Iraq war inquiry: Britain heard US drumbeat for invasion before 9/11

[Cali_Democrat]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/nov/24/iraq-war-chilcot-inquiry

• UK dismissed idea in 2001 as having no basis in law
• Terror attacks ended US support for 'containment'

Richard Norton-Taylor
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 24 November 2009 22.54 GMT


Tony Blair's government knew that prominent members of the Bush administration wanted to topple Saddam Hussein years before the invasion but initially distanced itself from the prospect knowing it would be unlawful, it was disclosed at the Iraq inquiry today.

British intelligence also dismissed claims by elements in the US administration that the Iraqi leader was linked to Osama bin Laden, it heard.

Evidence given at the opening day of the inquiry, chaired by the former top civil servant Sir John Chilcot, painted a picture of a Whitehall slowly realising the significance of George Bush's election in November 2000 on US policy towards Iraq.

Even before the Bush administration came to power an article written by his then national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice, warned that "nothing will change" in Iraq until Saddam was gone, Sir Peter Ricketts, a former chairman of the joint intelligence committee (JIC) and now the Foreign Office's top official, told the inquiry.

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