Former British diplomat makes public secret evidence on Iraq

[ProSense]

Former British diplomat makes public secret evidence on Iraq

Fri Dec 15, 3:13 AM ET

LONDON (AFP) - Previously secret written evidence submitted to an inquiry on British intelligence failures in the run-up to the invasion of Iraq was made public, with a former diplomat alleging that "at no time" did the government assess that Iraq posed a threat to Britain.

According to the statement originally submitted by Carne Ross to Lord Robin Butler's 2004 inquiry into the intelligence relating to Iraq's weapons of mass destruction (WMD), Ross said that during his posting to the United Nations, "at no time did HMG assess that Iraq's WMD (or any other capability) posed a threat to the UK or its interests."

Ross was First Secretary in the British mission to the UN from December 1997 to June 2002. He said that the preparation of the infamous dossier on Iraq's supposed WMD progremme began before he left.

The evidence was made public on House of Commons's Foreign Affairs Committee website on Thursday.

In it, Ross, who resigned from the Foreign Office in 2004 in protest over the war, states that "it was the commonly-held view among the officials dealing with Iraq that any threat had been effectively contained.

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[kanrok]

1. K&R

Good stuff.

[whistle]

2. So BushCo and Blair perpetrated a pack of lies on everyone

[TayTay]

3. This just keeps getting worse and worse

Tony Blair knew there was no imminent threat and therefore no justification for going to war. And he went right along with the wilfull pack of lies that was the buildup to the war.

This is yet another step on that road to hell revealed.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

4. K & R, keep this up there! We need to get this nasty business out in the light

revealed to all. MKJ

[Ghost Dog]

5. See also Breaking News, here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

(Note: this appears to be an Independent scoop. No doubt the Grauniad (Guardian) will apply spin tomorrow...).

[quiet.american]

6. Yet, our leadership and the media keep referring to it as a "mistake." n.t

[Festivito]

7. b-b-b-but, Bush pointed us to British intel so we'd agree to war.

But, we're so stupid as a country our media won't HAVE TO report it because we should either already remember that or it is so old we all forgot it so they don't have to report it.

Grrrrrr.

[Straight Shooter]

8. Wait for the public outrage when everyone in America learns about this.

[JohnyCanuck]

10. Who's gonna tell 'em?

Certainly not the same corporate media whores who sold them the war under false pretences in the first place.

[mrJJ]

9. More meat for the grinder

Bush is going to surge...

Trial balloon just went up...

http://www.aei.org/publications/pubID.25292/pub_detail....

[whistle]

11. Is that report bullshit or what.....U.S. has a $13 trillion GDP and 300 million

....people, Iraq has 25 million people and and no GDP, so as long as the American people have the will we can't loose!

[ProSense]

13. Actually, it's

Bush's bubble.

[maxsolomon]

12. but Pete Dougherty's on the cover!

Iraq what? Did you know he does drugs? A lot? And shags Kate Moss? A lot?

Blair was the lynchpin that made this invasion credible. How is this man still standing up in Parliament? are the British people as apathetic as the american people? i expect better from such an erudite lot.

[Nightjock]

14. My thoughts exactly!

I know there are several UK posters here. Can anyone answer that?

[maxsolomon]

16. i'd be interested to see if any americans can name his band

and which drink it's name is a play on.

oh, were you discussing mr. blair?

[ItsTheMediaStupid]

21. IIRC, Blair is stepping down as PM this coming spring

I've been waiting for the vote of no confidence for four years now.

BTW, I'm not a Brit, I just pay attention.

[5X]

15. K & R, heres hoping the rest of the US can catch up with what

we already knew.

[Harmonicaman]

17. An Englishmans Point Of View :

Firstly - when this report was published, something else was happening,

Blair was being interviewed by the police over the "cash for honours" row - a first for a serving Prime Minister.

It was announced that a two year investigation by the Serious Fraud Office into allegations of bribes made to Saudi's to get an arms deal would be dropped, not for lack of evidence but on the grounds of National Security, the statemnt made by the Saudi's that they would cancel the £20 Billion dead and buy from elsehwere had nothing to do with the decision. Yes and I have a bridge for sale.

The Iraq statement by Carne Ross was published in the House Of Commons.

All on Thursday.

You see Thursday was a really really good day to bury bad news in Britain

As all the above co-incided with the final publication into the investigation of the Death of the former Princess Clothes Horse, Diana. A mammoth investigation that has revealed that she died in a car crash, was not knocked up with Fayed seed and that her driver was shitfaced, and other than the fact that the french papparazzi stood and took photo's as she died was finally confirmed, which gives us another stick to beat the frogs with, not a single thing that any sane person didn't already know was revealed. Cost - £9,000,000.

But you see it was massive news, which is why the real news stories, all happily for Blair, fell purely and co-incidentally at the same time. I still have that bridge for sale.

