British PM announces independent probe into Iraq war

[Turborama]

Source: AFP

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced Monday an independent probe into the 2003 Iraq war, saying it would take about a year to complete the inquiry.

"I'm today announcing the establishment of an independent privy councillor committee of inquiry," Brown told the House of Commons.

"It will consider the period from summer 2001 before military operations began in March 2003 and our subsequent involvement in Iraq right until the end of July this year."

Read more: http://www.africasia.com/services/news/newsitem.php?area=mideast&item=090615145114.xqaixcz0.php

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Iraq war inquiry to be in private

Source: BBC

An independent inquiry into the Iraq war will be held in private, Prime Minister Gordon Brown has told MPs.

Opposition parties - and many Labour MPs - have been calling for the probe since shortly after the 2003 invasion.

The inquiry will cover July 2001 to July 2009 and be chaired by Sir John Chilcot, Mr Brown told MPs.

It will begin work next month and take at least a year, Mr Brown said. Its aim will be to identify "lessons learned" and not to "apportion blame", he said.

The prime minister added that it would hear evidence in private so witnesses can be "as candid as possible".

Mr Brown said the final report would reveal "all but the most secret of information" and the "unprecedented" process would be "fully independent of government".

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8100432.stm

"Lessons learned"? What's the point in doing this if it's going to be 'in private', how are we going to know what the 'lessons' are and who's going to 'learn' from them?

Live feed of Parliamentary debate in text, here: http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Politics/Iraq-Inquiry-Gordon-Browns-Statement-Covered-Live-Line-By-Line/Article/200906315306832

[eppur_se_muova]

1. Iraq war inquiry to be in private {UK}

Source: BBC

An independent inquiry into the Iraq war will be held in private, Prime Minister Gordon Brown has told MPs.

Opposition parties - and many Labour MPs - have been calling for the probe since shortly after the 2003 invasion.

It will start next month and take at least a year, Mr Brown said. It will not aim to "apportion blame", he added.

The Tories said it "should have started earlier" and have public hearings. The Lib Dems accused the PM of trying to "cover up the path" that led to war.



Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8100432.stm

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Now, if they can just decide what gentlemen's club will host the hearings ...

[CJCRANE]

2. Two words:

White. Wash.

[muriel_volestrangler]

6. A picture is worth a thousand words:

It's all in the detail.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree

[eppur_se_muova]

7. LOL! I always liked Bell's toons of Bu**sh** ...

no else came close to being appropriately demeaning to Chimpy.

[T_i_B]

8. Iraq: Demand a Proper Inquiry

The Petition

Dear Gordon Brown,

You've on many occasions promised that there will be a proper inquiry in the decision to go to war in Iraq, and more “transparency” across government.

Yet the inquiry you announced on 15th June is to be conducted by hand-picked establishment figures, to be held in secret and instructed not to apportion blame. This is not a proper inquiry.

We call on you to honour your previous commitments to transparency in government and allow a genuine inquiry into the Iraq War, to be held in public and free to draw whatever conclusions it sees fit.

http://www.38degrees.org.uk/page/s/IraqInquiry

[muriel_volestrangler]

9. Thanks - done (nt)

[ConcernedCanuk]

3. But of coarse! - - We wouldn't want the truth spilling out would we?

.
.
.

(sigh)

[T_i_B]

5. And then there is the whole matter...

...of the enquiry not reporting until after the general election, which at present Labour look certain to lose.

[LeftishBrit]

4. If the inquriry is going to be 'in private'....

perhaps teachers could be trusted to teach and assess children 'in private' and doctors to make their decisions in private and all Brits to keep their personal data 'private'.

They support 'accountability' way ahead of privacy for the rest of us, but when it's the government, privacy wins over accountability.