The Report
of the Iraq Inquiry
1.
This Section
covers the year leading up to Mr Blair’s departure from No.10
in June
2007, and
addresses:
•
the
development of the Basra Security Plan (including Operation SINBAD)
and
the Better
Basra Plan;
•
UK planning
for withdrawal from Iraq and reinforcement in Afghanistan, and
the
beginning
of transition to Provincial Iraqi Control in the
South;
•
UK
responses to the new US strategy of surging forces into Baghdad and
their
impact on
US/UK relations; and
•
the genesis of
negotiations with Jaysh al‑Mahdi in Basra.
2.
This Section
does not address:
•
the UK
contribution to the reconstruction of Iraq and reform of its
security sector,
covered in
Sections 10 and 12 respectively.
3.
The Inquiry’s
conclusions in relation to the events described in this Section can
be
read in
Section 9.8.
4.
On 1 June,
Major General John Cooper, General Officer Commanding
Multi‑National
Division
(South‑East) (GOC MND(SE)) presented his proposals for the Basra
Security
Plan to
General George Casey, Commander Multi‑National Force – Iraq
(MNF‑I).1
5.
Maj Gen Cooper
wrote that the plan:
“… will
bring together a number of programmes and include a diplomatic
focus from
Baghdad ..
a MOI [Ministry of the Interior] judicial review/inquiry and
support for …
search and
arrest operations”.2
6.
On 2 June, a
Cabinet Office official sent Mr Blair an update following his
visit to Iraq
on 22 May
(described in Section 9.4).3
7.
In relation to
Gen Casey’s plan to address security in Baghdad, it
said:
“Our
initial assessment of the proposals is positive, with the
necessary
political
and military elements woven in.”
8.
On Basra, the
update said:
“The Consul
General, Military, DFID … in Basra have made joint proposals
on
delivering
a step‑change in engagement across all lines of operation. We
need
1
Minute
Cooper, 8 June 2006, ‘GOC MND(SE) – Southern Iraq Update – 8 June
2006’.
2
Minute
Cooper, 1 June 2006, ‘GOC MND(SE) – Southern Iraq Update – 1 June
2006’.
3
Minute
Cabinet Office [junior official] to Prime Minister, 2 June 2006,
‘Iraq: Follow‑up to Your Visit’.
2