8 | The
invasion
109.
In aiming to
achieve the objective as swiftly as possible, the document
stated
that “every
effort will be made to minimise civilian casualties and damage to
essential
economic
infrastructure, and to minimise and address adverse
humanitarian
consequences”.
110.
The main tasks
of the Coalition were identified as:
•
overcoming
the resistance of Iraqi Security Forces;
•
denying the
Iraqi regime the use of WMD now and in the future;
•
removing
the Iraqi regime, given its clear and unyielding refusal to comply
with
the UN
Security Council’s demands;
•
identifying
and securing the sites where WMD and their means of delivery
were
located;
•
securing
essential economic infrastructure, including for utilities and
transport,
from
sabotage and wilful destruction by Iraq; and
•
deterring
wider conflict both inside Iraq and in the region.
111.
The campaign
objectives also included “immediate military priorities” in the
wake
of hostilities.
Those were to:
•
provide for
the security of friendly forces;
•
contribute
to the creation of a secure environment so that normal life could
be
restored;
•
work in
support of humanitarian organisations to mitigate the consequences
of
the
conflict, or provide relief directly where needed;
•
work with
the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection
Commission
(UNMOVIC)
and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to rid Iraq of
its
WMD;
•
facilitate
remedial action where environmental damage had
occurred;
•
enable “the
reconstruction and re-commissioning of essential infrastructure
for
the
political and economic development of Iraq, and the immediate
benefit of the
Iraqi
people”; and
•
lay plans
for reforming the Iraqi Security Forces.
112.
The document
said that “British military forces will withdraw as soon
as
practicable”,
and concluded by re-stating the end state for Iraq set out by
Mr Straw in
his statement
of 7 February.
113.
Royal
Marines from 3 Commando Brigade landed on the al-Faw
Peninsula
early on 21
March.
21