US lawyers persuaded Lord Goldsmith to change his mind on Iraq war

[cal04]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article7004515.ece

Tony Blair only got the “green light” to invade Iraq after his Attorney General visited Washington and was told by US lawyers that he was wrong to oppose the war.

Lord Goldsmith told the Iraq Inquiry today that he altered his advice a few weeks before the bombing of Baghdad after a series of meetings with American legal advisors. He had initially warned that United Nations resolution 1441, passed in November 2002, did not provide a legal basis for overthrowing Saddam Hussein.

He changed his mind in February 2003 after compelling evidence from senior US officials and advisors - including national security adviser Condoleezza Rice and Will Taft IV, a senior State Department legal official. Lord Goldsmith said their description of the negotiations that lead to the Security Council resolution helped convince him that a second resolution was not required.

He said the Americans had all been clear that President Bush's one "red line" in the negotiations on 1441 was that they should not "concede a veto" to the French on military action - something which they were adamant had not happened.


40 days that made illegal attack into legal war on Iraq
• First law chief said second UN vote needed
• Then Bush lawyers changed his opinion
• Eve of battle revision to give troops clear yes
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/jan/27/lord-goldsmith-iraq-war-chilcot

[no_hypocrisy]

1. I want to know the name of the lawyers.

[deminks]

2. Now, we are getting somewhere.

Condi, Condi, Condi. I just knew your name would come up. How did I know this?

[cal04]

3. Goldsmith says US changed his view on Iraq invasion

http://www.scotsman.com/news/Goldsmith-says--US-changed.6020879.jp

BRITAIN'S legal justification for invading Iraq was based largely on opinions given to the government's top lawyer by George Bush's senior White House team, it has emerged.

Lord Goldsmith, the former attorney general, told the Iraq Inquiry yesterday he changed his mind and backed military action only after being flown to the White House, where American officials attempted to persuade him his long-held legal objections to war were wrong.

Prior to that meeting, Lord Goldsmith had consistently told prime minister Tony Blair that Britain would require a second United Nations resolution, backing "all necessary means" of disarming Saddam Hussein, before he could commit British troops. He told the inquiry that advice was "not terribly welcome" in Downing Street.

And last night, the BBC reported a former Bush aide saying: "We had trouble with your attorney general, but we got him there eventually."