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Politics : Stockman Scott's Political Debate Porch

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To: Wharf Rat who wrote (50420)	7/6/2004 2:37:15 PM
From: Wharf Rat	Read Replies (1) of 89467

SPOOKED Jul 5 2004 By Oonagh Blackman Political Editor BRITAIN's spy chiefs will be blamed in a damning report next week into the intelligence errors used to justify war against Iraq. And Tony Blair's unshakeable conviction that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction will be blown apart in Lord Butler's 100-page hard-hitting report. The Prime Minister will almost certainly have to admit he was wrong to rely on the WMD intelligence as justification for joining President George Bush's invasion of Iraq without international backing. Lord Butler and his five-strong team will spend the next few days finalising the wording of the report on what is seen as the worst bungle by British intelligence since Argentina invaded the Falklands in 1982. However, arguments are raging over whether to keep the names secret. A draft copy of the report - to be published on July 14 - looks likely to single out the head of the Government's Joint Intelligence Committee, John Scarlett, and head of MI6 intelligence service Richard Dearlove, for allowing misleading information into a "``dossier"`` Mr Blair used to make the case for war. The report also looks set to criticise the Government's top lawyer, Lord Goldsmith, who advised the PM that the war was legal. Senior Labour MP Ann Taylor is said to be opposed to "naming and shaming" individuals. If Mr Scarlett, promoted by Mr Blair as MI6 chief, is blamed it will be especially embarrassing for the PM. The career "spy" had "ownership" of the Iraq WMD dossier and worked with former spin chief Alastair Campbell to make the case for war to a sceptical Parliament and public. The now infamous dossier of September 2002 claimed Saddam could launch weapons within 45 minutes. Six months ago Mr Blair said: "I have absolutely no doubt in my mind the intelligence was genuine." But MI6 chiefs are now ready to accept their agents supplied them with wrong information about WMDs. Yesterday Sir Jeremy Greenstock, the UK's former Iraq envoy, admitted "we were wrong". He said: "There is no doubt the stockpiles we feared might be there, were not there." Sir Jeremy also said he expected British troops not to be withdrawn from Iraq until 2006. He said: "I think we have to stay there through this 18-month transition which has just started." mirror.co.uk

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