Former British government minister 'frozen out' of Iraq discussions

Tue, 02 Feb 2010

London- A former British government minister who resigned in protest at the 2003 invasion of Iraq alleged Tuesday that she was "frozen out of key discussions" because of her opposition to the war. Clare Short, who resigned on the eve of the invasion together with the late Robin Cook - foreign secretary at the time - told the Iraq inquiry that former prime minister Tony Blair had ordered critical cabinet members to be "quiet" during discussions.

She accused Blair of a "presidential style" of government contrary to the British tradition and of forcing parliament to "rubber stamp" the invasion in March 2003.

Short, a former minister for International Development, told the inquiry she was excluded from discussions from the summer of 2002 onwards. "It was clear that there was some kind of block on communication - normal communications were being closed down," she said.

"In the case of Iraq, there was secretiveness and deception," alleged Short, with Blair "and a few mates around him" taking the decisions.

In his testimony before the inquiry Friday, Blair said he had absolutely "no regrets" about joining the US in the invasion of Iraq and toppling former dictator Saddam Hussein.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/307147,former-british-government-minister-frozen-out-of-iraq-discussions.html.