The Report of the Iraq Inquiry

By Sir John Chilcot

Subjects: Iraq war, 2003-2011

Description: The Report of the Iraq Inquiry is a British public Inquiry into the nation's role in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The Inquiry was announced on 15 June 2009 by Prime Minister Gordon Brown. In 2003, for the first time since the Second World War, the United Kingdom took part in an invasion and full-scale occupation of a sovereign State. The questions for the Inquiry were whether it was right and necessary to invade Iraq in March 2003, and whether the UK could, and should, have been better prepared for what followed. The report concludes: The UK chose to join the invasion of Iraq before the peaceful options for disarmament had been exhausted. Military action at that time was not a last resort; Military action in Iraq might have been necessary at some point but in March 2003 there was no imminent threat and the majority of the Security Council supported continuing UN inspections and monitoring; Judgements about the severity of the threat posed by Iraq's weapons of mass destruction (WMD) were presented with a certainty that was not justified; Despite explicit warnings, the consequences of the invasion were underestimated; and The planning and preparations for Iraq after Saddam Hussein were wholly inadequate. The report identifies what lessons should be learned from experience in Iraq, including: The management of relations with allies, especially the US; The importance of collective Ministerial discussion which encourages frank and informed debate and challenge; The need to assess risks, weigh options and set an achievable and realistic strategy; the vital role of Ministerial leadership and co-ordination of action across Government, supported by senior officials; and The need to ensure that both the civilian and military arms of Government are properly equipped for their tasks These lessons will help ensure that, if the UK faces similar situations in future, the government of the day is best equipped to respond to those situations in the most effective manner in the best interests of the country. More information Evidence for the Inquiry was gathered from a number of sources: Three sets of public hearings: Nov 2009 - Feb 2010, Jun 2010 - Jul 2010, Jan 2011 - Feb 2011 Witnesses who gave written evidence Witnesses who gave oral evidence in public and private International interlocutors seen by the Inquiry in private meetings Letters, minutes, reports and other documents from the MOD, Cabinet Office, HM Treasury, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Dept for International Development and the Attorney General's Office, among other Government agencies.