Chilcot report: Politicians to demand date for Iraq war inquiry

Chilcot report: Politicians to demand date for Iraq war inquiry over 'political football' fears

Oct 28, 2014 - Ministers will come under pressure to say when Sir John Chilcott’s report on war in Iraq will be published in Westminster today.

Tory MP Keith Simpson has called a debate on the costs of the inquiry, which was set up in 2009.

David Cameron suggested months ago that it would finally be released by the end of this year.

But Commons leader William Hague would last week only say that he “hopes” Sir John will report before the general election next May.

Senior Whitehall figures are worried about the report becoming a political football if it is released too close to polling day.

Last week Keith Simpson demanded to know whether it will be published “this side of the general election” adding “or is it going to be... something that we will expect in about 50 years time?” read more>>>

* * * The British Iraq War Inquiry * * * Released will carry private communications between GWBush and TBlair, like this already released: TB said there was a danger the Tories would see this as their chance to get rid of him … Bush said they would make it clear to the Tories that if they moved to get rid of TB "we will get rid of them".

* * * Iraq War Promoted Terrorism Rather Than Reducing It * * *

24 April 2014 - Britain’s involvement in the Iraq War promoted terrorism rather than reducing it and was a “strategic failure”, according to a major new report which estimated the cost of all UK conflicts since the end of the Cold War.
The Royal United Services Institute said the UK could face a bill of nearly £65bn, once the cost of long-term care for injured veterans was factored in, with most of the money was spent on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The study, called Wars in Peace, said both conflicts were largely “strategic failures” for the UK, The Guardian reported."

Facts: Matthew Hoh {former Marine and foreign service officer in Afghanistan}: "We spend a trillion dollars a year on national security in this country."
"And when you add up to the Department of Defense, Department of State, CIA, Veterans Affairs, interest on debt, the number that strikes me the most about how much we're committed financially to these wars and to our current policies is we have spent $250 billion already just on interest payments on the debt we've incurred for the Iraq and Afghan wars." 26 September 2014

Bob Herbert "Losing Our Way" : "And then the staggering costs of these wars, which are borne by the taxpayers. I mean, one of the things that was insane was that, as we're at war in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Bush administration cut taxes. This has never been done in American history. The idea of cutting taxes while you're going to war is just crazy. I mean, it's madness." Bill 'Moyers and Company': Restoring an America That Has Lost its Way 10 Oct. 2014