Introduction
and key findings ..........................................................................................
93
Advice for
Mr Blair following his meeting of 23 July
2002 ...............................................
94
MOD advice
on the military options, 26 July 2002 ....................................................
94
The
attitudes of allies ................................................................................................
97
UN
inspections ..........................................................................................................
99
Iraqi
regime cohesion .............................................................................................
101
JIC
Assessment, 5 August 2002: ‘Iraq: Regional Attitudes and
Impact
of Military
Action’ .....................................................................................................
103
Discussions
with the US, August 2002 .........................................................................
106
Developments
in the US, early August 2002 ..........................................................
106
Mr Straw’s
meeting with Secretary Powell, 20 August 2002 ...................................
108
The
position at the end of August 2002 ........................................................................
115
The legal
view .........................................................................................................
115
JIC
Assessment, 21 August 2002 ...........................................................................
116
Dr Blix’s
interview, 25 August 2002 .........................................................................
120
FCO advice,
27 August 2002 ..................................................................................
121
The US
perspective, late August 2002 ...................................................................
123
Mr Blair’s
discussion with President Bush, 29 August 2002 .............................
126
The British
Embassy Washington’s view, 30 August 2002 ...............................
129
Mr Blair’s
decision to set out a public script on Iraq ......................................................
130
The
Sedgefield press conference, 3 September 2002 ...........................................
136
JIC
Assessment, 3 September 2002 ......................................................................
139
US
agreement to pursue “the UN route” .......................................................................
141
Sir Jeremy
Greenstock’s advice, 3 September 2002 ..............................................
144
FCO advice,
4 September 2002 .............................................................................
146
FCO advice,
6 September 2002 .............................................................................
148
Sir David
Manning’s discussion with Dr Rice, 6 September
2002 ..........................
150
Sir Christopher
Meyer’s advice, 5 and 6 September 2002 .....................................
152
President
Chirac’s views, 6 September 2002 .........................................................
154
91