The Report
of the Iraq Inquiry
240.
The MOD
deployed OPTAG to train US military trainers and “pass on UK
expertise
in peace
support operations” in June.188
241.
Mr Andy
Bearpark became the CPA Director of Operations and Director
of
Operations
and Infrastructure in June 2003. He told the Inquiry:
“The
training of the new Iraqi police force was perceived of as an
entirely civilian
lead, even
though military resources might be required.”189
242.
Mr Straw
met Ambassador Bremer in Iraq on 2 July.190
The record of
the meeting
stated that
Mr Kerik had made a request for “experienced police officers
to help with
training
and mentoring”.
243.
The nature of
this request was clarified in the record of the IPU’s visit to Iraq
in
early July,
which stated:
“… a
specific request for 100 UK Police Officers in a mentoring/tutoring
role for the
next 18
months operating in Iraq was raised by Kerik.”191
244.
Police
secondees were expected to contribute in a range of areas including
training
and
mentoring, with some officers being expected to “have executive
powers” (that is, to
be
operational police officers).
245.
Acting DCC
Brand deployed to Iraq on 4 July.192
246.
Before his
deployment, the evidence seen by the Inquiry indicates that there
was
no clear
understanding of what his role would be. There had “been a hint
that the role
will be to
head up the international policing effort”, but it was decided that
he should
accompany
the FCO’s SSR team on a visit to Baghdad and that “if there is a
substantial
role for
him it is intended that he will stay on”.193
247.
Former DCC
Brand told the Inquiry that he had been “told that I should seek
to
negotiate
my way in with Bernard Kerik, but if that failed to return to the
UK”.194
248.
Once DCC Brand
was in Iraq, agreement was reached that he would serve
as
Mr Kerik’s
chief adviser on policing.195
Shortly
after arriving in Baghdad, DCC Brand
188
Letter
Williams to Rycroft, 1 July 2003, ‘Iraq: Security and Troop
Levels’; Letter Sinclair to Sheinwald,
17 October
2003, ‘Iraq Security and Policing’.
189
Public
hearing, 6 July 2010, page 78.
190
Telegram 24
FCO London to IraqRep, 3 July 2003, ‘Iraq: Foreign Secretary’s
Meeting with the
Administrator
of the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq, 2
July’.
191
Report Lowe
[MOD], 9 July 2003, ‘Visit Report – IPU Security Sector Reform Team
Visit to Baghdad
4‑7
July’.
192
Statement
Brand, 18 June 2010, page 1.
193
Minutes, 26
June 2003, ‘Minutes of a Meeting to Discuss Security Sector Reform
in Iraq Held at the IPU
on Thursday
26 June 03’.
194
Statement,
18 June 2010, page 1.
195
Minute
Brand, 16 July 2003, ‘Report from Iraq – Douglas
Brand’.
110