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US 'ruled out Iraq war in 2001' US 'not talking of war in 2001'
(about 2 hours later)
Former US President George W Bush initially seemed no more keen than ex-President Clinton to use force against Iraq, the Iraq inquiry has heard.Former US President George W Bush initially seemed no more keen than ex-President Clinton to use force against Iraq, the Iraq inquiry has heard.
Tony Blair's ex-foreign policy adviser Sir John Sawers said the UK and US were agreed in early 2001 their containment policy for Iraq was "unsustainable".Tony Blair's ex-foreign policy adviser Sir John Sawers said the UK and US were agreed in early 2001 their containment policy for Iraq was "unsustainable".
He said there were concerns over the effects of sanctions on Iraqis and the risks to pilots policing no-fly zones.He said there were concerns over the effects of sanctions on Iraqis and the risks to pilots policing no-fly zones.
But military action against Iraq was not considered at that time, he said.But military action against Iraq was not considered at that time, he said.
First meetingFirst meeting
Sir John told the inquiry: "There was no discussion of a military invasion or anything like that.Sir John told the inquiry: "There was no discussion of a military invasion or anything like that.
"That was not raised and not suggested. There was obviously a concern on the American side that they should retain the right to use military force if their planes were threatened or brought down or if the weapons controls exercised through the UN proved ineffective."That was not raised and not suggested. There was obviously a concern on the American side that they should retain the right to use military force if their planes were threatened or brought down or if the weapons controls exercised through the UN proved ineffective.
"But that was reserving the right to use force rather than any plan or threat to use force any greater than President Clinton's administration had used.""But that was reserving the right to use force rather than any plan or threat to use force any greater than President Clinton's administration had used."
IRAQ INQUIRY TIMELINE November and December 2009: Former top civil servants, spy chiefs, diplomats and military commanders give evidenceJanuary and 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 and August 2010: Inquiry expected to resumeLate 2010 or early 2011: Report set to be published Iraq inquiry: Day-by-day timeline Q&A: Iraq war inquiryIRAQ INQUIRY TIMELINE November and December 2009: Former top civil servants, spy chiefs, diplomats and military commanders give evidenceJanuary and 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 and August 2010: Inquiry expected to resumeLate 2010 or early 2011: Report set to be published Iraq inquiry: Day-by-day timeline Q&A: Iraq war inquiry
Sir John visited Washington in January 2001 before President Bush's inauguration for informal talks with the incoming administration.Sir John visited Washington in January 2001 before President Bush's inauguration for informal talks with the incoming administration.
The then UK Prime minister Mr Blair and Mr Bush discussed Iraq at their first meeting at Camp David in February 2001, he said. The then UK prime minister Mr Blair and Mr Bush discussed Iraq at their first meeting at Camp David in February 2001, he said.
Sir John told the inquiry Mr Bush said at that meeting he wanted a more "realistic" policy on Iraq.Sir John told the inquiry Mr Bush said at that meeting he wanted a more "realistic" policy on Iraq.
Sir John said Iraq was seen as a continuing - rather than growing - threat both to its neighbours and over what at the time was believed to be its development of weapons of mass destruction.Sir John said Iraq was seen as a continuing - rather than growing - threat both to its neighbours and over what at the time was believed to be its development of weapons of mass destruction.
"The concern was that measures we had in place to contain the threat were increasingly difficult to sustain," he told the inquiry."The concern was that measures we had in place to contain the threat were increasingly difficult to sustain," he told the inquiry.
He said the feeling from the meeting between Mr Blair and Mr Bush was how to make the existing containment policy more sustainable, rather than "sharpen" it.He said the feeling from the meeting between Mr Blair and Mr Bush was how to make the existing containment policy more sustainable, rather than "sharpen" it.
Options for regime change were considered, but these involved methods such as indicting Iraqi president Saddam Hussein for war crimes and trying to communicate to the Iraqi people the benefits of change.Options for regime change were considered, but these involved methods such as indicting Iraqi president Saddam Hussein for war crimes and trying to communicate to the Iraqi people the benefits of change.
Sir John said a Whitehall policy review paper, approved by Mr Blair, recommended narrowing the scope of sanctions to weapons as well as goods that could be used in WMD programmes. 'Serious disorder'
The inquiry - headed by Sir John Chilcot - is looking at events before, during and after the Iraq war, between 2001 and 2009. He said a Whitehall policy review paper, approved by Mr Blair, recommended narrowing the scope of sanctions to weapons as well as goods that could be used in WMD programmes.
Sir John, the current head of MI6, became a special envoy to Baghdad in 2003.
He told the inquiry he found "serious disorder" when he arrived in Iraq.
"I was very disappointed by the quality of senior figures who were mainly retired Vietnam-era US generals," he said.
Sir John said he did not believe that disbanding the Iraqi army that year had been pivotal in provoking a Sunni insurgency.
The inquiry - headed by Sir John Chilcot and looking at events before, during and after the Iraq war, between 2001 and 2009 - was adjourned until Monday.