Tuesday 24th November, 2009
 Critics of the war have long insisted that Blair offered US President George W. Bush an assurance as early as mid-2002 that he would send British troops to war. Britain’s Sunday Telegraph has published details of private statements made by senior British military figures who claim plans were in place months before the March 2003 invasion. Transcripts of interviews from an internal defense ministry review of the conflict have disclosed that some planning for the Iraq war began in February 2002. Major General Graeme Lamb, then head of Britain’s special forces, was quoted as saying he had been “working the war up since early 2002.” In July 2002, Blair told lawmakers at a House of Commons committee session that there were no preparations to invade Iraq. The documents will now form part of a public inquiry established by Prime Minister Gordon Brown to investigate Iraq war planning. The inquiry will begin holding its first evidence sessions later this week, during which Blair is expected to give testimony. |