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UN feeble over Saddam - Miliband UN feeble over Saddam - Miliband
(30 minutes later)
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.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.
The foreign secretary said scope for action against him had become "severely limited" by "feeble follow-through". The UK foreign secretary said scope for action against him had become "severely limited" by "feeble follow-through".
Mr Miliband told the Iraq inquiry that international agencies thought Saddam posed "the material to be a danger".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".But he said he disagreed with former US Vice-President Dick Cheney that Iraq was an "epicentre of terrorism".
The US-led coalition which launched an invasion of Iraq in March 2003 did so without a further UN resolution explicitly backing the action.
'Harsher measures'
The inquiry heard that Saddam had faced 14 resolutions since the Gulf War of 1991, including sanctions.
Mr Miliband said: "The sanctions had shown its own severe limitations. The record since 1991 had shown severe limitations in the UN's willingness to follow through on the demands it had made.
"The longer the UN fails to impose its will, the harsher the measures required when it does impose its will."
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 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. The foreign secretary, who was an education minister when the Iraq war started, will be followed by Sir Bill Jeffrey, the permanent under-secretary at the Ministry of Defence.
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 will be questioned for 90 minutes, with Sir Bill facing the inquiry panel for an hour.