The Report of the Iraq Inquiry

276. On 17 March, President Bush issued an ultimatum giving Saddam Hussein

48 hours to leave Iraq.

277. The French President’s office issued a statement early on 18 March stating that

the US ultimatum was a unilateral decision going against the will of the international

community who wanted to pursue Iraqi disarmament in accordance with resolution

1441.137 It stated:

“… only the Security Council is authorised to legitimise the use of force. France

appeals to the responsibility of all to see that international legality is respected.

To disregard the legitimacy of the UN, to favour force over the law, would be to

take on a heavy responsibility.”

278. On the evening of 18 March, the House of Commons passed by 412 votes to 149

a motion supporting “the decision of Her Majesty’s Government that the United Kingdom

should use all means necessary to ensure the disarmament of Iraq’s weapons of mass

destruction”.

279. President Bush wrote in his memoir that he convened “the entire National Security

Council” on the morning of 19 March where he “gave the order to launch Operation Iraqi

Freedom”.138

280. In the Security Council debate on 19 March, the majority of members of the

Security Council, including France, Russia and China, made clear that they thought

the goal of disarming Iraq could be achieved by peaceful means and emphasised the

primary responsibility of the Security Council for the maintenance of international peace

and security.139

281. UNMOVIC and the IAEA had provided the work programmes required by resolution

1284. They included 12 key tasks identified by UNMOVIC where progress “could have

an impact on the Council’s assessment of co-operation of Iraq”.

282. Shortly before midnight on 19 March, the US informed Sir David Manning that

there was to be a change to the plan and US airstrikes would be launched at 0300 GMT

on 20 March.140

283. Early on the morning of 20 March, US forces crossed into Iraq and seized the port

area of Umm Qasr.141

284. Mr Blair continued to state that France was responsible for the impasse.

137 Telegram 135 Paris to FCO London, 18 March 2003, ‘Iraq: Chirac’s Reaction to Ultimatum’.

138 Bush GW. Decision Points. Virgin Books, 2010.

139 UN Security Council, ‘4721st Meeting Wednesday 19 March 2003’ (S/PV.4721).

140 Letter Manning to McDonald, 20 March 2003, ‘Iraq’.

141 Ministry of Defence, Operations in Iraq: Lessons for the Future, December 2003, page 12.

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