Chilcot Iraq War Inquiry Are Reportedly Sending Shockwaves Through Whitehall

No matter how "punchy", the Chilcot report remains an afterthought

The findings of the long-awaited Chilcot inquiry are reportedly sending shockwaves through Whitehall. When will the Prime Minister start taking it seriously?

17 December, 2014 - In an exclusive report, the Times reveals that draft reports of the Chilcot inquiry "have sent shockwaves through Whitehall".

According to the report, extracts from the long-awaited official inquiry into the Iraq war have spooked key figures who were involved, because it is far more critical and damning than expected. An insider is quoted saying, "it's much more punchy than people thought it was going to be".

The piece also quotes a government whip, Lord Wallace of Saltaire, saying that the consultation of lawyers could postpone the already severely delayed publication of the report until after the general election in May: “We are all anxious that if it is not published by the end of February it would be inappropriate to publish it during the campaign period.”

The inquiry was announced by Gordon Brown in June 2009, and commenced in November that year. It concluded in February 2011, so we have now been waiting over three and a half years for it to release its findings. read more>>>

Whitehall shockwaves over Chilcot draft report

December 17 2014 - Draft reports of the official inquiry into the Iraq war have sent shockwaves through Whitehall, with key players fighting to tone down or even delete the criticism contained in them.

Extracts from the much delayed report by Sir John Chilcot, which in some cases run to hundreds of pages, have been sent in recent weeks to those criticised for their conduct, to give them a chance to respond before the report is finally published.

“The lawyers are getting called in all over the shop,” one well-placed figure said. “It’s much more punchy than people thought it was going subscription needed for rest>>>

‘Scathing’: Clamor grows for Iraq war inquiry redactions from senior Whitehall figures

December 17, 2014 - Draft reports of a public inquiry into the UK's 2003 Iraq war have rattled Britain’s establishment, with senior Whitehall figures battling to sanitize its findings. Critics say the war was central to the rise of ISIS, and the fragmentation of Iraq.

Excerpts from Sir John Chilcot’s long-delayed report, some of which are hundreds of pages long, have been dispatched to those whose conduct during the conflict is under investigation.

One well-informed source told The Times that the report’s findings are far more scathing than expected, and have prompted a legal firestorm deep in Britain’s establishment.

“The lawyers are getting called in all over the shop,” he told the paper, emphasizing the report was “more punchy” than people had anticipated.

Former military officials central to the inquiry, who were embroiled in the planning and execution of the 2003 invasion, are said to be particularly irate.

Under UK law, any individual who faces criticism in a public inquiry must be issued with an official letter warning them of allegations in its findings. They are then subsequently permitted to rebut and counter unsavory or unsatisfactory findings. read more>>>

* * * CIA Torture: Read the Senate Intelligence Committee report * * *

In a Democracy: 'Citizens must know what is done in their name'

* * * Seeds of ISIL Planted By Bush/Cheney and Conservative Congresses * * *

* * * 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

Chris Hayes MSNBC: "If you can run a deficit to go to war, you can run a deficit to take care of the people who fought it" In response to Republican opposition to expanding Veterans' benefits on fiscal grounds

Neither of these recent wars have yet been paid for, let alone the results from, including the long ignored or outright denied existence of, till this Administrations Cabinet and Gen Shinseki, only Government branch consistent for the past six years, issues! As well as under deficits most of the, grossly under funded, VA budget is still borrowed thus added, problem creating, costs that shouldn't exist!