The Report of the Iraq Inquiry

119. The lack of consultation by the CPA persisted, and the paper noted that UK officials

had been unable to delay a recent announcement of a new Central Criminal Court long

enough for the Attorney General to consider its legality.

120. It was expected that the immediate consultation problem would be eased by the

return to Baghdad of Mr Sawers, who had been instructed to make clear the UK’s need

for effective co-decision-making.

121. The same paper confirmed that Sir Jeremy Greenstock would take over from

Mr Sawers in September.

122. The update also said that a “threat of missile attacks is likely to delay the opening

of Baghdad airport to commercial traffic”.

123. Secretary Powell raised indications of “British unease about co-ordination and

leadership in Iraq” with Mr Straw on 19 June.45

124. Mr Straw said that the problems “all went back to our suggestion for an MOU which

would have divided the country”. Since that had not been acceptable to the US “we were

now jointly and severely liable for everything that went on in all of Iraq”. They agreed that

a high level of consultation was needed.

125. Mr Blair told Cabinet on 19 June that despite negative media comment “progress

was being made in Iraq”.46

126. The same day, Mr Sawers reported that “the security situation in the Baghdad area

has taken a turn for the worse” with demonstrations against the Coalition, some of which

resulted in fatalities among the US military.47

127. Mr Sawers asked for the security threat assessment for UK civilian staff to be

updated, observing as he did that “I would not want us to lose48 UK civilians before we

apply the necessary expertise to the issue”.

128. On 24 June, Mr Hoon made a statement in the House of Commons describing two

incidents in Majar al-Kabir, a town in Maysan province.49

129. The first was an attack by Iraqi gunmen on members of the 1st Battalion the

Parachute Regiment in which eight individuals were injured, two very seriously.

There was then a subsequent attack on the helicopter sent to assist them.

45 Letter McDonald to Manning, 19 June 2003, ‘Foreign Secretary’s Conversation with US Secretary of

State, 19 June’.

46 Cabinet Conclusions, 19 June 2003.

47 Telegram 044 IraqRep to FCO London, 19 June 2003, ‘Iraq: Security Situation’.

48 Read in context, the Inquiry understands “lose” to mean depart the country rather than be killed.

49 House of Commons, Official Report, 24 June 2003, column 996.

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