The Report
of the Iraq Inquiry
71.
Sir David
Manning wrote to Dr Rice formally agreeing to US use of UK bases
for
operations
against Iraq.43
72.
Adm Boyce
issued an Execute Directive to Lt Gen Reith authorising
final
preparations
for military operations on 18 March.
73.
On 18 March,
Mr Watkins wrote to Sir David Manning, stating:
“Following
the vote in Parliament this evening, the Defence Secretary will
need
to
authorise the start of final preparations to launch military
action. The first step
will be the
issue of the Chief of Defence Staff’s Directive to the Commander
Joint
Operations.
This Directive sets out the general ‘governance’ arrangements
for
Operation
TELIC, the codename given to the involvement of UK Armed Forces
in
the
military campaign to remove the threat from Iraq’s weapons of mass
destruction.
Its issue
has the immediate effect of reducing to four hours the notice to
move of
lead
elements of the UK force (eg the Royal Marine Commandos) and
authorising
other
pre-positioning activities. CDS intends to issue the Directive at
2300 tonight,
together
with an implementation signal; the latter will allow action to
begin not before
74.
Adm Boyce duly
issued an Execute Directive to Lt Gen Reith on 18 March
to
implement
Op TELIC “as agreed, promulgated and ordered in Coalition
plans”.45
75.
The Directive
reflected the UK’s strategic objectives for Iraq announced
by
Mr Jack Straw,
the Foreign Secretary, on 7 January (see Section
3.6).46
76.
Adm Boyce
described the Government’s “Political Goal” as:
“To rid
Iraq of its weapons of mass destruction (and their associated
programmes
and means
of delivery, including prohibited ballistic
missiles).” 47
77.
The “Strategic
End State” for Iraq was defined by Adm Boyce as:
“As rapidly
as possible for Iraq to become a stable, united, and law abiding
state,
within its
present borders, co-operating with the international community, no
longer
posing a
threat to its neighbours or to international security, abiding by
all its
international
obligations and providing effective government for all its
people.”
43
Letter
Manning to Rice, 18 March 2003, [untitled].
44
Letter
Watkins to Manning, 18 March 2003, ‘Iraq: Military
Operations’.
45
Minute CDS
to CJO, 18 March 2003, ‘Op TELIC: Authorisation for Military
Operations in Iraq’.
46
House of
Commons, Official
Report, 7 January
2003, columns 4-5WS.
47
Minute CDS
to CJO, 18 March 2003, ‘Chief of Defence Staff Execute Directive to
the Joint Commander
for
Operation TELIC (Phases 3 and 4)’.
16