6.1 |
Development of the military options for an invasion of
Iraq
1032.
The key points
were that the UK:
•
Assured the
US “of its continued determination to see the disarmament of
Iraq,
by peaceful
means if at all possible, but by force if necessary”.
•
Applauded
“the leadership shown by the US Administration” and
congratulated
it on the
“successful negotiation … of resolution 1441”. The unanimity of
the
Security
Council had sent “a powerful message from the international
community
to Iraq”
which would be “strongly reinforced by the US Administration’s
initiative
to build
and sustain the widest possible support for any further action that
may
prove
necessary”.
•
Confirmed
that the “forces and facilities listed in the US request” were
“available
as a basis
for planning” and were those that the UK “would expect to
make
available”.
Military staff and officials would “remain ready to … engage
fully
in further
detailed planning and development of military options,
including
refinement
of the potential UK contribution within the broad scale of effort
…
indicated”.
1033.
Mr Hoon
commented that the issue of UK support to military action had
“been
the subject
of bilateral work for some time” and he had, therefore, not
repeated the
detail. He
was “very grateful for the excellent access” given to the UK and
was “keen
to maintain
the close co‑operation” that had “already been
established”.
1034.
After the
adoption of resolution 1441, significant questions about
Turkey’s
position
remained.
1035.
Mr Westmacott
reported that a Turkish statement on 8 November had
welcomed
the
adoption of resolution 1441 and that it hoped Iraq would comply
quickly; and that
there was
relief that the resolution made “war a little less
likely”.412
1036.
PJHQ reported
on 11 November that Maj Gen Fry was concerned that
the
difficulties
with Turkey had not been fully acknowledged.413
The paper
being developed
for the
Chiefs of Staff should, therefore, examine both northern and
southern options.
1037.
No discussion
of Iraq is recorded in the minutes of the Chiefs of Staff
Committee
412
Telegram
416 Ankara to FCO London, 12 November 2002, ‘Iraq: UNSCR 1441:
Turkish Reactions’.
413
Email
MA/DCJO to MA1/DCDS(C), 11 November 2002, ‘Meeting with
Lt Gen McKiernan’.
414
Minutes, 13
November 2002, Chiefs of Staff meeting.
331