Out-of-touch Hoon's losing battle over 45-minute claim

[DoYouEverWonder]

http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=144782004

Fri 6 Feb 2004

Key points:

• Hoon says 45 minute claim not central to justification for war
• Conservative leader Michael Howard calls for Blair to resign
• Geoff Hoon tells MPs he did not know claim related to battlefield weapons only
• Hoon did not correct false impressions of claim later because considered it was "insignificant"

Key quote:

"I cannot imagine a more serious dereliction of duty by a Prime Minister than failing to ask that basic question" – Michael Howard, Conservative leader

Story in full:

GEOFF HOON, the Defence Secretary, yesterday claimed he did not tell Tony Blair, the Prime Minister, about the true nature of Saddam Hussein’s readiness for war because he considered the matter "insignificant".

Mr Hoon said he knew all along that it was Iraq’s battlefield weapons, not its medium-range missiles, that MI6 claimed could be launched within 45 minutes.

more...



These guys went to war and all they can say is 'the dog ate my homework'? I hope there's a nice cold bench for all of them at the Hague. Bu$h, Tony and all their minions, including members of the US Press, need to be tried for crimes against humanity.

[daveskilt]

1. blame james bond

why do they have to keep blaming the CIA and MI5? especially when they tend to be much less histrionic.

also love to see the scotsman referenced. Great paper- missed it since i moved to the US.

[dArKeR]

2. HOON: LIAR OR IDIOT? - Mirror

GEOFF Hoon yesterday brazenly declared the 45-minute claim about Iraq's alleged WMD was "not a matter of great public concern".

His astonishing comment followed earlier disclosures that he never told Tony Blair the threat applied to battlefield, not strategic, weapons as Britain prepared to hit Saddam.

And last night, with calls mounting for an inquiry into why we went to war, MPs were asking if the embattled Defence Secretary was lying or just plain foolish.

Denying he felt at fault for keeping the Premier in the dark over the nature of the WMD threat, Mr Hoon said: "I don't believe there is a question of blame. As far as I'm concerned this was not a matter of great public concern at the time."

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/allnews/content_objectid=13920509_method=full_siteid=50143_headline=-HOON%2D%2DLIAR%2DOR%2DIDIOT%2D-name_page.html