Introduction
and key findings ........................................................................................
387
The switch
to the South ................................................................................................
388
CENTCOM’s
proposal for a UK Division in the South ............................................
389
MOD advice
to No.10 on deployment to the South ................................................
399
Cabinet, 16
January 2003 .......................................................................................
412
The
decision to deploy ground forces, 17 January 2003 ........................................
413
The absence
of collective Ministerial consideration of the decision to deploy
UK
forces ......................................................................................................................
419
Planning
military operations ..........................................................................................
427
Military
discussions with the US .............................................................................
427
JIC
Assessment, 29 January 2003: ‘The Emerging View from
Baghdad’ ...............
430
Mr Blair’s
meeting with President Bush, 31 January 2003 .....................................
434
Planning
for an air campaign ..................................................................................
436
The UK
contribution to an air campaign ...........................................................
436
The
principles of international humanitarian law ..............................................
437
Preliminary
discussions on targeting ................................................................
438
Objectives
for the military campaign .......................................................................
441
The Phase
IV plan ..................................................................................................
444
Iraq’s
response to an invasion ................................................................................
449
Debate on
the UK role in combat operations ..........................................................
457
Development
of Phase IV planning ..................................................................
467
Commitment
to military action .......................................................................................
471
Mr Blair’s
meeting, 11 March 2003: agreement to the military
plan ........................
473
DIS
Memorandum, 11 March 2003: ‘Basra: Post-Saddam
Governance’ ................
483
JIC Note,
13 March 2003: ‘Saddam’s Plan for Baghdad’ ........................................
486
Cabinet, 17
March 2003 .........................................................................................
489
The
ultimatum to Saddam Hussein .........................................................................
490
Debates in
Parliament, 18 March 2003 ..................................................................
491
The final
preparations for conflict ............................................................................
492
385