Tony Blair in spotlight as report into Iraq war due to be published
Source: Reuters
World | Thu Jun 30, 2016 1:32pm EDT
Tony Blair in spotlight as report into Iraq war due to be published
LONDON | BY MICHAEL HOLDEN
An official inquiry into Britain's role in the Iraq War will finally deliver its findings next Wednesday, seven years after it was set up, with attention firmly focused on how far it will criticize former Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Britain's role in the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq and Blair's justification for military action in which 179 British soldiers died, is a highly charged issue for many Britons, millions of whom opposed the invasion, and still overshadows foreign policy.
It also remains a divisive issue for Blair's Labour Party which has been plunged into crisis since Britain voted to leave the European Union last week and the report's publication is likely to reopen old wounds.
One of the key issues will be the inquiry's conclusion on the legal basis for going to war, with many Britons believing Blair deliberately misled the public, an accusation he denies.
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http://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-iraq-inquiry-idUSKCN0ZG2JU