Iraq Inquiry - The Time is Right
I know a great many readers will be as pleased as I that the UK presence in Iraq is drawing to a close and that an independent inquiry has been announced.
As I've said before it would have been wrong to launch an inquiry earlier, second guessing our troops while they were in an active combat zone. However, as military operations in Iraq come to an end the time is now right to launch a full inquiry. Now is the right time to ensure we have a proper process in place to learn the lessons of the complex, and often controversial events of the last six years.
The committee of inquiry will examine and report on UK government policy and its implementation in Iraq from the summer of 2001 to the present day. Its main purpose is to provide a full assessment of British involvement in Iraq over this period, and to learn lessons for the future.
The scope of the inquiry is unprecedented - covering an eight year period, including the run-up to the conflict and the full period of conflict and reconstruction.
The committee of inquiry will have access to the fullest range of information, including secret information. In other words their investigation can range across all papers all documents and all material. So the inquiry can ask for any British document to come before it and any British citizen to appear. No British document and no British witness will be beyond its scope.
I understand the desire for this inquiry to be as open as possible. We all want to know the exact details of what is examined and how conclusions are reached. When the Government last week initiated the inquiry they also asked Sir John Chilcot, chairman of the independent inquiry, to consider what elements should and should not be held in public. He has now stated that it is essential that as much of it as possible be held in the open, although elements will be held in private for security reasons. I think that right.
I am pleased that most of it will be in public but I also understand the need for some evidence to be given in private. I would emphasise though that the findings, and all but the most sensitive information, will be published when the inquiry concludes. Those findings will then be fully debated in Parliament.
Undesirable as private discussions may seem it will allow even the most classified information to be scrutinised and ensure intelligence operatives and military personnel are able to speak as honestly and candidly as possible. Security concerns could prevent that from being possible if all hearings were held in public. Even so this inquiry will be far more public than the Franks inquiry into the Falklands conflict.
I would also point out that the Tories suggesting the reporting of the inquiry has been delayed until after the next General Election is little more than political opportunism. It was always going to take some time for such an inquiry to be completed and moreover there is no political point here – the Tories voted for the war. The most important thing is that the inquiry is done correctly and that we learn from it.
I would close by saying that despite our reservations (I not support the conflict), and all the terrible events and lives lost, Iraq today has a brighter future and is undoubtedly a better place than it was under the tyranny of Saddam. Children can now attend school and people can live without fear of the Ba'ath Party secret police. The UK continues to help with the rebuilding and development of the country. We have an obligation to the people of Iraq and we shall continue to honour it.
I hope further details of the inquiry including dates and hearings will emerge in the near future. I know everyone will be interested to hear what the investigation has to say.
To keep up to date on what I'm doing stop by my website http://www.michaelfoster.org.uk/ .
You can also receive a monthly update on my activities by sending an email to mp@1066.net with 'MPFree' in the subject line.
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Weather for Hastings
Sunday 12 February 2012
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