, and How the Establishment Worksarticle9 September 2015Craig MurrayCraig Murray reveals how Sir Daniel Bethlehem continues to bring a Zionist perspective to any legal advice emanating from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Document:Sanitising the Iraq Wararticle6 July 2016Jonathon ShafiThe full horror of what Blair unleashed will never be truly understood in the West. And, internationally the full consequences of this war are still to be felt. As the sister of a soldier killed in Iraq said: “There is one terrorist in this world and his name is Tony Blair.”
Document:The Death of David Kelly and the "Sexed Up" WMD Reportarticle21 February 2008Stephen Frost
David Halpin
Christopher Burns-Cox
Paul Brandon
Document:The Woman who nearly Stopped the Wararticle19 March 2008Martin BrightIn January 2003 Katharine Gun, a translator at GCHQ, learned something so outrageous that she sacrificed her career to tell the truth. Martin Bright on a brave deed that should not be forgotten.
Document:The bloody legacy of Bomber BlairArticle1 January 2022Alex Snowdon"Petition for Tony Blair to have his 'Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter' rescinded" Such an honour rests upon expecting us to conveniently forget or ignore the enormous damage that Blair did. People are right to be angry.
File:Laurie-Evidence.pdflegal document3 June 2010Michael Laurie
File:ScarlettandMiller-2010-05-05-1.pdflegal document5 May 2010
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References

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