This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk_politics/8555049.stm
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| UN feeble over Saddam - Miliband | UN feeble over Saddam - Miliband |
| (about 4 hours 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 | 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." |
| 'Pure doublespeak' | |
| 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." |
| But Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesman Ed Davey said: "David Miliband and Gordon Brown are on a PR offensive to rewrite the history of the Iraq War. | |
| "The idea that the UK upheld international law by invading Iraq is pure Labour doublespeak. | |
| "Iraq diminished our standing in the Middle East and the wider world and divided us from our natural allies." | |
| 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. |
| 'Driving instinct' | |
| In separate 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. | 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. |
| Speaking about the earlier part of the conflict in Iraq, Sir Bill said: "Our troops were returning and encountering people in local pubs who were often to what they were doing, or hostile to it... | |
| "It's hard to detect when it started, but I think there's more understanding on the part of the public of what they are achieving and how much credit they are due." | |
| It was the inquiry's final hearing until after the general election, which is expected in May. | |
| As he ended the hearing, chairman Sir John Chilcot said: "The Iraq inquiry intends to remain out of the public eye over the period of the election because we are independent and non-political. We've been clear from the outset that we have to remain outside party politics. | |
| "We have asked the political parties to respect that position and I would like to repeat that request today, as the election campaign comes closer." |