Iraq inquiry: Saddam posed very limited threat to UK, ex-MI5 chief says

[1938 Observer]

Eliza Manningham-Buller tells Chilcot inquiry that Iraq invasion radicalised part of a generation of Muslims and increased terrorist threat to Britain

Haroon Siddique guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 20 July 2010 13.02 BST

The former MI5 director general Eliza Manningham-Buller today delivered a withering assessment of the case for war against Iraq, saying it had significantly increased the terrorist threat to Britian.

Giving evidence to the Chilcot inquiry, Manningham-Buller said the threat posed by Saddam Hussein before the US-led invasion in 2003 was low.

But the toppling of Saddam allowed Osama bin Laden to gain a stronghold in Iraq and radicalised young Muslims in Britain, she said.

In evidence that undermined the case for war presented by the former prime minister Tony Blair, she was asked whether it was feared Saddam could have linked terrorists to weapons of mass destruction, facilitating their use against the west.

"It certainly wasn't of concern in either the short term or the medium term to me or my colleagues," she replied.

Manningham-Buller said the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan had radicalised parts of a generation of Muslims who saw the military actions as an "attack on Islam".

She added that, prior to the Iraq invasion, the prospect of it fuelling terrorism in the UK had been communicated through joint intelligence committee reports. She said she had also spoken to the home secretary about the risk.

Manningham-Buller was damning about the impact of the invasion on Iraq, saying the toppling of Saddam had allowed Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida to move in. "Arguably, we gave Osama bin Laden his Iraqi jihad," she added.


More of the article plus related information worth reading is at the link


http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/ju...ddam-mi5-chief

[Alastair]

Re: Iraq inquiry: Saddam posed very limited threat to UK, ex-MI5 chief says

I was talking to Harold Nelson who for some 32 years was the news editor for CBC. He was saying that under Sadam Iraq gave free schooling to both boys and girls, free health care, and equal opportunity to men and women. The war just managed to make Iran stronger in the region.

In actual fact I was brought up in the Middle East, went to the Anglo-American school in Ahmadi, Kuwait. I was also the youngest refugee to be kicked out of Iran where my father worked for the Anglo-Iranian Oil company.

Alastair

[1938 Observer]

Re: Iraq inquiry: Saddam posed very limited threat to UK, ex-MI5 chief says

Alastair,
I remember when Iran was 'flavour of the month' with the US...........shades of Aly Khan and Rita Hayworth.........then it all went 'pear shaped'.....but of course history will show the number of our allies who gave covert and overt aid to parties concerned...........when there is a dollar to be made.............Ideology and politics/faith know no boundries...........but then..I'm cynical by nature :tongue::smile:

444 Days - US Embassy under seige Iran 1979


U.S. Embassy Hostage Crisis Iran 1979.

The United States State Department claims the guerrillas were left wingers opposed to the creation of an Islamic republic by the Ayatollah Khomeiny. The U.S. State Department says that one Iranian employee at the embassy was killed and two American marines were wounded. U.S. Ambassador William Sullivan gave the order to surrender after exchanges of gunfire between U.S. marines and the guerrillas, but only after embassy staff had burned essential documents. The new Iranian government intervened in the attack on the embassy. Government militia men indistinguishable from the street mobs raced to the embassy and dispersed the attackers. The American Embassy seige was obviously orchestrated and carried out by the Iranian government.

American Embassy hostages were released after 444 days. Thirty minutes after President Ronald Regan took office. Ronald Regan had promised to send troops into Iran, if required, to end the hostage crisis.

[1938 Observer]

Re: Iraq inquiry: Saddam posed very limited threat to UK, ex-MI5 chief says

This is a good background to Iraq conflict.......raises quite a few questions.......and the stories/inquiries still go on...................

Now where did I put those WMD ?? :confused::wink:

Iraq conspiracy

Simon Reeves looks into the reasons behind the war in Iraq, from oil to the petrodollar to US supremacy and finishes with the Iranian Oil Bourse to trade oil in Euro, set to go online in March 2006, and how that might be the cause for a war with Iran.

