Witnesses
The second stage of public hearings has now concluded. This page lists the names and earlier positions of witnesses (in reverse order listed by hearing week) who have appeared to give evidence, followed by the names of witnesses who the Digest’s contributors and readers believe should have appeared before the Inquiry but who have not been called to give testimony.
The Inquiry has now announced that there might be further hearings in the late autumn of 2010, and that previous witnesses may be recalled to give further evidence.
If you wish to suggest other witnesses who you believe should have appeared please use the comment box at the bottom of this page.
Where a name links to a new page, that page will contain some suggested questions which our writers and contributors believe that particular person should have been asked.
Witnesses by hearing date
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(Week 18)
Friday 30 July 2010
Rt Hon The Lord Prescott, First Secretary of State and Deputy Prime Minister, to 2007
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Wednesday 28 July
General Sir Richard Dannatt GCB CBE MC, Assistant Chief of the General Staff, 2001 to 2002; Commander in Chief Land Command, 2005 to 2006; Chief of the General Staff, 2006 to 2009
General Sir Mike Jackson GCB CBE DSO DL, Commander in Chief Land Command, 2000 to 2003; Chief of the General Staff, 2003 to 2006
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Tuesday 27 July
Lt Gen Sir Robert Fulton KBE, Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Equipment Capability), 2003 to 2006
Lt Gen Andrew Figgures CBE, Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Equipment Capability), 2006 to 2009
Dr Hans Blix, 1st Executive Chairman of the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission, 2000 to 2003
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Monday 26 July
Sir Ronnie Flanagan GBE QPM, HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary, 2005 to 2008
Sir Peter Spencer KCB, Chief of Defence Procurement, 2003 to 2007
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(Week 17)
Friday 23 July 2010
Paul Kernaghan CBE QPM, International Policing portfolio lead, Association of Chief Police Officers for England, Wales & Northern Ireland, 2001 to 2008
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Wednesday 21 July
Stephen White OBE, Director of Law and Order and Senior Police Adviser to the Coalition Provisional Authority, 2003 to 2004
Colin Smith QPM, Senior Police Adviser, Basra, 2005 to 2006
Lt Gen Anthony Palmer CB CBE, Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Personnel), 2002 to 2005
Lt Gen Sir Alistair Irwin KCB CBE, Adjutant General, 2003 to 2005
Carolyn Miller, Director Europe, Middle East and Americas, Department for International Development, 2001 to 2004
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Tuesday 20 July
Baroness Manningham-Buller DCB, Deputy Director General, Security Service until 2002; Director General, Security Service, 2002 to 2007
Maj Gen Andy Salmon CMG OBE, General Officer Commanding Multi National Division (South East), 2008 to 2009
Lt Gen Louis Lillywhite CB MBE QHS, Surgeon General, 2006 to 2009
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Monday 19 July
Vice Admiral Peter Wilkinson CB CVO, Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Personnel), 2007 to present
Lt Gen Mark Mans CBE, Deputy Adjutant General, 2005 to 2008
Air Marshal David Pocock CB CVO, Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Personnel), 2005 to 2007
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(Week 16)
Friday 16 July 2010
Michael Wareing CMG, Prime Minister’s Envoy for Reconstruction in Southern Iraq and Chairman of the Basra Development Commission, 2007 to 2009
Rt Hon Adam Ingram, Minister of State for the Armed Forces, 2001 to 2007
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Wednesday 14 July
General Sir Kevin O’Donoghue KCB CBE, Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Health), 2002 to 2004; Chief of Defence Logistics, 2005 to 2007; Chief of Defence Material, 2007 to 2009
John Dodds, Team Leader – Defence, Diplomacy and Intelligence, HM Treasury, 2003 to 2005
Rt Hon The Lord Boateng, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, 2002 to 2005
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Monday 12 July
Carne Ross, First Secretary, United Kingdom Mission to New York, 1998 to 2002
Lt Gen Sir James Dutton KCB CBE, General Officer Commanding Multi National Division (South East), 2005; Deputy Chief of Joint Operations (Operations), 2007 to 2009
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(Week 15)
Friday 9 July 2010
Sir Jonathan Cunliffe CB, Managing Director, Financial Regulation & Industry, 2002; Managing Director, Macroeconomic Policy and International Finance, HM Treasury, 2003 to 2007
Mark Etherington, Head of Provincial Reconstruction Team, Basra 2006 to 2007
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Wednesday 7 July
Sir Richard Dalton KCMG, HM Ambassador to Iran, 2003 to 2006
Sir Geoffrey Adams KCMG, HM Ambassador to Iran, 2006 to 2009
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Tuesday 6 July
Andy Bearpark CBE, Director Operations and Infrastructure in the Coalition Provisional Authority, 2003 to 2004
