Goldsmith changed mind on war legality

[muriel_volestrangler]

Source: The Independent

Former attorney general Lord Goldsmith today described how he gave the "green light" for military action against Iraq just a month after expressing concerns about the legality of the war.


Giving evidence to the Iraq Inquiry, Lord Goldsmith said he personally presented a draft opinion to Tony Blair in January 2003 in which he raised questions about the legal basis for the use of force.

But the following month - after meeting US government lawyers in Washington - he returned to No 10 to tell Mr Blair's senior advisers they did not need specific authorisation from the United Nations.
...
In his initial five-page draft opinion, which he gave to Mr Blair on January 14, he warned that he still believed a further resolution was necessary, specifically authorising the use of force.

Read more: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/goldsmith-changed-mind-on-war-legality-1880448.html

---

What struck me was that he went to America to get the US view on how private talks before the UNSC 1441 resolution between the US and France had gone (on whether it required a 2nd resolution after that for any country to use force), but when asked why he hadn't asked the French too, he replied "You cannot have the British Attorney General being seen to go to the French and ask them 'What do you think?' The message that would have given to Saddam Hussein about the degree of your commitment would have been huge".

So asking the Americans about what had been said is OK, but asking the French is unthinkable? Wow, that shows how anti-French he is, I think.

Other links:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/jan/27/lord-goldsmith-iraq-inquiry

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8481759.stm

[maddezmom]

1. was watching his testimony today on BBC

was very confusing. :crazy:

[Arctic Dave]

2. So he argument is, "I'll ask mommy because I know daddy will say no"?

This guy is their top lawyer?

[maddezmom]

3. just remember we had Gonzo

and almost had Harriet "I lurves me some W" as ours. :)

[The Stranger]

4. That's fine. Arrest him anyway and throw him in with the other war criminals.

[dipsydoodle]

5. He confirmed that

that there was no input from the cabinet at the cabinet meeting. As far as I'm concerned that makes the whole cabinet at that time guilty by neglect.

Fuck the lot them. It will be interesting to see who comes out with what when they all write their memoirs after losing their seats hopefully at the next elections