The Report of the Iraq Inquiry

Coalition period to establish a Constitution for Iraq which will guarantee the values for

which the United States has gone to all this trouble”.

491. Rather than argue with the US, Sir Jeremy’s preference was to see how

discussions with the GC went, as it was “much more satisfactory for the Americans

to change their views under the harsh light of the realities than under the importunate

arguments of the British”. But there was a certain amount of “seeding” the UK could do

to indicate to the Americans “the unwisdom of aiming too high in all this”.

492. A major donor conference for Iraq was held in Madrid from 23 to 24 October and is

addressed in Section 10.1.

493. On 24 October, Sir Jeremy told the FCO that Lt Gen Sanchez had ordered a:

“… comprehensive review of security to try to regain operational momentum … [He]

has come to recognise that Coalition operations are at a standstill and that there is

a need to regain momentum. The review focuses on two questions: is the direction

of the strategic and operational approach to Coalition objectives valid? Second,

what can CJTF-7 do to improve progress? The up-to-date military assessment is

that operations have now lost momentum, that rates of attrition of Foreign Fighters

and Former Regime Loyalists are outstripped by their ability to regenerate and that

Coalition responses are motivated less by strategic objectives than by the need to

react to unwelcome developments. It assesses that violent opposition is likely to

endure and that the key to success in the political process will be management of

the intensity of attacks.”275

494. Sir Jeremy judged that even at an early stage the review represented “a clear

move from stabilisation towards Counter-Insurgency operations” and notified the FCO

that in-depth discussions “of all this, and wider” chaired by Secretary Rumsfeld were to

be held in Washington at the end of the month. Both Ambassador Bremer and General

John Abizaid, Commander US Central Command (CENTCOM), were due to attend.

495. On 26 October the al-Rashid Hotel in the Green Zone of Baghdad, used as a

Coalition military base, was hit by a number of rockets.276

496. The attack killed a US soldier, and injured 15 other people. US Deputy Defense

Secretary Paul Wolfowitz, who was staying in the hotel, escaped unhurt.

497. One UK civilian seconded to the CPA was seriously injured.277

498. Sir David Manning, British Ambassador to the US, described it as “the bloodiest

48-hour period in Baghdad since March”.278

275 Telegram 230 IraqRep to FCO London, 24 October 2003, ‘Iraq: Security Update’.

276 BBC News, 26 October 2003, US shocked at Iraq hotel attack.

277 Briefing [unattributed], 30 October 2003, ‘Briefing for Foreign Secretary: Cabinet: 30 October’.

278 Telegram 1426 Washington to FCO London, 28 October 2003, ‘Iraq: US Views 28 October’.

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