More on Sir Chilcot's report

Sir Chilcot says the inquiry does not accept Blair’s claim that it was impossible to predict post-invasion problems 

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2016/jul/06/chilcot-report-live-inquiry-war-iraq?page=with:block-577cdc07e4b0dc6aac1d8546&CMP=share_btn_tw#block-577cdc07e4b0dc6aac1d8546


11h25

Chilcot is now talking about the planning for after the war.

He says the risks to British troops were not properly identified, or flagged up to ministers.

Cabinet did not discuss the military options or their implications, he says.

He says the government thought the post-conflict administration would be UN-led. But the US did not agree, and so instead the UK decided to get the US to accept UN authorisation of a coalition-led administration.

Blair told the inquiry the problems encountered after the invasion could not have been known in advance.

• Chilcot says the inquiry does not accept Blair’s claim that it was impossible to predict the post-invasion problems. Those problems were anticipated, he says.

11h 28

Chilcot is now talking about the government’s failure to achieve the objectives it set in Iraq.

The armed forces fought a successful campaign. Saddam Hussein fell in less than a month.

He says the armed forces deserve great respect.

The invasion and subsequent instablity resulted in the death of at least 150,000 Iraqis, and probably many more. Most of them were civilians.

The people of Iraq have suffered greatly.

Chilcot says the coalition made a declaration before the invasion promising a better future for the people of Iraq.

He says the inquiry considered the post-conflict period in great detail.

He only has time to address a few key points now.

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The Chilcot report is online on the Iraq inquiry’s website here: http://www.iraqinquiry.org.uk/the-report/