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Iraq military build-up examined Iraq military role 'remarkable'
(about 1 hour later)
The military build-up to the invasion of Iraq is continuing to be scrutinised at the Chilcot inquiry on Friday. Getting UK forces ready to go to war in Iraq was a "remarkable achievement" given the time allowed for preparation, a senior military figure has said.
Two of the UK's most senior army officers at the time of the war are giving evidence about preparations for the March 2003 action. Sir Anthony Piggot, Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff in 2003, told the Iraq inquiry it was never "a stitched up deal" that the UK would be involved.
Ex-defence chief Admiral Lord Boyce has said he was "frustrated" some planning was kept secret so as not to hamper failed UN efforts to solve the crisis. He said he began exploring military "options" in May 2002, as ministers had "intent" to do something on Iraq.
But he said he believed frontline troops were properly equipped. But he said this was focused at the time on disarmament not regime change.
Countdown to war Options process
The Chilcot inquiry is continuing to scrutinise the military build-up to the invasion of Iraq on Friday.
In recent days, the inquiry has been looking into when military preparations for the invasion began in the UK and US and whether they made a diplomatic solution less likely.In recent days, the inquiry has been looking into when military preparations for the invasion began in the UK and US and whether they made a diplomatic solution less likely.
Among those giving evidence on Friday are Lt General Sir Anthony Pigott, Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff between 2000 and 2003 and Major General David Wilson, senior British military advisor to US Central Command in the run-up to war. Sir Anthony told the inquiry he set up a small "scoping" group in Whitehall to look at potential military options for Iraq in May 2002, not long after a crucial meeting between Tony Blair and President Bush.
"My job was to bring options," he said. "There was no talk about plans at that stage. We were talking about options".
INQUIRY TIMELINE November-December: Former top civil servants, spy chiefs, diplomats and military commanders to give evidenceJanuary-February 2010: Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and other politicians expected to appear before the panel March 2010: Inquiry expected to adjourn ahead of the general election campaignJuly-August 2010: Inquiry expected to resumeReport set to be published in late 2010 or early 2011 Iraq inquiry: Day-by-day timeline Q&A: Iraq war inquiryINQUIRY TIMELINE November-December: Former top civil servants, spy chiefs, diplomats and military commanders to give evidenceJanuary-February 2010: Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and other politicians expected to appear before the panel March 2010: Inquiry expected to adjourn ahead of the general election campaignJuly-August 2010: Inquiry expected to resumeReport set to be published in late 2010 or early 2011 Iraq inquiry: Day-by-day timeline Q&A: Iraq war inquiry
Lord Boyce told the inquiry that planning for possible military action had been "ramped up" in May 2002, not long after a key meeting between then Prime Minister Tony Blair and US President George Bush. He said this exercise was driven by an "evolving political intent".
He said the US always believed that the UK would take part in the Iraq invasion even if there were no efforts to solve the crisis via the UN. Asked what this intent was, he said he believed it was focused on dealing with the weapons of mass destruction Iraq was believed to possess not regime change.
But Sir Kevin Tebbit, the top civil servant at the Ministry of Defence, said the UK was "cautious" about military planning as it was trying to negotiate a UN mandate to force Saddam Hussein to disarm. From an early stage, he believed the minuses of the UK not contributing anything to a potential action "outweighed" the plusses.
Recalling a conversation with US commanders in June 2002, he said he was told that the US had "enough combat power" to go it alone in Iraq but wanted UK support for both military and political reasons.
"What we want from the Brits is ideas," he said we was told. "You are the thinkers."
'Serious player'
Ex-defence chief Admiral Lord Boyce said on Thursday that he was "frustrated" that some planning was kept secret in the run-up to war so as not to hamper failed UN efforts to solve the crisis.
But he said he believed frontline troops were properly equipped when they entered Iraq.
Sir Anthony said the timeframe that commanders were given to play the role requested of its armed forces in Iraq was tight.
"It was a remarkable logistic achievement to get that force structure in that timeframe into there to play a leading role," he said.
Asked what the UK got out of the mission, he said it showed the UK was a "serious player" and "enhanced no end" its military relationship with the US in terms of future operations and sharing intelligence.
Also giving evidence on Friday are Major General David Wilson, senior British military advisor to US Central Command in the run-up to war and Dominick Asquith, in charge of Iraq policy at the Foreign Office between 2004 and 2006 and later British ambassador to Baghdad.
In the first few weeks, the inquiry is hearing from senior diplomats and policy advisers who shaped policy in the run-up to the war.In the first few weeks, the inquiry is hearing from senior diplomats and policy advisers who shaped policy in the run-up to the war.
It is also examining planning for the aftermath of the war and on Friday will hear from Dominick Asquith, in charge of Iraq policy at the Foreign Office between 2004 and 2006 and later British ambassador to Baghdad.
The crucial question of the legality of the war will not be addressed until early next year, when Tony Blair is expected to give evidence.The crucial question of the legality of the war will not be addressed until early next year, when Tony Blair is expected to give evidence.