The Report
of the Iraq Inquiry
116.
The two most
senior members of the Central Staff with responsibilities for
decisions
on military
operations were the Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff
(Commitments)
(DCDS(C))
and the Policy Director. They were supported by the Assistant Chief
of
Defence
Staff Operations (ACDS(Ops)) and the Director General Operational
Policy
117.
In the period
from 2002 to 2003, DCDS(C) was supported by the
Strategic
Planning
Group (SPG).
118.
Lieutenant
General Sir Robert Fry, DCDS(C) from July 2003 to January
2006,
stated that
he was “responsible for the military strategic advice to the Chiefs
of Staff”.81
119.
Sir Kevin
Tebbit told the Inquiry that the Policy Director was responsible
for leading
the effort
to balance political and military considerations in producing
advice.82
120.
The Chiefs of
Staff Committee is supported by the Chiefs of Staff
Secretariat
(COSSEC),
which ensures that minutes and decisions are promulgated swiftly, a
record
of
outstanding actions is prepared and maintained, and papers are
prepared and
circulated
to support discussions.
121.
The papers
prepared for COS meetings and the minutes of its
discussions
(although
they are not a verbatim record) provide a major source of
information for
the Inquiry.
122.
From time to
time, the Chiefs of Staff also hold discussions which are
unminuted.
Those
include early discussions on Iraq in the first half of 2002 and
Chiefs of Staff
(Informal)
(COS(I)) meetings.
123.
By early 2002,
the COS Committee was already meeting at least once a
week,
often
designated as COS (Operations), to discuss operational issues in
addition to the
regular
cycle of meetings on non-operational issues.
124.
In 2002, there
were 71 meetings of the COS Committee. Issues related
to
Afghanistan
constituted the main business until 19 September, when COS
discussed
a paper
addressing potential UK support to US operations against
Iraq.83
125.
From 19
September, the COS Committee met weekly, usually on a
Wednesday morning,
to discuss Iraq, and other operational issues.
80
The MOD
confers the title Director General on personnel at two-star, or
civilian Director level;
usage elsewhere
in Whitehall differs.
81
Public
hearing, 16 December 2009, page 72.
82
Public
hearing, 3 December 2009, page 10.
83
Minutes, 19
September 2002, Chiefs of Staff meeting.
286