2 |
Decision-making within government
161.
The official
also informed Sir David that the MOD was planning on the basis
of
a daily
press briefing at 1000, and the importance of striking a balance
between the
various
briefings in theatre, London and Iraq.97
162.
Sir David
Manning sent the minute to Mr Jonathan Powell, writing: “Grateful
if we
163.
An ‘Ad Hoc
Meeting’ of Ministers took place daily from 19 March to 12 April,
with
the
exception of Sundays 30 March and 6 April. The Committee then met
five times
before the
end of April.
164.
Sir Kevin
Tebbit wrote to Sir Andrew Turnbull on 5 March
stating:
“I am sure
you have this in hand already, but in case it might help, I should
like to
offer you
my thoughts on the procedure for handling the legal basis for any
offensive
operations
… in Iraq – a subject touching on my responsibilities since it is
the CDS
who will
need to be assured that he will be acting on the basis of a lawful
instruction
from the
Prime Minister and the Defence Secretary.
“It is not
possible to be certain about the precise circumstances in which
this would
arise
because we cannot be sure about the UN scenario involved … Clearly
full UN
cover is
devoutly to be desired – and not just for the military operation
itself …
“My purpose
in writing, however, is not to argue the legal merits of the case …
but to
flag up …
that the call to action from President Bush could come at quite
short notice
and that we
need to be prepared to handle the legalities so we can deliver
…
“In these
circumstances, I suggest that the Prime Minister should be
prepared
to convene
a special meeting of the inner ‘war’ Cabinet (Defence and
Foreign
Secretaries
certainly, Chancellor, DPM [Deputy Prime Minister], Home
Secretary
possibly,
Attorney General, crucially) at which CDS effectively receives his
legal and
constitutional
authorisation. We have already given the Attorney General
information
and MOD
briefings on objectives and rationale, and I understand that John
Scarlett
is
conducting further briefing on the basis of the intelligence
material.
“While it
is not possible to predict the timing of the event precisely …
could
conceivably
be as early as 10 March … in the event, albeit unlikely, that
the
Americans
lost hope in the UN and move fast. Michael Jay may have a better
fix on
this, but I
guess the more likely timing would be for Security Council action
around
the weekend
of 15/16 March, and therefore for a meeting after
that.”99
165.
In a minute of
14 March, Mr Powell recorded that “we have agreed” that
Mr Blair
would start
to hold daily meetings of a ‘War Cabinet” from 0830 on 19 March.
Mr Powell
97
Minute
Gibbons to Manning, 30 January 2003, ‘Iraq: Crisis
Management’.
98
Manuscript
note Manning to Powell, 2 February 2003, on Minute Gibbons to
Manning, 30 January 2003,
‘Iraq:
Crisis Management’.
99
Letter
Tebbit to Turnbull, 5 March 2003, [untitled].
293