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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| UN feeble over Saddam - Miliband | UN feeble over Saddam - Miliband |
| (about 1 hour 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 UK 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. | 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' | 'Harsher measures' |
| The inquiry heard that Saddam had faced 14 resolutions since the Gulf War of 1991, including sanctions, no-fly zones and a naval embargo. | The inquiry heard that Saddam had faced 14 resolutions since the Gulf War of 1991, including sanctions, no-fly zones and a naval embargo. |
| 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. | 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. |
| We are seen to have played a part in freeing the country from a tyranny that's bitterly remembered David Miliband, Foreign Secretary | |
| "The longer the UN fails to impose its will, the harsher the measures required when it does impose its will." | "The longer the UN fails to impose its will, the harsher the measures required when it does impose its will." |
| Mr Miliband also said: "The authority of the UN, I think, would have been severely dented if the hypothetical case that you are putting - that we had marched to the top of the hill of pressure and then walked down again without disarming Saddam - then I think that would have been really quite damaging for any of the multilateral aims that we have that need to be pursued through the UN." | Mr Miliband also said: "The authority of the UN, I think, would have been severely dented if the hypothetical case that you are putting - that we had marched to the top of the hill of pressure and then walked down again without disarming Saddam - then I think that would have been really quite damaging for any of the multilateral aims that we have that need to be pursued through the UN." |
| He told the inquiry: "The fact that the argument was made very clearly, notably in this country, that feeble follow-through undermines strong words, I think, is significant." | He told the inquiry: "The fact that the argument was made very clearly, notably in this country, that feeble follow-through undermines strong words, I think, is significant." |
| 'Chaotic potential' | 'Chaotic potential' |
| He 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." | He 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, who became foreign secretary in 2007, was asked about how the UK was seen by Iraqis. | Mr Miliband, who became foreign secretary in 2007, was asked about how the UK was seen by Iraqis. |
| He replied: "We are seen to have played a part in freeing the country from a tyranny that's bitterly remembered. | He replied: "We are seen to have played a part in freeing the country from a tyranny that's bitterly remembered. |
| "That's true for significant sections of the population - obviously for the Kurds, obviously for the Shias and for some of the Sunnis as well." | "That's true for significant sections of the population - obviously for the Kurds, obviously for the Shias and for some of the Sunnis as well." |
| Mr Miliband said the situation in Iraq was "still in play" and showed "chaotic potential". | Mr Miliband said the situation in Iraq was "still in play" and showed "chaotic potential". |
| The foreign secretary was an education minister when the war started. | The foreign secretary was an education minister when the war started. |
| In later evidence to the inquiry, Ministry of Defence permanent under-secretary Sir Bill Jeffrey said the expansion of operations in Afghanistan in 2006 had meant "there was a risk that we would be stretched in two theatres for longer than was desirable". | |
| But this did not mean "that we departed from our driving instinct" that pulling out of Iraq would take place at the right time, he added. | |
| On Friday, Prime Minister Gordon Brown told the inquiry he had not deprived the armed forces of equipment while chancellor. |