cancel2 2022
Canceled
It has only taken seven bloody years, so we shall see finally!
Tony Blair’s reputation will be seriously damaged by upcoming Chilcot report into the Iraq War and will deliver ‘absolutely brutal’ verdict on Jack Straw and intelligence figures, former minister revealsSir John Chilcot will finally deliver his report on July 6 after seven years
But some of the harshest criticism will be reserved for Mr Straw over the aftermath of the war and the top general who oversaw the city of Basra after it was captured, a source told the Sunday Times. The former minister told the newspaper that British forces 'did make a mess of the aftermath' and will describe the 2007 withdrawal from Basra as 'embarrassing'. 'Serious mistakes' were made by senior generals running Basra and other southern provinces in the country, the report will say and misjudgments were so bad that British troops 'had to be rescued by the Americans'.
The aftermath of the 2003 invasion is expected to be covered at greater length in the report than the build up, but public attention will be much more focussed on the decisions and the period before British forces joined American troops to invade Iraq in 2003 in search of Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction. Mr Dearlove, who served as the head of MI6 at the time of the invasion, will be criticised for failing to stop Blair's government from putting a 'gloss' on the intelligence surrounding Saddam's apparent stock of weapons.
It led to a British government document - which became known as the 'dodgy dossier' - published in September 2002 that claimed the Iraqi dictator could attack British targets within just 45 minutes. 'The intelligence community should have resisted' the claims in the memo, the Chilcot report will reportedly say. Remarkably, the source close to the report's findings said Mr Blair's cabinet did not have 'the full picture' - suggesting his informal 'sofa style' of government led to mistakes and oversights in the run up to the 2003 invasion.
Tony Blair 'won't be let off the hook' over claims he offered British military assistance to US President George Bush
before the invasion of Iraq in 2003, a source close to the Chilcot report said
Tony Blair’s reputation will be seriously damaged by upcoming Chilcot report into the Iraq War and will deliver ‘absolutely brutal’ verdict on Jack Straw and intelligence figures, former minister revealsSir John Chilcot will finally deliver his report on July 6 after seven years
- Former minister with knowledge of the panel discussions has spoken out
- Blair, Straw and ex-MI6 boss Sir Richard Dearlove will face 'damage to their reputations'
- The source has revealed the report is set to savage leading generals too
- Blair 'won't be let off the hook' over claims he offered Bush assistance
But some of the harshest criticism will be reserved for Mr Straw over the aftermath of the war and the top general who oversaw the city of Basra after it was captured, a source told the Sunday Times. The former minister told the newspaper that British forces 'did make a mess of the aftermath' and will describe the 2007 withdrawal from Basra as 'embarrassing'. 'Serious mistakes' were made by senior generals running Basra and other southern provinces in the country, the report will say and misjudgments were so bad that British troops 'had to be rescued by the Americans'.
The aftermath of the 2003 invasion is expected to be covered at greater length in the report than the build up, but public attention will be much more focussed on the decisions and the period before British forces joined American troops to invade Iraq in 2003 in search of Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction. Mr Dearlove, who served as the head of MI6 at the time of the invasion, will be criticised for failing to stop Blair's government from putting a 'gloss' on the intelligence surrounding Saddam's apparent stock of weapons.
It led to a British government document - which became known as the 'dodgy dossier' - published in September 2002 that claimed the Iraqi dictator could attack British targets within just 45 minutes. 'The intelligence community should have resisted' the claims in the memo, the Chilcot report will reportedly say. Remarkably, the source close to the report's findings said Mr Blair's cabinet did not have 'the full picture' - suggesting his informal 'sofa style' of government led to mistakes and oversights in the run up to the 2003 invasion.
Tony Blair 'won't be let off the hook' over claims he offered British military assistance to US President George Bush
before the invasion of Iraq in 2003, a source close to the Chilcot report said
