6.1 | Development of the military options for an invasion of Iraq

406. It was not written to provide a broader and more fundamental analysis of the

policy choices which the UK Government might at that time have considered, and

their consequences, including:

• whether military action would be the best way to secure the UK’s

objective;

• the longer‑term consequences and obligations which were likely to arise

from military action.

407. The wider issues addressed by the paper are set out in Section 3.3.

408. Following his minute of 3 July and a visit to Washington on 18 to 19 July,

Sir Kevin Tebbit advised that the US Administration as a whole was increasingly

united in the view that military action would be taken against Iraq to bring about

regime change and remove WMD risks.

409. Sir Kevin Tebbit visited Washington from 18 to 19 July.182

410. Sir Kevin advised Mr Hoon that the US Administration as a whole was increasingly

united in the view that military action would be taken against Iraq to bring about regime

change and remove WMD risks. He reported an “air of unreality” given the enormity of

what was envisaged and the absence of a policy framework and detailed planning.

411. Sir Kevin Tebbit also wrote to Sir David Manning before the Ministerial discussion

on 23 July.183

412. The advice for both Mr Hoon and Sir David is addressed in Section 3.3.

413. In the light of uncertainty about the timing of possible military operations,

Adm Boyce had directed that planning for deployment of land forces should

concentrate on two packages: a “supporting/enabling package” and a northern

option, comprising a division with two combat brigades (a division‑minus).

414. MOD officials privately expressed strong reservations about military action

to Mr Hoon stating that there was no objective justification for a pre‑emptive

attack either now or in the immediate future.

415. Mr Hoon was advised that the legal framework could constrain the UK’s

ability to support US action.

182 Telegram 970 Washington to FCO London, 20 July 2002, ‘Iraq: Sir K Tebbit’s Visit to Washington,

18‑19 July’.

183 Letter Tebbit to Manning, 22 July 2002, ‘Iraq’.

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