UK Diplomat's Suppressed Document Lays Bare the Lies behind Iraq War

[nam78_two]

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/1215-06.htm


Published on Friday, December 15, 2006 by the Inter Press Service
Diplomat's Suppressed Document Lays Bare the Lies behind Iraq War
by Colin Brown and Andy McSmith

The Government's case for going to war in Iraq has been torn apart by the publication of previously suppressed evidence that Tony Blair lied over Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction.

A devastating attack on Mr Blair's justification for military action by Carne Ross, Britain's key negotiator at the UN, has been kept under wraps until now because he was threatened with being charged with breaching the Official Secrets Act.

In the testimony revealed today Mr Ross, 40, who helped negotiate several UN security resolutions on Iraq, makes it clear that Mr Blair must have known Saddam Hussein possessed no weapons of mass destruction. He said that during his posting to the UN, "at no time did HMG assess that Iraq's WMD (or any other capability) posed a threat to the UK or its interests."

Mr Ross revealed it was a commonly held view among British officials dealing with Iraq that any threat by Saddam Hussein had been "effectively contained".

He also reveals that British officials warned US diplomats that bringing down the Iraqi dictator would lead to the chaos the world has since witnessed. "I remember on several occasions the UK team stating this view in terms during our discussions with the US (who agreed)," he said.

"At the same time, we would frequently argue when the US raised the subject, that 'regime change' was inadvisable, primarily on the grounds that Iraq would collapse into chaos."

He claims "inertia" in the Foreign Office and the "inattention of key ministers" combined to stop the UK carrying out any co-ordinated and sustained attempt to address sanction-busting by Iraq, an approach which could have provided an alternative to war.

Mr Ross delivered the evidence to the Butler inquiry which investigated intelligence blunders in the run-up to the conflict.

The Foreign Office had attempted to prevent the evidence being made public, but it has now been published by the Commons Select Committee on Foreign Affairs after MPs sought assurances from the Foreign Office that it would not breach the Official Secrets Act.

[kenny blankenship]

1. Ukians, is it too much to hope that Blair will one day be prosecuted for this?

[muriel_volestrangler]

6. Yes, it probably is.

It hasn't been big news here; and, given the Downing Street Memos came out about a week before the last General Election, and Blair still got back in then, I have to conclude that too many Britons don't care he lied to get the war started. Blair will limp along to his resignation this summer (now, the inquiry into the sale of knighthoods and peerages seems more damaging to him, and the government's intervention in the Saudi bribery inquiry, stopping it because the Saudis told them to), and then get a few directorships - Carlyle or News Corporation seem most likely.

[LeftishBrit]

7. Probably you're right

Though I think that he will not have anything like the 'legacy' that he hoped for, and will live out the rest of life in comfort but political disgrace. Not sure about the directorships; I think, however, that ironically he'll probably end up in the House of Lords, like almost all ex-PMs who live long enough.

[go west young man]

2. Ah more icing on the yellow cake...... ;)

this story should be on the top of the dems agenda as this is more proof that we were lied into an illegal and immoral war. Investigate then impeach. If the Dems do nothing after all this America is doomed to always be a failed hypocrytical nation.

[Bonhomme Richard]

3. Think the MSM will be reporting on this?

I don't think so.........

[no_hypocrisy]

4. Can this evidence compel a mistrial for Saddam Hussein?

I know the trial was about his genocidal tendencies, but OTOH, he wouldn't be on trial if there had not been an illegal invasion of his country and a kangaroo court convened which was really controlled by the WH.

[Disturbed]

5. Great Britain is a signatory to the World Court.

Blair could be tried for War Crimes.