Seems Atleast One Iraq War Instigator Being Grilled As To "WHY?? "
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a.mann
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Tony Blair has arrived at the Chilcot Inquiry to face fresh questions about his decision to take Britain to war with Iraq.
The former prime minister is to make his second appearance before the inquiry to explain gaps in his earlier evidence and apparent discrepancies between his account and official documents and other witnesses' testimony.
The number of protesters outside the QEII Conference Centre in central London, where the inquiry is being held, was not as high as the last time he attended the hearing.
He is expected to be grilled about what promises he made to former US president George Bush and his attitude to the advice about the legality of the war he received from former attorney general Lord Goldsmith.
Mr Blair is also expected to be asked about a memo, dated January 30, 2003, in which Lord Goldsmith advised him that UN Security Council Resolution 1441 did not authorise the use of military force against Iraq on its own.
A scribbled note next to this sentence, apparently in the former prime minister's handwriting, says: "I just don't understand this."
The next day Mr Blair reportedly told Mr Bush at the White House that he was "solidly" with him after the US president said the bombing of Iraq was planned to begin in mid-March. Critics have suggested the attorney general was heavily leaned on by Downing Street to agree that the invasion would be lawful.
Mr Blair could also be questioned about evidence that MI5 said in March 2002 that Saddam Hussein's capacity to mount terrorist attacks against the UK was "limited".
Mr Blair mounted a vigorous defence of the invasion of Iraq when he appeared before the inquiry on January 29 last year, insisting he had no regrets over removing Saddam and would do the same again.
In his memoirs, A Journey, published in September, the former prime minister said he was angry at the way he was asked whether he had any regrets about going to war. He wrote that the Chilcot Inquiry was supposed to be about learning lessons but had "inevitably turned into a trial of judgment and even good faith".
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The former prime minister is to make his second appearance before the inquiry to explain gaps in his earlier evidence and apparent discrepancies between his account and official documents and other witnesses' testimony.
The number of protesters outside the QEII Conference Centre in central London, where the inquiry is being held, was not as high as the last time he attended the hearing.
He is expected to be grilled about what promises he made to former US president George Bush and his attitude to the advice about the legality of the war he received from former attorney general Lord Goldsmith.
Mr Blair is also expected to be asked about a memo, dated January 30, 2003, in which Lord Goldsmith advised him that UN Security Council Resolution 1441 did not authorise the use of military force against Iraq on its own.
A scribbled note next to this sentence, apparently in the former prime minister's handwriting, says: "I just don't understand this."
The next day Mr Blair reportedly told Mr Bush at the White House that he was "solidly" with him after the US president said the bombing of Iraq was planned to begin in mid-March. Critics have suggested the attorney general was heavily leaned on by Downing Street to agree that the invasion would be lawful.
Mr Blair could also be questioned about evidence that MI5 said in March 2002 that Saddam Hussein's capacity to mount terrorist attacks against the UK was "limited".
Mr Blair mounted a vigorous defence of the invasion of Iraq when he appeared before the inquiry on January 29 last year, insisting he had no regrets over removing Saddam and would do the same again.
In his memoirs, A Journey, published in September, the former prime minister said he was angry at the way he was asked whether he had any regrets about going to war. He wrote that the Chilcot Inquiry was supposed to be about learning lessons but had "inevitably turned into a trial of judgment and even good faith".
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