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davidbfpo
05-04-2009, 11:00 PM
The ex-No.2 at the British SIS (or MI6), Nigel Inkster (now at IISS) has spoken out: http://www.ippr.org.uk/events/archive.asp?id=3452&fID=259. The actual podcast speech Section 1, Part 2 iand a UK press article: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/5267555/Former-MI6-chief-says-Britain-was-dragged-into-Iraq-war.html

His reported comments are within a broad review of global strategy by the UK "think tank" IPPR (same website link and report due end of June). He has a certain pithy style and carefully chooses his words. I particularly like the comment on Afghanistan and those of Paul Collier on development.

Privately in the past year some Whitehall senior civil servants (aka mandarins) have made critical comments on the Iraqi involvement; often labelled as the greatest disaster for UK foreign policy since Suez. Now the UK has no active military role in Iraq there maybe more public comment.

davidbfpo

Ken White
05-05-2009, 12:24 AM
and more on this side of the pond. To include, on both sides, senior military people -- and the guys in charge there and here said "Understood. Now go forth and do it regardless." Happens that way sometimes. That's civilian control of the armed forces and it works better than the alternative...