The Report
of the Iraq Inquiry
753.
Following
his meeting with President Bush, Mr Blair stated that
Saddam
Hussein had
to be confronted and brought back into compliance with the
UN.
754.
The
statements made in public by Mr Blair clearly implied the use of
force
in the
event that Saddam Hussein failed to comply with an
ultimatum.
755.
The
acceptance of the possibility that the UK might participate in a
military
invasion of
Iraq was a profound change in UK thinking. Although no decisions
had
been taken,
that became the basis for contingency planning in the months
ahead.
526