US ‘ignored’ British attempts to help post-war planning

BRITISH attempts to improve “dire” planning for the aftermath of the Iraq invasion were repeatedly ignored by the US, the inquiry into the war heard yesterday.

Tony Blair himself raised concerns directly with US President George Bush amid alarm in London at the state of the Pentagon’s preparations.

But senior figures in Washington had a “real blind spot” and assumed there would be “dancing in streets” when the invasion took place, senior diplomat Edward Chaplin told the inquiry.