The Iraq Inquiry - Chilcott's Circus Clowns Come to Town

[David Guyatt]

More porkies on the horizon at Chilcot's Three Ring Circus:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8503398.stm

Straw to face Iraq inquiry again



Justice Secretary Jack Straw is due to give evidence before the inquiry into the Iraq war for a second time.

Questioning is likely to focus on legal issues in the run-up to the conflict when Mr Straw was Foreign Secretary.

Mr Straw was a key figure consulted by Lord Goldsmith before the then attorney general changed his advice about the invasion's legality.

Previously, Mr Straw told the inquiry supporting the invasion had been the "most difficult decision" of his life.

'Indelible impression'

By his own account, Mr Straw played a pivotal role in the war - if he had objected, the UK would not have invaded Iraq.

When Mr Straw's own legal adviser told him an invasion without a second UN resolution would amount to a crime of aggression, he rejected the advice.

Former UN weapons inspector Hans Blix has told the BBC's Hardtalk programme that he was "puzzled" by Mr Straw's earlier evidence to the inquiry.

Mr Straw had told the panel that a report drawn up by Mr Blix on the eve of the war had "made an indelible impression" on him and that it "convinced me that Iraq's non-compliance with Security Council requirements going back to 1991 was profound".

But Mr Blix said he found such a reaction "amazing" as "there was nothing sensationally new in that document".

Three days before the conflict, Lord Goldsmith had wanted to tell ministers that the legal issues "were finely balanced".

Mr Straw persuaded him not too, because of the problem of leaks from the cabinet.

Lord Goldsmith has admitted to the inquiry that he changed his legal view of the Iraq war but said it was "complete nonsense" to claim he did so because of political pressure.

Until a month before the 2003 invasion, the ex-attorney general had believed it was "safer" to get a fresh UN resolution.

But he gave the "green light" after deciding force was justified by UN accords on Iraq dating back to 1991.

The full interview on Hardtalk can be seen on the BBC News Channel at 2330 GMT and on BBC World at 0430, 0930, 1530 and 2130 GMT on 8 February 2010.