Leaked documents reveal 'appalling' Iraq failings

Secret government reports leaked on the eve of public hearings into the UK’s involvement in the 2003 invasion of Iraq have revealed a rushed operation "lacking coherence and resources". Documents obtained by the Sunday Telegraph allegedly reveal the then prime minister Tony Blair misled parliament and the public by claiming British involvement in Iraq was motivated by disarmament, rather tha More..n regime change. The reports also contain transcripts of interviews with Army commanders who bemoaned a "constrained" planning process and a "significant risk" to troops caused by a lack of preparation and resources. Lt Col ML Dunn, of 9 Supply Regiment, Royal Engineers, was quoted as saying his soldiers "only had five rounds of ammunition each, and only enough body armour for those in the front and rear vehicles". Lt Col John Power, of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, meanwhile, is quoted as describing the supply chain as "absolutely appalling". "I know for a fact that there was one container full of skis in the desert," he added. Commanders were quoted as complaining about a radio system that failed regularly due to the heat of the Iraqi desert and plans for the operation which "contained no detail once Baghdad had fallen". The documents leaked to the Telegraph come two days before Sir John Chilcot opens public hearings in the Iraq Inquiry, established to "identify lessons that can be learnt from the Iraq conflict". In response to the Telegraph's story concerning the leaked reports, a Foreign Office spokesman said: "The Iraq inquiry was set up to investigate the run up to the conflict, the conflict and the reconstruction. All these issues will be dealt with. "The government is not going to comment on the lines of investigation the inquiry might pursue, or on what conclusions it might draw from these hearings. "Those are matters for the inquiry, which is clearly independent of government," the spokesman told Sky News.

Channel: LiveLeak Video Length: 0s Date Found: Wed, Jul 28 2010 4:57 PM Category: News Date Produced: Sun, Nov 22 2009 12:00 AM View Count: 0