Brown says Iraq war was ‘the right decision’

By Alice Ritchie, London

Saturday, March 06, 2010

BRITISH Prime Minister Gordon Brown defended his role in the 2003 Iraq war yesterday, telling a public inquiry it was "the right decision" and rejecting claims he withheld funding from the armed forces.

Brown said that while he had not been closely involved in political decisions on conflict, he was fully informed and did everything required of him in his role as Chancellor of the Exchequer under Tony Blair.

"This is the gravest decision of all to make," he told the Chilcot inquiry into Britain’s role in the conflict, but added: "It was the right decision and it was for the right reasons."

Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, was a "serial violator of international law" and taking action when he failed to comply with United Nations resolutions on his weapons programme was a crucial "test" of the international community, he said.

Brown’s appearance before the inquiry is a political wild card just weeks ahead of a general election expected on May 6. The war, which led to 179 British soldiers losing their lives, remains hugely divisive in Britain.

Much of the blame for war has been laid on Blair, but Brown is facing damaging allegations that he failed to properly fund the armed forces for the conflict.

Witnesses, including then defence minister, Geoff Hoon, said money was tight and a former chief of the defence staff also alleged lives were lost because Brown ignored pleas for funding.

General Charles Guthrie, who led the armed forces from 1997 to 2001, said this week: "Not fully funding the army in the way they had asked… undoubtedly cost the lives of soldiers."

This story appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Saturday, March 06, 2010