6.2 |
Military planning for the invasion, January to March
2003
“You will
recall that we agreed the air package for planning purposes in
September.
With some
small adjustments at the margins, the planned package now
comprises
118
fixed-wing aircraft, including those routinely based in theatre in
support of the
No-Fly
Zones.”
345.
Mr Hoon told
Mr Blair that, because there remained “some uncertainty” over
basing
arrangements
for some elements of the package, he would speak of “up to” 118
aircraft
rather than
providing a firm number. He added that the US was also “wrestling
with
some of the
same uncertainties”.
346.
On 6 February,
Mr Hoon told Parliament that the UK already maintained
a
“significant
presence” in the Middle East of “around 25 aircraft and 1000
personnel”.121
He
announced that, in the event of operations against Iraq, it was
envisaged that the
UK would
increase its presence to “around 100 fixed-wing aircraft supported
by around
7,000
personnel” in the “days and weeks ahead”.
347.
In addition,
the Joint Helicopter Command would “deploy a very
substantial
proportion
of its equipment and personnel”. Its contribution would consist of
27 Puma
and Chinook
support helicopters and “about 1,100 people”.
348.
In response to
a question from Mr Bernard Jenkin (Conservative), Mr Hoon
said
that UK
forces would be “in the Gulf for as long as it takes to disarm Iraq
and the regime
349.
The principles
of international humanitarian law (IHL) governing military
operations
are set out
in the Box below.
350.
The guidance
issued to the Armed Forces on the application of IHL during
military
operations
is addressed in more detail later in this Section.
International
humanitarian law (IHL) is also known as the Law of Armed Conflict
(LOAC)
or the Law
of War. IHL is part of international law and governs the conduct of
armed
conflict,
sometimes referred to as jus in
bello. It is
distinct from the law governing the
resort to
armed conflict, jus ad
bellum,
which
derives from the United Nations Charter
(see Section 1.1).
IHL aims to
limit the effects of armed conflicts for humanitarian reasons. It
aims to protect
persons who
are not or are no longer taking part in the hostilities, the sick
and wounded,
prisoners
and civilians, and to define the rights and obligations of the
parties to a conflict
121
House of
Commons, Official
Report, 6 February
2003, columns 455-456.
122
House of
Commons, Official
Report, 6 February
2003, column 457.
437