After 16 days George W..:unimpressed:....said "Mission Accomplished ...I wonder if the thousands killed and wounded, or their families would agree ???:confused:

[sandyc]

Re: Iraq inquiry: Saddam posed very limited threat to UK, ex-MI5 chief says

I used to live right behind the US embassy in Tehran in 1972. Those were the "good days" at least as far as we were concerned. Tehran was a very cosmopolitan city in those days but there was always an undercurrent of dissatisfaction with the Shah and his government. We were working for the Gov't and at least two of the the so-called workers were members of his secret police who were always trying to "trip us up" and make comments against him.

Recent pictures I have seen of Tehran show huge changes from when I was there.
I almost went back in 1979, but it all "blew up" in our faces so we did not make it.
Sandy

[Glesgalass]

Re: Iraq inquiry: Saddam posed very limited threat to UK, ex-MI5 chief says

Back in the seventies Iran was recruiting aircraft engineers. I think it must have been the middle 70's before my 2nd son was born. My late husband and I considered applying for the posting (he worked for Qantas), as it would have earned us a great deal of money. Thank goodness we didn't as we all know what happened and we may have gotten caught up in it.

Elda

[1938 Observer]

Re: Iraq inquiry: Saddam posed very limited threat to UK, ex-MI5 chief says

I used to live right behind the US embassy in Tehran in 1972. Those were the "good days" at least as far as we were concerned. Tehran was a very cosmopolitan city in those days but there was always an undercurrent of dissatisfaction with the Shah and his government. We were working for the Gov't and at least two of the the so-called workers were members of his secret police who were always trying to "trip us up" and make comments against him.

Recent pictures I have seen of Tehran show huge changes from when I was there.
I almost went back in 1979, but it all "blew up" in our faces so we did not make it.
Sandy

It reminds me of the situation in Lebanon..............where Beirut was described as the Pearl of the Middle East....the various militia conflicts,Israeli invasion (1982) etc., however it does appear to be regaining some of its former glory.

Friday, July 23, 2010 Welcome to Downtown Beirut, Lebanon http://www.downtownbeirut.com/lb/

[Alastair]

Re: Iraq inquiry: Saddam posed very limited threat to UK, ex-MI5 chief says

Beirut used to be called the Paris of the Middle East. You could go skiing or sun bathing depending on what part of the country you were in. I remember our golf course in Kuwait was just sand whereas in Beirut they had grass with hidden water filtering systems to keep the grass in peak condition. When Kuwait went dry the Skeiks used to send over army lorries to Beirut to stock up on the good stuff.

[sandyc]

Re: Iraq inquiry: Saddam posed very limited threat to UK, ex-MI5 chief says

When I flew into Beirut in '72 it was quite an experience...
The plane landed and taxied along a runway which had tanks dug in all the way along.
We did not dock at the terminal and stood out in the open.
New passengers were brought out in small groups in armoured vehicles.
I did not think much of it at the time, but afterwards I realised how exposed we were...
Sandy

[Alastair]

Re: Iraq inquiry: Saddam posed very limited threat to UK, ex-MI5 chief says

When I was in Kuwait I remember coming home from school to find 3 paratroop seargeants in my home. They had been given leave to come up to Ahmadi to get some air conditioning, showers and a break from the desert heat. I'm not sure of the date but guess around '59.

This was when Iraq was building up there army to invade Kuwait and Britain send out the Paras to help defend them. My father worked for Kuwait Oil Company and most of the field personnel were Americans from Gulf Oil Company and BP handled the administration. The Americans were told to leave Kuwait by the US Government but the Brits were given the option and as far as I remember they all decided to stay.

As a youngster I had a great time as they taught me a wonderful variety of card tricks.

The local minister was just at the end of his 2 year term and my father found out by sheer chance that he'd spent all his money to get cold drinks for the Paras and was leaving with no money at all. My father managed to get him to accept the final collection from the church so he'd at least have something when he got home to Scotland.

Alastair