Iraq war inquiry – “worst cover-up of our time”

The Daily Mirror front page today revisits the issue of the delayed publication of the Chilcot Inquiry report into Britain’s involvement in the US-led invasion of Iraq calling it the “worst cover-up of our time”.

The paper’s columnist, Paul Routledge, referring to the publication this week of the CIA report into torture techniques used by the spy agency throughout the ‘war on terror’, writes. “The Americans have come clean about CIA torture of detainees after 9/11. It hurt, but they did it.

“So why are we still waiting for the Chilcot Inquiry into the Iraq War to tell the truth about our politicians?”

The ‘truth’ about Britain’s involvement in the Iraq war has been held back by a series of obstacles as the five year long Inquiry led by Sir John Chilcot hobbles on. A major hurdle arose in the tussle between the Inquiry and Government over the declassification of sensitive documents. Further delays are said to have arisen during the ‘Maxwellisation’ process where those public servants facing criticism in the official report are given a ‘notice period’ to respond to the accusations.

Earlier this year, the Independent disclosed that the Chilcot report would likely be delayed until after next year’s election prompting widespread criticism from political leaders and peers.

The Prime Minister this week was probed again over the ongoing delay particularly in light of the CIA report uncovering widespread use of brutal torture methods. The PM responded to say, “On the Chilcot inquiry nothing has changed in terms of my view but I am not in control of when this report is published. It is an independent report, it is very important in our system that these sort of reports are not controlled or timed by the government. They are controlled and timed by the independent inquiry board that has carried out that vital work. And when they publish is a matter for them.”

Sir Menzies Campbell, a member of the Intelligence and Security Committee, which has been called upon to investigate Britain’s role, if any, in the CIA’s use of torture against detainees on the back of this week’s published report, told the Guardian, “It is thoroughly regrettable, to put it mildly, that this report has not yet been published. Delay is not in the public interest nor that of individuals who may eventually be the subject of criticism. I’m surprised that the prime minister is not more exercised about the delay. But I hope we can infer that no deal has been done between the Conservatives and Labour to time publication so as to avoid any embarrassment for either party before next year’s election.”