The Report
of the Iraq Inquiry
234.
Mr Bowen
explained that the unit would work alongside the FCO consular
and
emergency
units, and with the Defence Crisis Management Centre (DCMC) in the
MOD
and the
Conflict and Humanitarian Affairs Department (CHAD) in
DFID.
235.
The Iraq
Planning Unit (IPU), headed by Mr Dominick Chilcott, was
established on
236.
On 17
February, Sir Michael Jay sent draft terms of reference for the IPU
to
Sir Andrew
Turnbull, the Cabinet Secretary, copied to Permanent Secretaries.
The draft,
which had
already been discussed with DFID, the MOD and the Cabinet Office,
stated:
“The unit
will operate within broad policy guidelines set by the Cabinet
Office.
In the
FCO, it will report to the Director Middle East and North Africa
Command
[Mr Chaplin].
Its main customers will be British military planners in
PJHQ,
MOD and, mainly
through them, British officers and officials seconded to
the
Pentagon
and CENTCOM.
“The main
purpose of the unit will be to provide policy guidance on the
practical
questions
that British civilian officials and military commanders will face,
in the
event of a
conflict in Iraq. The advice will be designed to help them to
minimise the
suffering
of the Iraqi people and to deal with the civil administration of
any sector
of Iraq
under the control of British forces, particularly during the period
before a
transitional
civilian administration is established. It will aim to ensure that
British
operational
military planning for the post-conflict phase in Iraq is consistent
with
and
promotes the UK’s policy objectives on the future of Iraq. In doing
so it will take
particular
account of the key role of the UN.
“The unit
will aim to bring influence to bear on US plans by providing
similar
guidance,
through PJHQ and MOD, to seconded British personnel working
within
the US
military planning machinery and through the Embassy to the NSC and
other
parts of
the US Administration.
“The unit
will also provide a focus in Whitehall for developing policy
advice
and
recommendations, as required, on strategic questions concerning a
post
Saddam Iraq.
“The role
of the unit will be reviewed in three months.”135
237.
The record of
the 17 February meeting of the AHGI stated that the IPU had
been
formed
initially “to meet a UK military planning need for detailed policy
guidance on
occupation
issues”.136
In the
event of UK participation in the occupation of Iraq it
was
likely to
expand considerably.
134
Minute
Chilcott to Private Secretary [FCO], 20 February 2003, ‘Iraq:
Day-After (Phase IV)’.
135
Letter Jay
to Turnbull, 17 February 2003, ‘Iraq Planning’ attaching ‘Proposed
Terms of reference for the
tract [sic]
Planning Unit’.
136
Minute Dodd
to Manning, 17 February 2003, ‘Ad Hoc Group on Iraq’.
304