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Miliband faces Iraq war inquiry UN feeble over Saddam - Miliband
(21 minutes later)
Foreign Secretary David Miliband is giving evidence to the inquiry into the Iraq war. The "successive failures" of the United Nations to follow through threats to Saddam Hussein weakened it ahead of the Iraq war, David Miliband has said.
Mr Miliband, in the job since 2007, is expected to be asked about post-war regeneration and the winding down of the UK troop presence in the country. The foreign secretary said scope for action against him had become "severely limited" by "feeble follow-through".
He will be followed by Sir Bill Jeffrey, the permanent under-secretary at the Ministry of Defence. Mr Miliband told the Iraq inquiry that international agencies thought Saddam posed "the material to be a danger".
But he said he disagreed with former US Vice-President Dick Cheney that Iraq was an "epicentre of terrorism".
Mr Miliband said: "The argument that Saddam was the best bulwark against Iran and the Iranians the best bulwark against Saddam was not a terribly good case."
Mr Miliband, Foreign Secretary since 2007, is also expected to be asked about post-war regeneration and the winding down of the UK troop presence in the country.
He is also likely to be asked about Operation Charge of the Knights, against the the Shia militia, the Mahdi army, in 2008.
Mr Miliband will be followed by Sir Bill Jeffrey, the permanent under-secretary at the Ministry of Defence.
On Friday, Gordon Brown told the inquiry he had not deprived the services of equipment while chancellor.On Friday, Gordon Brown told the inquiry he had not deprived the services of equipment while chancellor.
Mr Miliband, who was foreign secretary for end - in 2009 - of the UK's troop presence in Iraq, is also likely to be asked about Operation Charge of the Knights, against the the Shia militia, the Mahdi army, in 2008.
Mr Miliband will be questioned for 90 minutes, with Sir Bill facing the inquiry panel for an hour.Mr Miliband will be questioned for 90 minutes, with Sir Bill facing the inquiry panel for an hour.