tagged w/ Chilcot Inquiry
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From reading the article, I can confirm he did use the words Tittle Tattle, why?, well because it's John Prescott apparently.
Today Lord Prescott appeared at the Iraq Inquiry to answer questions which surrounded his opinion on the intelligence report, his view on what other interviewees were like at the time and comments about him made in Alastair Campbells' diaries.
Here are quotes from the Telegraph article:
-On the Intelligence Reports:
"When I kept reading them, I kept thinking to myself, 'Is this intelligence?' It's basically what you have heard somewhere and what somebody else has told somebody. Presumably that's how intelligence is brought about. So I got the feeling it wasn't very substantial, but it clearly was robust.
[...]Certainly what they do in intelligence is a bit of tittle tattle here and a bit more information there.' "
-On Goldsmith and Clare Short:
"Former attorney general Lord Goldsmith was "not a very happy bunny" before the March 2003 invasion of Iraq, when Mr Blair was asking him to find a legal case for the war, Lord Prescott added. [...] "Clare was not so much out of the side of the mouth - she was direct out front. That was the nature of Clare," he said."From reading the article, I can confirm he did use the words Tittle Tattle, why?, well... more
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It is not unknown for the Chilcot Inquiry to call people back for further questioning after fresh evidence or statements are made by others."MPs last night said that Mr Blair should be the first of the witnesses to be re-examined."-Independent
With the release of documents that show Lord Goldsmith's U-turn on the legality of a Iraq invasion, which contain notes from Blair in the memos. The Independent says "Tony Blair could be brought back before the Iraq war inquiry to face questions over whether he pressurised his Attorney General"-Independent
The newspaper explains how the Chilcot panel were unable to discuss the issue with Tony Blair because the documents were classified. While also stating Chilcot expressed 'frustration' from being unable to refer to the documents when questioning Lord Goldsmith.It is not unknown for the Chilcot Inquiry to call people back for further questioning... more
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[updated]
The Chilcot Inquiry is back after the election, and it questioned Sir John Holmes (UK Ambassador to France) and Douglas Brand who advised the policing in Iraq.
Chilcot also released some documents, now declassified, which are letters from Goldsmith to Blair on the legality of the war. It's said to show when Goldsmith changed his mind on the legality of a Iraq war. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/politics/10463844.stm
http://www.iraqinquiry.org.uk/transcripts/declassified-documents.aspx
Sir John Holmes talked about the views from France about the war, stating in the country was against military action and worried the US would use the UN to find reasons for war and the UK would support this.
"Giving evidence, Sir John Holmes - ambassador to France between 2001 and 2007 - said Paris became worried during 2002 that the US would take "unilateral action" against Iraq and that the UK would be willing to support this despite British statements that war was "not inevitable"...Paris was "always suspicious" that the UK and US would use UN negotiations as "cover for a better basis for war"-BBC
There was also questions over former French President Chirac's television comments over vetoing the second resolution in the UN. Flash back article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/2838269.stm
Douglas Brand talked about the policing plans for Iraq, saying he thought the plans were unrealistic to the reality of a post war country. "There seemed to be this sort of expectation that the police would rise like a phoenix and just get on with things like they always do."-BBC
Related Article: "Chilcot inquiry: Diplomat rejects Blair claim that France barred UN Iraq vote" http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/jun/29/chilcot-inquiry-france-sir-john-holmes[updated]
The Chilcot Inquiry is back after the election, and it questioned Sir... more
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The Times reports senior US military and political officials were recently interviewed by the Chilcot Inquiry, the evidence made by the unnamed officials will not be made public.
The article says, the Chilcot Inquiry is currently on a five day trip to America to question current and past US government members, suggesting they'll be clarity statements already made by UK officials.
"Some senior military officers have told the inquiry that their American counterparts were convinced British forces would join the war while politicians in London were still publicly insisting that no decision had been reached."-The Times.
I assume the final review will mention the evidence made by the US officials (not familiar with inquiry practises though) but with no public transcripts it'll leave the Q&As closed from scrutiny.The Times reports senior US military and political officials were recently interviewed... more
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Brown’s strategy here was very different from that of Tony Blair. While Blair was defensive, moralistic and occasionally truculent, Brown’s approach seemed to be to try to bore the committee to death, or at least into a stupor. Now if he'd just answer the questions.Brown’s strategy here was very different from that of Tony Blair. While Blair... more
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Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair was warned two months before the invasion of Iraq that it would be illegal to go to war without the backing of the United Nations.
