U.S. pushed Iraq war pre-9/11, London says

UPI (2009-11-24)

Washington was moving to invade Iraq in early 2001, though British officials considered that move illegal, a London inquiry into the Iraqi war was told.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown in June called for an inquiry to examine the eight-year period beginning with the push for war in 2001 to July 2009 when British forces ended their mission there.

John Chilcot, appointed as the chair of the inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the invasion, heard the first testimony for the inquiry Tuesday.

William Patey, who served as the head of Middle East policy for the British government in 2001, told the panel that London knew Washington was bent on overthrowing the regime of Saddam Hussein in February 2001, London’s Daily Telegraph reports.

U.S. pushed Iraq war pre-9/11, London says

UPI (2009-11-24)

LONDON, Nov. 24 (UPI) — Washington was moving to invade Iraq in early 2001, though British officials considered that move illegal, a London inquiry into the Iraqi war was told.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown in June called for an inquiry to examine the eight-year period beginning with the push for war in 2001 to July 2009 when British forces ended their mission there.

John Chilcot, appointed as the chair of the inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the invasion, heard the first testimony for the inquiry Tuesday.

William Patey, who served as the head of Middle East policy for the British government in 2001, told the panel that London knew Washington was bent on overthrowing the regime of Saddam Hussein in February 2001, London’s Daily Telegraph reports.

“We were aware of the drum beats from Washington,” he said, stressing, “Our policy was to stay away from that.”

British officials stressed that national policy at the time was to embrace an effort to control Saddam through a cascading series of “smart sanctions.”

Tough sanctions, argued Patey, would have fit into London’s broader policy objectives for Iraq.

“It would have been arguable even against the hawks in Washington,” he said.

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and other officials are expected to testify before the inquiry in early 2010.

Families of British soldiers killed in Iraq are expected to confront the former premier during the examination.