Ah - we British pride ourselves on our democracy, but you see we don't actually have one. Our "first past the post" electoral system means that you really really really have to shaft the good ol British Public for a long time before you piss them off enough to get the numbers needed to kick you out, especially in the case if Bliars Labour Party who got elected in 1997 after the country finally tired of an 18 year arse raping at the hands of the Conservative Party.

So what now for the good old British public.

Well - Local Council elections next May will see Bliars Labour Party given a massive kicking. You thought your recent elections were bloody - not a bit by comparision.

There is of course a difference, Local Council elections in Britain don't actually effect central Government in a manifest sense - but as the largest opinion poll in the world - it can scare the crap out of them. And of course, they lose control of Local Councils. expect to see a lot more Liberal Democrat run Local Authorities, some L.A's will go Independent, the Conservatives will gain in the south of England - Labour will even lose at least a couple in Scotland to the Scottish Nationalist Party, which is going to raise the temp of what i discuss below

Though there a couple more more subtle threats to the Labour Party in the long term, and they are not really known about outside of the UK. Bliars Government is being propped up by MP's from Scottish Constituencies. Scotland has a devolved parliament, paid for by english taxpayers - Scotland cannot actually raise enough in income tax to pay for itself as an individual country, the shortfall of 76% actually comes from Westminster, and 95% of that is paid by English taxpayers, of whom the Scots hold an opinion about equal to the one we hold about the french.

Some of Bliars biggest problems at home concern the health service, prescription charges, education - all of which the Scottish Parliament votes to give free across the board in Scotland, whilst in England charges have risen, especially prescription charges and student fees. Now it hasn't failed to register that the Scottish MP's who vote in the Scottish Parliament to have services free across the board in Scotland have been voting the party line in Westminster. {Yes, Scottish MP's have a vote in Scotland and another in Westminster!!!] Essentially voting their constituencies free services, paid for in the most part by the English yet denying the same when they vote in England to the English / Welsh / Northern Irish voters.

Secondly in 1997, Rupert Murdoch switched his allegiance and that of his newspapers and sattelite tv stations from his usual Conservative cronyism to Blairsw . I predict a shift back after May 2007 local elections, Murdoch is nothing if not consistent in his own self interest.


Blair and screwed himself and his party more than Bush has in the US .

All that awaits Blair is his U.S. book tour and speaking engagements.

I'm sure you are already queuing to buy tickets,
let us know what its like becasue he won't do it here.

[Tinksrival]

19. Thanks for your point of view.

Very informative. Blair is such a disappointment. I really thought he was so much more intelligent than Bush and company.
I did not realize how screwed up the Scottish and Westminster ties are! My husband works for a London based company and we visit about once a year, so I like to learn more about the UK political system. I am a map nut so I have taken many road holidays. Haven't made it up to Scotland yet but the lake district is next on my list.
We will have to sell of some company stock in the beginning of next year so I hope your stock market is up first quarter!

[Harmonicaman]

22. Bliar... i would have to admit

is on the face of it more "intelligent" than Bush. He is a barrister and has practiced.
Blair, however seems to have lost his common sense entirely since he started cronying up to Bush.
Britain though has a tendency to eventually stamp its foot and fight back, though lately I have to admit its been taking longer and longer.

Though today a motion was filed in the high Court seeking judicial review of the decision to squash the Serious Fraud Office investigation into bribery in an arms deal and the setting up of a slush fund of £20 Million for the personal use of some Saudi's. That is going to nag away at the Government for at least another year and I can see it melting down even more embarrassingly than it already is.

Meanwhile, Blair is no longer leader after next autumns party conference, he is stepping down.
The Scottish funding business is slowly but surely picking up momentum.
The asylum seker issue may be about to explode, in what some actually expect to be the Enoch Powell "rivers of blood" speech come to life. Even I have to accept there is a groundswell of opinion that makes me think also that Powells prediction may unfortunately achieve fruition, and the cause can be laid squarely at the feet of the insanity of political correctness when it comes to immigration and the criminal justice system mantra of ignore the victim and pamper the poor poor criminal, as there always seems to be a reason for the criminality that can be laid at society's feet so they should be treated with kid gloves instead of being treated as criminals - they become victim. far right scum like the BNP are being fed by the current climate, and all the major political parties in the UK share responsibility for it. The people are ignored.

On a happy aside :

The lake district is a marvelous place, off the top of my head you should also consider the Forest of Dean, and the Yorkshire Moors - best visited off season in my opinion, though the moors are harsh during the winter months - but I love it up there. Scotland also, a glorious sweep of valleys and hills, again for me best experienced off the beaten track and out of tourist season

[BikeWriter]

18. Blair is SO fucked!

[mrJJ]

20. Surge of Troops to begin

The Surge of troopers to the Iraqi Theatre ramps up...

Pentagon to move troops into Kuwait

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061216/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/u...