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Jack Straw to face Iraq inquiry Jack Straw to face Iraq inquiry
(about 7 hours later)
Jack Straw is due to give evidence to the Iraq inquiry later, the first serving cabinet minister to do so.Jack Straw is due to give evidence to the Iraq inquiry later, the first serving cabinet minister to do so.
Mr Straw, foreign secretary from 2001 to 2006 but now justice secretary, is due to give evidence for three hours.Mr Straw, foreign secretary from 2001 to 2006 but now justice secretary, is due to give evidence for three hours.
On Tuesday, former defence secretary Geoff Hoon became the first cabinet minister from 2003 to give evidence.On Tuesday, former defence secretary Geoff Hoon became the first cabinet minister from 2003 to give evidence.
Former Prime Minister Tony Blair will appear on 29 January at the inquiry, which is looking into the run-up, conduct of and aftermath of the war.Former Prime Minister Tony Blair will appear on 29 January at the inquiry, which is looking into the run-up, conduct of and aftermath of the war.
Mr Straw's session will be the latest in a series of high-profile appearances which began with former government communications chief Alastair Campbell last week.Mr Straw's session will be the latest in a series of high-profile appearances which began with former government communications chief Alastair Campbell last week.
He is due to be questioned from 1400 GMT to 1700 GMT and is likely to be asked about a letter he wrote to Mr Blair in March 2002 - 10 days before the prime minister met US President George Bush at his ranch in Texas - which was leaked to the Sunday Times. He is due to be questioned from 1400 GMT to 1700 GMT and is likely to be asked about a letter he wrote to Mr Blair in March 2002 - 10 days before the prime minister met US President George Bush at his ranch in Texas.
Mr Straw apparently raised questions about whether military action would result in a better regime in Iraq and told Mr Blair "regime change per se is no justification for military action: it could form part of the method of any strategy, but not a goal". UN efforts
According to a Sunday Times report on the letter Mr Straw raised questions about whether military action would result in a better regime in Iraq and told Mr Blair "regime change per se is no justification for military action: it could form part of the method of any strategy, but not a goal".
As foreign secretary, he played a crucial role in efforts to deal with Iraq through the United Nations, which resulted in a resolution in November 2002 giving Saddam Hussein a "final opportunity" to disarm.
But UK and US efforts to secure a second resolution, which critics of the war said was needed to explicitly authorise military action, failed.
INQUIRY TIMELINE January-February: Jack Straw, Tony Blair and other senior Labour figures to appear before the panel February: Inquiry to adjourn ahead of the general election campaignJune-July: Inquiry to resume and hear from Gordon Brown among othersReport set to be published in late 2010 or early 2011 Iraq inquiry: Day-by-day timeline Q&A: Iraq war inquiry
Asked if he felt Mr Straw had had any "doubts" about the case for military action, former cabinet secretary Lord Turnbull told the inquiry last week that if he did, he had not expressed them publicly.
"What the cabinet saw of the foreign secretary was someone battling very hard indeed, it turns out with pretty poor material, presenting the case in the United Nations," he said.
"This didn't look like a man who was privately thinking 'this whole thing is flawed. I just don't think this thing adds up'."
Mr Straw is also likely to be asked about the legal basis for the war, which the cabinet did not discuss in detail before the conflict began.
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he had written to the inquiry chairman, Sir John Chilcot, to say he was "happy" to appear before the panel at any time of its choosing.On Wednesday, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he had written to the inquiry chairman, Sir John Chilcot, to say he was "happy" to appear before the panel at any time of its choosing.
He is due to give evidence after the general election but opposition parties say he should appear beforehand as he played a crucial role, then as chancellor, in spending decisions.He is due to give evidence after the general election but opposition parties say he should appear beforehand as he played a crucial role, then as chancellor, in spending decisions.
Wednesday's inquiry session saw former intelligence chief Sir David Omand tell the inquiry the "45-minute claim" in the 2002 intelligence dossier on Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction had been "a bit of local colour" and a rare example of detail that the intelligence services allowed to be included. Wednesday's inquiry session saw former intelligence chief Sir David Omand tell the inquiry the "45-minute claim" in the 2002 intelligence dossier on Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction had been "a bit of local colour" and was added because it was a rare example of detail that the intelligence services allowed to be included.