Lord Goldsmith Change his mind on Iraq war – led by US lawyers

Tony Blair only got the “green light” to invade Iraq after his Attorney General visited Washington and was told by US lawyers that he was wrong to oppose the war.

Lord Goldsmith told the Iraq Inquiry today that he altered his advice a few weeks before the bombing of Baghdad after a series of meetings with American legal advisors. He had initially warned that United Nations resolution 1441, passed in November 2002, did not provide a legal basis for overthrowing Saddam Hussein.

He changed his mind in February 2003 after compelling evidence from senior US officials and advisors – including national security adviser Condoleezza Rice and Will Taft IV, a senior State Department legal official. Lord Goldsmith said their description of the negotiations that lead to the Security Council resolution helped convince him that a second resolution was not required.

He said the Americans had all been clear that President Bush’s one “red line” in the negotiations on 1441 was that they should not “concede a veto” to the French on military action – something which they were adamant had not happened.

Wonder of these lawyers were the same ones who explained somehow water boarding wasn’t torture – just enhanced interrogation?

All this shows is how much Blair’s chain was being pulled by Bush.. Of course Blair (or more appropriately Bliar) is whistling his way to the bank now.

Having prostituted the UK to Cheney’s thugs, committed us to an illegal war and dumped that incompetent Gordon (I’ve abolished boom and bust) Brown on us, he’s strutting the world stage like a rock star.

He should be in jail.