Senior government lawyers in the UK told the official Chilcott inquiry into the Iraq War that they had advised the military invasion led by the United States had no legal basis in international law. Every one of the 27 lawyers in the department had advised Blair that the war was illegal.Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair was warned two months before the invasion of... more
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Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair was heckled as he refused to express any regret for the Iraq war and insisted Britain would ultimately be able to look back on the conflict with immense pride.Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair was heckled as he refused to express any... more
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dlamb
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added this
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2 years ago
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Former attorney general, Lord Goldsmith is answering questions at the Chilcot inquiry today. The Guardian, blogging the event live, highlights a few important points:
• "Goldsmith said that when he told Tony Blair in 2002 that Blair would need a UN resolution to justify war against Iraq, his advice was "not terribly welcome".
• Goldsmith said that he originally thought it would be up to the UN security council - not individual governments - to decide whether Iraq was in material breach of UN resolutions.
• Goldsmith says that, on the basis of the intelligence briefing he received in the summer of 2002, he concluded that Iraq did not pose an imminent threat to the UK."
Former prime minister Tony Blair is scheduled for his hearing on Friday. Unless the US holds a similar inquiry into president Bush, and vice president Cheney's responsibility, this will be the closest the public gets to watching a leader forced to answer for his decisions leading up to the Iraq invasion.
Story: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/jan/27/lord-goldsmith-iraq-inquiry
Live blog: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/blog/2010/jan/27/iraq-war-inquiry-iraqFormer attorney general, Lord Goldsmith is answering questions at the Chilcot inquiry... more
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dlamb
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added this
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2 years ago
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Tony Blair is a war criminal responsible for mass murder and anyone wily enough to place him under citizen's arrest should be rewarded tidily for their efforts, claims a controversial piece by Guardian writer George Monblot.
Recently a Dutch court ruled that the Iraq war had "no sound mandate in international law" - so essentially it was illegal. Monblot argues that the Iraq Inquiry, which is set to question Tony Blair on why Britain went to war, won't find a similar conclusion because Labour and the Conservatives both voted for the war so wouldn't want to be implicated.
By how do they even have a say when the enquiry is independent? Over to the Guardian: "there's a problem with official inquiries in the United Kingdom: the government appoints their members and sets their terms of reference. It's the equivalent of a criminal suspect being allowed to choose what the charges should be, who should judge his case and who should sit on the jury. As a senior judge told the Guardian in November: "Looking into the legality of the war is the last thing the government wants. And actually, it's the last thing the opposition wants either because they voted for the war. There simply is not the political pressure to explore the question of legality – they have not asked because they don't want the answer."
It's a fascinating piece that concludes with what's basically an invitation to chip in to a massive whipround for cash to reward anyone foolhardy enough to try enacting a citizen's arrest on Tony Blair. Quite why Monblot himself hasn't isn't really revealed and I'm not a huge fan of this proposal. I think it's a little gimmicky, it puts people trying it at risk of getting hurt by an over-zealous protection officer and it cheapens a very good argument. At the same time, it's clearly going to be the thing that gets Monblot's arguments attention and the day we stop questioning the motive's behind our government taking our country to war is the day we should really start to worry.
http://www.arrestblair.org/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jan/25/bounty-blair-war-criminal-chilcotTony Blair is a war criminal responsible for mass murder and anyone wily enough to... more
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richjm
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added this
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2 years ago
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Cancer is spreading like wildfire in Iraq. Thousands of infants are being born with deformities. Doctors say they are struggling to cope with the rise of cancer and birth defects, especially in cities subjected to heavy American and British bombardment.Cancer is spreading like wildfire in Iraq. Thousands of infants are being born with... more
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Fresh evidence has emerged that former British Prime Minister Tony Blair's discredited Iraqi arms dossier was "sexed up" on the instructions of Alastair Campbell, his communications chief, to fit with claims from the US administration that were known to be false.Fresh evidence has emerged that former British Prime Minister Tony Blair's... more
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British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has been accused of “muzzling” the Chilcot inquiry into the country’s role in Iraq after refusing to alter rules that allow government departments to withhold crucial documents from the public.British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has been accused of “muzzling” the... more
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