The Report
of the Iraq Inquiry
or as
little as we can get away with (ie less)?’ The question is not
posed in that
form and
hence is not answered. The choice
is essentially political, but it is
essential
to note that the cost of a deployment on this medium scale is
about
£1bn a year.”
373.
Mr Dodds
also reported that the MOD understood that the US now intended
to
create
four, two‑star (Divisional) commands in Iraq; the MOD’s “ambition”
was to secure
one of
those commands. However:
“… we
should not be too ready to take on a ‘two‑star command’ without
the
necessary
guarantees. The military will baulk at this – a ‘2‑Star command’
would
provide a
seat at the top table in the aftermath. But the risks that it
brings of costs
that we
cannot afford both militarily and financially mean that it comes at
potentially
a high
price.”
374.
Mr Dodds
advised that, given that this was an issue on which the Treasury
and the
MOD
differed, Mr Brown’s input “could be invaluable”.
375.
Mr Dodds
also advised that Mr Brown might have a view on “whether to
press for
a smaller
commitment than the £1bn ‘medium’ scale deployment that MOD/FCO
have
offered”.
376.
Mr Dodds
concluded by stating that it would be useful if Mr Brown could
“urge
caution at
Cabinet in taking on post‑conflict commitments without assurances
from the
US on a
further UN resolution and about military support to any UK‑led
post‑conflict
command”.
377.
Section 8
describes how the UK took responsibility for a sector of Iraq,
which
would
become Multi‑National Division (South‑East) (MND(SE)).
378.
At the 27
March meeting of Cabinet, Mr Brown reported that he was
making
available
an additional £120m for humanitarian relief and raising the
allocation of funds
for the
conflict from £1.75bn to £3bn.219
379.
In his 9 April
Budget statement to the House of Commons, Mr Brown
announced
that he had
set aside £3bn in a “Special Reserve” available to the MOD, so that
UK
troops
could be properly equipped and resourced.220
380.
Mr Brown
told the Inquiry that represented £1bn a year for three
years.221
381.
£1bn was the
cost of a medium‑scale military commitment in the
post‑conflict
period, as
estimated by Mr Dodds in his 24 March minute to
Mr Brown.
219
Cabinet
Conclusions, 27 March 2003.
220
House of
Commons, Official
Report, 9 April
2003, columns 271‑88.
221
Public
hearing, 5 March 2010, page 90.
504