The Butler Report

showmet · Jul 15, 2004

This is taken from http://www.guardian.co.uk/guardianpolitics/story/0,3605,1261653,00.html (not the whole article). You can download the whole Butler report here: http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-files/Politics/documents/2004/07/14/butler.pdf

The report reveals new information about the way in which thin and at times inaccurate intelligence was turned into prime ministerial certainty. In a devastating litany of mistakes, omissions and hyperbole, it says:

· Downing Street stretched the available intelligence to "the outer limits".

· The claim that biological or chemical weapons could be deployed within 45 minutes should not have been included in the dossier, and led to suspicions that it had been inserted "because of its eye-catching character".

· The government's September 2002 dossier setting out the case for war had the "serious weakness" of omitting many crucial caveats about the dubious nature and limitations of much of the intelligence. The language in the dossier suggested the intelligence was "fuller and firmer" than it was.

· Britain had only a handful of "main sources" on Iraq and the quality of much of their information has since been challenged by the intelligence services themselves. Reports from a key source were withdrawn in July last year as "unreliable".

The Butler report blames no individual, focusing instead on "group think - the development of a prevailing wisdom". Lord Butler specifically insisted that John Scarlett, the chairman of the joint intelligence committee responsible for drawing up the Iraq dossier, should not lose his job as forthcoming head of MI6.

Mr Blair seized upon the lack of personal criticism in his statement to the Commons. "There was no conspiracy, there was no impropriety. The essential judgment and truth, as usual, does not lie in extremes," insisted the prime minister, who also told MPs: "No one lied, no one made up intelligence." Yet in a combative and self-justifying defence of the US-led war he accepted "full personal responsibility for the way the issue was presented and therefore any errors made".

Click to expand...

So, intelligence was "sexed up", unequivocal reliance was placed on limited intelligence in order to make a strong political case for war. This is lying - not by telling untruths, but by exaggerating the information you have. And yet nobody is to blame because it was all "a collective process". Because these decision were made collectively, does that mean nobody is responsible for the lies of exaggeration we were told - and which are detailed in this report?

Paul · Jul 15, 2004

I'm trying to understand this, I can't get my head around this "NOBODY IS TO BLAME" shite. I mean even if everything was a big accident there would always be somebody to blame surely?

Who is this Butler dude? What is his history and what are his connections with the government and MI6?

dhARmaMiLlO · Jul 15, 2004

I will be emmigrating to New Zealand in a couple of years time.
I've also applied for an Irish passport since I'm legible.
I've had enough of the 1984 parallels around here. The ship is sinking get me out!!

~

miabubble · Jul 15, 2004

it's terrifying how 1984 it is becoming here... and yes New Zealand sounds good. However I'll be staying here becuase soon there will be no one left here to help those who can't help themselves.

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The Butler Report

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The Butler Report

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