15.1 | Civilian
personnel
226.
Mr Bearpark
told the Inquiry that he viewed the attack as a turning
point:
“… through
July, August, September we were optimistic that we were on an
upward
slope. We
had got through the worst of the problems …
“From
September onwards, then the graph just went sharply down. The
trigger
point …
would have been the mortaring of the al‑Rashid
Hotel.” 157
227.
By the start
of November, there had been several bombs and rocket attacks
in
Baghdad,
including attacks aimed at the International Committee of the Red
Cross
(ICRC) and
at police stations (see Section 9.2).158
228.
The al‑Rashid
Hotel bombing led to a review of protective security
and
staffing
levels in Baghdad. Plans were drawn up to provide hardened
accommodation
for UK
civilians.
229.
On 28 October,
COBR, chaired by Mr Bowen, commissioned an MOD‑led
review
of
protective security within and beyond the Green Zone in
Baghdad.159
230.
The
preliminary report on 3 November recommended three areas for
action:
“a.
Improved ballistic protection for UK staff in their place of work
and
accommodation.
This action is required quickly as the threat is likely to
worsen
in the
coming weeks.
b. Improved
passage of information and access to detailed threat
assessments.
Current
levels of information are poor and the CPA system for dissemination
and
action in
the aftermath of an incident is inadequate. Greater influence is
required
from within
the system.
c.
Consideration of future accommodation options with enhanced
ballistic
protection.
Favoured options will involve some cost and will need to be
finessed
with the US
who are also reviewing their options.” 160
231.
COBR also
commissioned FCO‑led reviews of training, briefing and terms
and
conditions
for UK civilian staff in Iraq, to “ensure that there is consistency
across all
government
departments seconding staff and consultants”.161
232.
The findings
of the FCO‑led reviews are described later in this
Section.
157
Public
hearing, 6 July 2010, pages 43‑44.
158
JIC
Assessment, 5 November 2003, ‘Iraq security’.
159
Minute OD
Secretariat [junior official] to Sheinwald, 28 October 2003, ‘Iraq:
Review of Security
Arrangements
for UK Staff’.
160
Paper
[unattributed], 3 November 2003, ‘Physical and Protective Security
for UK Staff in the Coalition
Provisional
Authority (Baghdad): Executive Summary’.
161
Minute OD
Secretariat [junior official] to Sheinwald, 28 October 2003, ‘Iraq:
Review of Security
Arrangements
for UK Staff’.
283