Britain’s Iraq inquiry panel travels to US to question officials over errors in 2003 invasion

UK Iraq inquiry to question officials in US

LONDON — Britain’s Iraq war inquiry panel arrived in the United States on Tuesday as it continues to investigate mistakes made in the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, but officials are not expected to hold talks with former President George W. Bush.

The five-member panel appointed by the British government is examining the case made for the war and errors in planning for post-conflict reconstruction — but it won’t apportion blame or establish criminal or civil liability.

It has taken live testimony from British politicians and military and intelligence officials — including a gripping evidence session with former Prime Minister Tony Blair.

The inquiry’s staff said the panel will hold five days of private meetings in Washington and Boston, but would not disclose in advance who was meeting with the team.

Bush’s office said it was not aware of any request to hold a meeting with the former U.S. president, or any plan for him to offer input into the British investigation.

The office of former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said it was unaware of any scheduled meeting with the British panel.

Inquiry spokesman Rae Stewart said details of meetings held in the U.S. would be disclosed once the panel, led by former civil servant John Chilcot, returns to Britain.

He said the panel visited France on May 4 to question ex-French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin, former military chief Gen. Henri Bentegeat and others.

Hearings in London began in November and have seen ex-prime ministers Blair and Gordon Brown testify, alongside current MI6 intelligence agency chief John Sawers, the head of Britain’s military Jock Stirrup and a host of ministers and officials.

Several sessions have focused on accusations that Blair offered Bush support for an invasion as early as April 2002 — a year before legislators approved Britain’s involvement.

Britain’s former ambassador to the U.S., Christopher Meyer, told the inquiry that Bush and Blair used a meeting that April at Bush’s ranch in Crawford, Texas, to “sign in blood” an agreement to take military action in Iraq. However, in his testimony, Blair’s former chief of staff, Jonathan Powell, denied any agreement had been made and called Meyer’s account unreliable.

Details of private correspondence between Blair and Bush have been provided to the panel, but have not been released publicly.

Brown set up the inquiry seeking to draw lessons from the frantic negotiations ahead of the invasion, and mistakes made in preparations for post-conflict reconstruction. Chilcot’s panel will offer recommendations by the end of the year.