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aeroplane
Cannabis Sacrament Minister
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 Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2005 2:01 pm Post subject: British MPs report points out a series of post-war mistakes |
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British MPs report points out a series of post-war "mistakes and misjudgments" in Iraq
3/24/2005 11:50:00 AM GMT
Thousands of anti-war protesters gathered in Trafalgar Square in London 19 March 2005
A British parliamentary committee released on Thursday a report attacking Iraq war planning and saying that the U.S.-led coalition failed to prepare for the strong Iraqi resistance that flared up in the aftermath of the invasion.
"The coalition had not planned adequately to deal with a post-conflict insurgency," the report said.
The influential House of Commons Defence concludes in its report that "a series of mistakes and misjudgments" occurred during the initial stages of the war, which broke out in March 2003 and that little attention was given to boosting Iraq's own police force.
"Only belatedly did the coalition begin building the Iraqi security forces ... Even then a bottom-up, numerically-focused approach meant the Iraqi military, security and police did not develop in a well-co-ordinated manner," the report said.
The MPs, moreover, said they were still concerned about the tactics of the multi-national forces in Iraq.
In its report, the committee moreover criticised the Coalition Provisional Authority for failing to secure small arms depots across Iraq, which now have become a key source for explosive materials and heavy weapons to rebels.
The report also said that not enough planning and little effort were done to meet the reconstruction needs.
Thus, the British forces were asked to manage other tasks beyond what's normally expected of military organisations, the report added.
The committee members described January's elections as a "turning point" for Iraq, however, they said they expected it to curb the rebel attacks in the country.
Deadly attacks haven’t stopped after the country’s general elections, that were held in January.
UK troops staying in Iraq till 2006
In a wide-ranging assessment of operations in Iraq since toppling the former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, the British MP’s heard evidence from experts and some traveled twice to the country to see the situation for themselves.
They concluded that Iraq's government will need Britain's 8,000-troops, deployed in the country, to remain for more time.
"This may be a substantial period of time," the report warned.
"In light of the state of the insurgency and the condition of the Iraqi security forces ... it seems likely that British forces will be present in Iraq in broadly similar numbers to the current deployment into 2006," it said.
"Experience has taught us that if nation-building exercises, such as that in Iraq, are to succeed, they must have a serious commitment of time, energy, financial resources and political resolve," it said.
War opponents organised a massive rally in London on the invasion’s second anniversary. Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of London on Saturday, marking Iraq war’s second anniversary, with many vowing to shun the British Prime Minister in the polls.
Expressing his anger about the continuing bloodshed in Iraq, one father who lost his son, a military policeman, in Iraq pledged to stand against Tony Blair in his northern constituency of Sedgefield.
"This isn't a publicity stunt, it's a serious full blown political campaign to take the fight to Tony Blair's doorstep," said Reg Keys, 52.
The report’s conclusions gives fresh ammunition to the British Prime Minister’s opponents who say short-sightedness by UK and Washington has endangered the lives of the troops and the Iraqi people.
"We consistently warned the Government about the dangerous lack of a coherent plan for post conflict Iraq," said Conservative Party defence spokesman Nicholas Soames.
"This serious failure clearly set the reconstruction of Iraq back by at least a year and resulted in further suffering for the people of Iraq," he added.
Commenting on the report, a spokeswoman for Blair said that the troop levels were kept under constant review, adding: "we've made it clear our troop level will remain at the level it is until we hope the Iraqi forces can take over."
Blair has come under harsh domestic pressure to set a date for withdrawing British troops from Iraq, but he has refused to do so, arguing that the British soldiers will remain in Iraq untill the country forces are ready to handle its security.
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