Iraq and Afghan War Inquiries: Iraq War Inquiry Resumed: Day 2&3

As noted the other day the British Iraq War Inquiry has resumed after their holiday break.

Below you will find some of the reports from the outlets of these past days testimonies and what's coming up. These are more focused on the British with little mention, unlike before the holidays, of what was going on here in this country and our administration and military leaders.

U.K. in 2007 made peace with Sadr

British troops in the Iraqi port city of Basra brokered a truce with a Shiite militia before pulling back to their military base in 2007, an inquiry heard.

British forces withdrew from Basra to the port city's international airport three months after the cease-fire. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in March 2008, however, ordered a unilateral military offensive into the city to take on remaining militants....>>>>>

British and Iraqis clashed on air strike policy, Chilcot inquiry told

British troops on patrol in Basra in March 2008, the month the Charge of the Knights operation was launched. Photograph: Ali Yussef/AFP/Getty Images

UK forces refused to risk civilian casualties in joint Basra mission, says former coalition commander

British military commanders clashed with their Iraqi counterparts about requests for air strikes that could have caused massive civilian casualties, the Iraq inquiry heard today.

UK forces refused to launch bombing attacks on areas that had not been properly checked during an Iraqi army-led assault on militias in the southern city of Basra.

The Iraqi prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, took British generals by surprise when he started the operation, called Charge of the Knights, earlier than expected in March 2008.

Snip

White-Spunner told the inquiry: "We were asked at times in those very chaotic early days to do some things by the Iraqis which if we had agreed to, I would be sitting in front of a very different tribunal now ...>>>>>

"I would be sitting in front of a very different tribunal now..."

Wonder how many times that thought passed through the minds of our administration then and the military leaders all giving orders to our soldiers?

Britain refused to carry out risky Iraq air strikes, Iraq inquiry is told

Commander tells inquiry that Iraqis’ requests to strike targets were declined amid concerns over civilian casualties

Nouri al-Maliki, the Iraqi Prime Minister, ordered the “Charge of the Knights” to overthrow the al-Mahdi Army, a Shia militia loyal to the radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.

Snip

General White-Spunner said that the Iraqi military had been annoyed when he refused requests for airstrikes on targets that he believed could lead to large civilian casualties. “We were invited to drop ordnance on areas which we considered not to have been thoroughly enough vetted and which could have caused considerable civilian casualties,” he told the inquiry.

“It did give rise to some people saying we weren’t as co-operative as we could have been, but there were very good reasons. There was some Iraqi annoyance in our targeting policy.” He said the American military's rules of engagement were “slightly easier”, allowing US forces to be more involved in the operation....>>>>>

Truth at Last: How Blair Took His Party to War in Iraq

The new decade begins with some unfinished business from the old. The official British Government Chilcot Inquiry in to the Iraq War resumed in London on Tuesday, with five more weeks of public hearings devoted to Ministers, senior civil servants and military officers. We shall have to wait until after the British General Election in May to hear the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown and others in government whose continued operational command over British foreign policy precludes them from appearing. Others such as former Minister, Jack Straw, and Tony Blair will, however, be questioned by Sir John Chilcot and his team.

Snip

But if not exactly spectator sport, the Inquiry has so far presented a vivid spectacle of assorted Mandarins, diplomats and military officers, who far from presenting a united front have more often been at pains to illuminate the deep disquiet felt about the Iraq war and its aftermath that ran through much ofthe British Establishment. ‘Disquiet’ is an apt description, for few chose to make their reservations public at the time – or resign in protest....>>>>>

"or resign in protest"

Same, almost, happening on this side of the pond, as we were the main force of lies and cheery picked intelligence as to Iraq. but right from the go we did have many who "resigned", from diplomats to lower level government officials as well as many who were outright fired including from our military leadership, all speaking out about the reality to come if the invasion of that innocent country took place!

Families will not see Blair

RELATIVES of South Tyneside victims of the Iraq war will not be in attendance when Tony Blair gives evidence before an inquiry into the conflict.
Seats for the former prime minister's appearance will be allocated by public ballot.

Mr Blair will give a full day of evidence to the Iraq Inquiry at some point between January 25 and February 5....>>>>>

Tony Blair's Iraq Inquiry appearance is snubbed by dead soldier's dad

John Miller is snubbing Tony Blair's appearance at the Iraq Inquiry.

The dad of a Wearside Redcap killed in Iraq believes it would be "pointless" attending an inquiry to see Tony Blair give evidence.
Audience seats for the former Prime Minister's highly-anticipated appearance at the hearing into the Iraq war will be allocated by public ballot, it has been announced.

John Miller, dad of Corporal Simon Miller, says he will not be attending, but added that there is "no way" Mr Blair can justify the war.

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Cpl Simon Miller, 21, was among six Royal Military Policeman, known as Redcaps, who were killed when they were attacked by a 400-strong Iraqi mob in June 2003

"The other factor is that the families can't say anything. If you have seen the inquiry so far you will notice there hasn't been a peep from the gallery.

"I don't know what they will get out of Blair. It depends whether they ask the awkward questions.

"There's no way he can justify the war. It's already been established that there were no weapons.

"He will just try to save his neck. He must be cringing at the prospect."...>>>>>