Post by cammy on Jun 18, 2009 10:21:06 GMT 1
[glow=red,2,300]Iraq inquiry ‘will not address equipment failures’
Top military staff and ministers share fears over war probe[/glow]
Published: 17 June 2009
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Article: Iraq inquiry to be private, says PM Military leaders and ministers have heaped further criticism on Gordon Brown’s decision to keep the Iraq inquiry private, over fears it will dodge major issues over equipment.
General Lord Guthrie, former Chief of the Defence Staff, said he doubted that the inquiry would investigate accusations over poor equipment for British troops during the Iraq invasion. He said that in Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s former role as Chancellor he had been ‘unsympathetic’ to appeals for more money for troops in 2003.
“Although the equipment is excellent now, initially and subsequently in Iraq it was very poor, and if Gordon Brown as Chancellor had been more sympathetic, it would have kept people alive,” Lord Guthrie said. He added that he doubted the equipment issue would be raised because there are no plans for a military representative on the proposed committee team.
Former Chief of the General Staff, Sir Mike Jackson, backed pleas to open the inquiry. He said he would have ‘no problem at all’ in giving evidence in public. He told the Independent that it would be entirely possible for the Government to hold a ‘halfway house inquiry,’ where much of the proceedings would be thrown open to the public, while those relating to secret intelligence be held in private.
He added: “There are 179 reasons why the military want the truth to be out on what happened in Iraq.”
Opposition MPs are now expected to force through a Commons vote next week to challenge the timings of the inquiry and the decision to keep it private.
Top military staff and ministers share fears over war probe[/glow]
Published: 17 June 2009
related links
Article: Iraq inquiry to be private, says PM Military leaders and ministers have heaped further criticism on Gordon Brown’s decision to keep the Iraq inquiry private, over fears it will dodge major issues over equipment.
General Lord Guthrie, former Chief of the Defence Staff, said he doubted that the inquiry would investigate accusations over poor equipment for British troops during the Iraq invasion. He said that in Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s former role as Chancellor he had been ‘unsympathetic’ to appeals for more money for troops in 2003.
“Although the equipment is excellent now, initially and subsequently in Iraq it was very poor, and if Gordon Brown as Chancellor had been more sympathetic, it would have kept people alive,” Lord Guthrie said. He added that he doubted the equipment issue would be raised because there are no plans for a military representative on the proposed committee team.
Former Chief of the General Staff, Sir Mike Jackson, backed pleas to open the inquiry. He said he would have ‘no problem at all’ in giving evidence in public. He told the Independent that it would be entirely possible for the Government to hold a ‘halfway house inquiry,’ where much of the proceedings would be thrown open to the public, while those relating to secret intelligence be held in private.
He added: “There are 179 reasons why the military want the truth to be out on what happened in Iraq.”
Opposition MPs are now expected to force through a Commons vote next week to challenge the timings of the inquiry and the decision to keep it private.