The Report
of the Iraq Inquiry
Again FCO
line was that Synnott would sort it out. Min(AF) made the point
about us
expecting a
lot from one man …
“… there is
no dispute that there is a problem, that something needs to be done
and
that it may
well involve spending money – this is a significant step forward …
Most
significant
appears to be [the] developing DFID thaw on [its] doctrinaire
approach to
spending
priorities.”
655.
The CENTCOM
Iraqi Power Generation and Distribution Conference took
place
in the US
from 25 to 27 August.363
The
objective of the Conference was to develop a
practical
response to the challenges in Iraq, and encourage
co-ordination.
656.
The Inquiry
has not seen a record of the Conference.
657.
The 27 August
meeting of the Chiefs of Staff was advised that the estimated
cost
of the
third course of action identified by Lt Gen Fry on 18 August – that
the UK should
step in to
lead reconstruction in the South until the CPA could begin to
deliver results –
was
US$91m.364
A decision
on whether to proceed would depend on the results of
the
CENTCOM
Conference.
658.
Mr Crompton
advised Mr Straw in advance of the 28 August meeting of
the
AHMGIR:
“There is a
head of steam within the MOD about the lack of progress
on
reconstruction.
As the military see it, the CPA in general, and CPA(South)
in
particular,
have failed to deliver. As a result, the Coalition is losing
consent, the
military
are having to take on tasks which should be undertaken by
civilians, and
in the
process the military are becoming over-stretched and
vulnerable.”365
659.
Mr Crompton
offered four conclusions:
“•
We need to
maintain pressure on DFID to deliver quick results. Their
approach
so far has
been too theological …
•
Fixing
these problems will require more staff (not less), particularly in
the South.
Hilary
Synnott … has just requested an additional 34 secondees to work
on
reconstruction
issues. He should get many of these.
•
Concerns
about security argue against putting in more staff, but holding
staff
back … will
only compound the problem. The immediate solution is to
strengthen
security
measures in CPA(South) …
•
All of this
is going to cost a lot of money. I am not sure we will be able to
do all
we need to
do within current budgets … The Treasury may have to look
again
at the
sums they are providing.”
363
Briefing
DFID, 22 August 2003, ‘Information Note: Iraq: Critical
Infrastructure in the South’.
364
Minutes, 27
August 2003 Chiefs of Staff meeting.
365
Minute
Crompton to PS/Straw, 28 August 2003, ‘Ad Hoc
Ministerial’.
114