Iraq War: The publishing of Blair and Bush conversations

Chilcot inquiry will break new ground in publishing Blair and Bush conversations

Chair of Iraq inquiry tells MPs he had to fight to get Whitehall to publish records of discussions between British PM and foreign leader

4 February 2015 - The Chilcot inquiry into the 2003 invasion of Iraq has led to an unprecedented dispute in Whitehall over the disclosure of sensitive and highly classified documents. The question now is how strenuously those criticised in the inquiry’s draft report – almost certainly including Tony Blair, Jack Straw, and the former head of MI6, Sir Richard Dearlove, among many others – will object, leading to further delays.

However, after more than a year of heated exchanges, the inquiry has succeeded in breaking a longstanding convention that reports of conversations between a British prime minister and a foreign leader – in this case, Tony Blair and George Bush – can be published.

This became clear as Sir John Chilcot was questioned for more than an hour by the Commons foreign affairs committee. Chilcot did not apologise for the delay in producing his report. Far from it.

The inquiry panel, which started work in 2009, at first indicated that it could publish its report by 2011. It will not now see the light of day until well after the general election. That has annoyed MPs and upset many families of those killed in Iraq after the invasion. On Wednesday, Chilcot did his best to explain the reasons for the delay. read more>>>

Chilcot inquiry – what you need to know

Publication of the long-awaited official investigation into the Iraq war will now be delayed until after the general election. Why? read more>>>

This is a British Inquiry not an American Inquiry, we don't do 'accountability' no matter how much the rest of the World, especially those in the cross-hair's of our destructive policies especially, seek the justifications for our, 'we're number one', policies and targeting of others in more then just condemnations. From our Congressional reps, especially those with their own bloody hands involvement in, on down we just start laying all blame on the incoming executive branch especially if of the opposite political ideology!

These, Thirty people, including Tony Blair, to be criticised by the Chilcot Inquiry, are thirty Brit's testifying and more as to their involvement. With each one having 'counterparts' in the American government, in and out of, sharing information or trumped up information and working together with others in building the policies to implement. Though not an American inquiry much did come out as to what was happening here, especially in the early days of the very public testimony and then sprinkled throughout as it continued.

Chilcot report will be 'devastating' says No 10 as it emerges THIRTY are in the firing line of heavily critical Iraq Inquiry... and Blair's secret letters to Bush to be revealed in full

* Thirty people, including Tony Blair, to be criticised by the Chilcot Inquiry
* Former Foreign Secretary Jack Straw among Labour figures sent letters
* Million-word report on the Iraq War understood to be 'largely finished'
* Report expected to be a 'devastating' indictment of the Blair Government
*Most explosive parts will be secret notes between Blair and George Bush

7 February 2015 - Thirty people, including Tony Blair, are set to be heavily criticised by the Chilcot Inquiry in its ‘devastating’ attack on the Iraq War.

Well-placed sources say that ‘approximately 30’ people have been sent letters by chairman Sir John Chilcot warning them that they will be criticised in his report into the 2003 invasion.

They include the former Prime Minister and ex-Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, as well as a host of other Labour politicians, Whitehall mandarins, diplomats and intelligence officials.

The Mail on Sunday understands that Chilcot’s million-word report on the conflict is ‘largely finished’.

Sources close to the inquiry say its strongly worded criticisms of the way the war was handled make a nonsense of claims that it will be a ‘whitewash’.

Downing Street insiders expect the report to be a ‘devastating’ indictment of the Blair Government and large sections of the Whitehall establishment.

Among the most explosive parts will be the details of 30 secret letters, notes and conversations between Blair and former US President George W. Bush in the run-up to war.

Contrary to earlier claims, full details of the way that Blair privately promised Bush that he would go to war against Saddam – without telling MPs and British voters – will be published. Blair and Bush are said to have ‘signed in blood’ their agreement to oust Saddam Hussein in secret talks at the President’s ranch in Crawford, Texas, a year before the start of the war. read more>>>

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

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

Pres. Bush: “Prisoners of war must at all times be humanely treated”

Human rights groups call for special prosecutor to investigate CIA torture

22 December 2014 - The ACLU and Human Rights Watch say the offences amount to ‘a vast criminal conspiracy’ and are ‘shocking and corrosive’ to US democracy and credibility read more>>>

* * * 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

$14 Million An Hour: War Costs Top $1.6 Trillion Since 9/11, Say Congressional Researchers

December 22 2014 - American taxpayers have shelled out roughly $1.6 trillion on war spending since 9/11, according to a new report from Congress’ nonpartisan research arm. That’s roughly $337 million a day -- or nearly a quarter million dollars a minute -- every single day for 13 years. read more>>>

“With no shared sacrifices being asked of civilians after Sept. 11"

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!