Sunday 10 August 2014

A key Blair motivation for 2003 Iraq invasion?

Did Blair express here a key motivation for the Iraq invasion? From the declassified record on the 2003 Iraq invasion published as part of the Chilcot Inquiry.
"we must galvanise British businesses to take up opportunities in Iraq" [1].
This was just a few of months into the invasion, about 6 months after MOD policy director Simon Webb floated the idea that:
"Various ideas for replacements [for Saddam Hussein] have been aired over the years and none so far look convincing. But another Ba'athist or military dictator from the Sunni/Tikriti minority might be found with whom we could do business" - Simon Webb, UK MOD Policy Director 2001-2004 [2]

[1] Chilcot Enquiry, declassified document, Cannon to McDonald minute “Iraq: Prime Minister’s meeting, 3 June” 3 June 2003 [PDF Document], http://www.iraqinquiry.org.uk/media/50757/Cannon-to-McDonald-3June2003-letter.pdf

[2] Letter/Memorandum : "Bush and the War on Terrorism"; 12/04/2002, MOD reference : D/Policy Dir/6/2/2 (171/02); Obtained from URL : http://www.iraqinquiry.org.uk/media/52573/webb-ps-sofs-bush-war-on-terrorism-2002-04-12.pdf

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