UK's involvement in Iraq - Chilcot Inquiry reports today

[T.M]

The only thing I want them to learnt from this is you do not send troops into war with rifles that fall apart or jam what ever comes first, Land Rovers with aluminium sides, armour not converted for desert warfare. If we send our lads into war we send them in dressed for war NOT NAKED

[Memnon]

If this were a just world, Blair would be strung up from Nelson’s Column, his family billed for the cost of the rope, and his ashes blasted into Outer Space so as not to befoul the ecosystem. He’s a mass murderer and a war criminal. It sickens me that we’re of the same nationality.

[Gyrate]

@T.M

The only thing I want them to learnt from this is you do not send troops into war with rifles that fall apart or jam what ever comes first, Land Rovers with aluminium sides, armour not converted for desert warfare. If we send our lads into war we send them in dressed for war NOT NAKED

All good points, but I’d kind of like them to learn not to send those troops into war based on intelligence that they know is discredited but which they continue to use because it supports their political agenda. Our troops agree to place their lives on the line in defense of Crown and country in return for not being sent into harm’s way for bullshit reasons. We need to uphold our end of the bargain.

[Stanislaus]

@Gyrate

All good points, but I’d kind of like them to learn not to send those troops into war based on intelligence that they know is discredited but which they continue to use because it supports their political agenda. Our troops agree to place their lives on the line in defense of Crown and country in return for not being sent into harm’s way for bullshit reasons. We need to uphold our end of the bargain.

I think this the critical point. Criticism of Blair’s individual failings is necessary and important, but he’s not going to be PM again. There’s a good blog on this here.

What comes out of Chilcot (or rather the reports - I haven’t read it, unsurprisingly) is that the general quality of decision making was poor across the board. From the use of intelligence, to the optimism of the planning, to the MOD’s failure to recognise when a situation needed taking control of urgently, it’s apparent that this is more than just Blair’s failure.

@Chilcot para 863

Ground truth is vital. Over‑optimistic assessments lead to bad decisions. Senior decision‑makers – Ministers, Chiefs of Staff, senior officials – must have a flow of accurate and frank reporting. A “can do” attitude is laudably ingrained in the UK Armed Forces – a determination to get on with the job, however difficult the circumstances – but this can prevent ground truth from reaching senior ears. At times in Iraq, the bearers of bad tidings were not heard. On several occasions, decision‑makers visiting Iraq…found the situation on the ground to be much worse than had been reported to them.

Blair paints himself as “the decider” but one lesson from Chilcot is that the idea of one decider who somehow gets a totally accurate picture from his aides and can then rationally act on that without being subject to e.g. confirmation bias, the planning fallacy or the illusion of control is an inherently dangerous one. It’s not so much that Blair made bad decisions, it’s that a system that relies on finding a leader who can make good decisions under these conditions is a system that’s inherently flawed.

[Boyo_Jim]

@Tithonus

If this were a just world, Blair would be strung up from Nelson’s Column, his family billed for the cost of the rope, and his ashes blasted into Outer Space so as not to befoul the ecosystem. He’s a mass murderer and a war criminal. It sickens me that we’re of the same nationality.

For Chrissake, he’s just a poodle! Bush’s poodle.

[lisiate]

Who in turn was just Cheney’s toy,

[T.M]

@Gyrate

All good points, but I’d kind of like them to learn not to send those troops into war based on intelligence that they know is discredited but which they continue to use because it supports their political agenda. Our troops agree to place their lives on the line in defense of Crown and country in return for not being sent into harm’s way for bullshit reasons. We need to uphold our end of the bargain.

I agree with you the problem is that there will always be scum bags in politics with their snouts in the trough twisting the intel and evidence until it fits their purpose. Our service personal will in the future be ordered into harms way. What the military need is a get out clause that says not until we have the kit to do the job properly. I am also in favour of a task being handed to the military for them to deal with and politicians staying out of it until the military hand it back. Politicians are grandstanders the thought of not being able to meddle and gain kudos may deter them and keep us a great deal safer

[XT]

@Tithonus

If this were a just world, Blair would be strung up from Nelson’s Column, his family billed for the cost of the rope, and his ashes blasted into Outer Space so as not to befoul the ecosystem. He’s a mass murderer and a war criminal. It sickens me that we’re of the same nationality.

You need to seriously recalibrate your outrage’o-meter. Seriously.