Bethan Jenkins AC/AM Blog

I haven’t got a lot of time to blog today, but I wanted to do a short blog on Gordon Brown’s proposition of holding a closed inquiry into the Iraq War. I feel quite passionate about this issue as I took part in the campaign against the war while I was a student at Aberystwyth University. It is true to state that we were lied to on the reasoning’s for the occupation by the British and US Governments, and that those involved should be held accountable for their actions.

There is also enough evidence suggesting that all is not peaceful and stable in Iraq post invasion despite the propoganda that we see on our television screens. I have spoken to many Iraqi asylum seekers who confirm this view, and reserach from the Welsh Refugee Council shows that Iraqis are choosing to make themselves destitute as opposed to returning to their country of origin. 

The main argument thrown back at those, like myself, who opposed the invasion of Iraq is that at least we have now got rid of Saddam Hussein. Well if you take that analogy, then why are dictators the World over not treated in the same way as Saddam was treated? Why enter a country on the false pretence of looking for weapons of mass destruction, while the main reason was to shore up the country’s oil reserves, and to oust Saddam Hussein? The Iraqis I have spoken to tell me that yes, they did not respect what Saddam Hussein did while in power, but that any move to change the system, or campaign for his removal should have come from Iraqis, led by Iraqi’s- not external forces such as Britain and the USA.

An open inquiry into the role that the British Government played in the Iraq War is vital- to uncover all that took place during that period in an open and transparent manner. To do anything less would be an insult to the people of Iraq. Plaid Cymru MPs have been active from the outset in calling for a public inquiry, and I commend them for that action. To be fair to Nick Clegg, he has been strong on this matter also. I cannot help but be cynical as to the cry from the Tory benches for an inquiry/ an open inquiry. Many Tory MPs voted for the invasion in the first place. They are merely jumping on the bandwagon now in this regard.

It seems from press reports today that Gordon Brown may back-track from the pledge to hold an inquiry in private ( the reason given for this being that of ‘national security’) due to pressure from opposition parties, and more importantly his own Labour party members. What is interesting also today is that Butler, the ex civil service head who led a 2004 inquiry into intelligence failings over whether Iraq had weapons of mass destruction has also come out against a call for a private inquiry, stating-

“There is no prospect that an inquiry conducted entirely in private can purge the national feeling of mistrust,”

“The form of the inquiry proposed by the government has been dictated more by the government’s political interest than the national interest.”

This is intensified by the fact that the Government intends to report AFTER the next general election. Call me cynical, but this is a glaring attempt to defer the inevitable hammering the Labour Government will get as a result of the findings.

I really hope that the inquiry will be held in public. I am wavering as to whether I can actually say that a private inquiry will be better than nothing at this stage, because I am very distrustful of inquiries such as this taking place behind closed doors, without full scrutiny or input from the public at large. Not to mention the money that will be spent on an inquiry that may potentially fail to uncover some of the real issues surrounding the role of the British Government in Iraq.