Jack Straw rejected advice that the invasion of Iraq would be unlawful without explicit UN authorisation.The then foreign secretary told his chief legal adviser Sir Michael Wood he did not "accept" his judgement that a further UN mandate was needed. Although politically desirable, it was not legally necessary, he argued. Attorney General Lord Goldsmith ultimately advised prime minister Tony Blair that existing UN resolutions on Iraq did authorise the use of force.
Jack Straw rejected advice that the invasion of Iraq would be unlawful without explicit UN authorisation.
The then foreign secretary told his chief legal adviser Sir Michael Wood he did not "accept" his judgement that a further UN mandate was needed.
Although politically desirable, it was not legally necessary, he argued.
Attorney General Lord Goldsmith ultimately advised prime minister Tony Blair that existing UN resolutions on Iraq did authorise the use of force.
and the winning comment
BBC News - Straw rejected advice that Iraq invasion was 'unlawful'
He said Mr Straw also told him "I have often been advised things were unlawful and gone ahead anyway," paraphrasing a note by Mr Straw in which he refers to domestic cases he had been involved with as home secretary.
(My Bold) Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.
STOP PRESS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF MICHAEL WOOD'S TESTIMONY, THE GOVERNMENT - NOT CHILCOTT, THE GOVERNMENT - HAS RELEASED MINUTES FROM JACK STRAW ATTACKING SIR MICHAEL WOOD AND HIS LEGAL ADVISERS FOR NOT OFFERING "A FULL RANGE OF VIEWS". WOOD'S DAMNING EVIDENCE WAS INTERRUPTED FOR TEN MINUTES, AND NOW THE COMMITTEE ARE ATTACKING MICHAEL ON THE BASIS OF WHAT THE GOVERNMENT JUST RELEASED, FOR FAILING TO OFFER A VIEW THAT THE WAR WAS LEGAL.
STOP PRESS
RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF MICHAEL WOOD'S TESTIMONY, THE GOVERNMENT - NOT CHILCOTT, THE GOVERNMENT - HAS RELEASED MINUTES FROM JACK STRAW ATTACKING SIR MICHAEL WOOD AND HIS LEGAL ADVISERS FOR NOT OFFERING "A FULL RANGE OF VIEWS".
WOOD'S DAMNING EVIDENCE WAS INTERRUPTED FOR TEN MINUTES, AND NOW THE COMMITTEE ARE ATTACKING MICHAEL ON THE BASIS OF WHAT THE GOVERNMENT JUST RELEASED, FOR FAILING TO OFFER A VIEW THAT THE WAR WAS LEGAL.
- Jake If you only spend 20 minutes of the rest of your life on economics, go spend them here.