Martin Howard CB, Director General Operational Policy, MOD, 2004 to 2007
Rt Hon Bob Ainsworth MP, Minister of State for the Armed Forces, 2007 to 2009; Secretary of State for Defence, 2009
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Monday 5 July
Sally Keeble, Minister of State, Department for International Development, 2002 to 2003
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(Week 14)
Friday 2 July 2010
Bruce Mann CB, Director General Financial Management, Ministry of Defence, 2001 to 2004
Tom McKane, Director General Resource & Plans, Ministry of Defence, 2002 to 2006
Trevor Woolley CB, Director General Resource & Plans, Ministry of Defence, 1998 to 2002 and Financial Director, Ministry of Defence, 2003 to 2009
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Wednesday 30 June
Rt Hon The Lord Jay of Ewelme GCMG, Permanent Under Secretary, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 2002 to 2006
Iain MacLeod, Legal Counsellor to the UK Mission to the UN, 2001 to 2004
Cathy Adams, Legal Counsellor, Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers, 2002 to 2005
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Tuesday 29 June
Douglas Brand OBE, Chief Police Adviser to the Ministry of Interior, Baghdad, 2003 to 2004
Sir John Holmes GCVO KBE CMG, HM Ambassador to Paris, 2001 to 2007
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(Week 13)
Thursday 24 June 2010
Jonny Baxter, Head of DFID Baghdad, 2007 to 2008
Richard Jones, Consul General Basra, 2007 to 2008
Kathleen Reid, Head of DFID Basra, 2007 to 2008
Rob Tinline, Head of PRT Basra, 2007 to 2008
John Tucknott, Deputy Head of Mission Baghdad, 2007 to 2009
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Tuesday 22 June
The view from Baghdad and Basra 2004 to 2006
Lindy Cameron, Head of DFID Baghdad, 2004 to 2005
Simon Collis, Consul General Basra, 2004 to 2005
Tim Foy, Head of DFID Baghdad, 2005 to 2006; Head of PRT Basra and reviewer of PRT 2006
James Tansley, Consul General Basra, 2005 to 2006
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(Week 12)
Monday 8 March 2010
David Miliband, Foreign Secretary, 2007 – 2009
Sir Bill Jeffrey, Permanent Secretary MOD, 2005 – 2009 (was due to appear on 1 February but was unwell)
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(Week 11)
Friday 5 March 2010
Gordon Brown, Prime Minister, 2007 – 2009, Chancellor of the Exchequer, 2001 – 2007
Douglas Alexander, Secretary of State for International Development, 2007 – 2009
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(Week 10)
Monday 8 February 2010
General Sir John McColl, Senior British Military Representative in Iraq, 2004 – 2005
Jack Straw MP, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, 2001 – 2006
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(Week 9)
Wednesday 3 February 2010
Sir Kevin Tebbit, Permanent Secretary, MOD, 2001 – 2005
Rt Hon Dr John Reid MP, Secretary of State for Defence, 2005 – 2006
Rt Hon Ann Clywd MP, Prime Minister’s Special Envoy to Iraq, 2003 – 2009
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Tuesday 2 February
Clare Short MP, International Development Secretary, 2001 – 2003
Hilary Benn MP, International Development Secretary, 2003 – 2007
Sir Peter Ricketts, Permanent Secretary, FCO, 2006 – 2009
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Monday 1 February
Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup, Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Equipment), 2002 – August 2003; Chief of the Air Staff, August 2003 – April 2006; Chief of the Defence Staff, August 2006 – 2009
Sir Bill Jeffrey, Permanent Secretary, MOD, 2005 – 2009
General the Lord Walker of Aldringham, Chief of the General Staff, 2001 – Feb 2003; Chief of the Defence Staff, May 2003 – April 2006
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(Week 8)
Friday 29 January 2010
Tony Blair, Prime Minister, 2001 – June 2007
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Wednesday 27 January
Rt Hon Lord Goldsmith QC, Attorney General, June 2001 – June 2007
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Tuesday 26 January
Sir Michael Wood, Legal Adviser, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 2001 – 2006
David Brummell, Legal Secretary to the Law Officers, 2001 – 2004
Elizabeth Wilmshurst, Deputy Legal Adviser, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 2001 – 2003
Margaret Beckett MP, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, May 2006 – June 2007
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Monday 25 January
Rt Hon Des Browne MP, Secretary of State for Defence, May 2006 – Oct 2008
Rt Hon John Hutton MP, Secretary of State for Defence, Oct 2008 – June 2009
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(Week 7)
Friday 22 January 2010
Sir Suma Chakrabarti, Permanent Secretary, DFID, 2002 – 2007
Sir Nicholas Macpherson, Permanent Secretary, HMT, 2006 – 2009
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Thursday 21 January
Jack Straw, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, 2001 – 2006
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Wednesday 20 January
Mark Lyall-Grant, Director General Political, FCO, 2007 – 2009
Sir David Omand, Permanent Secretary, Security and Intelligence Co-ordinator, 2002 – 2005
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Tuesday 19 January
Geoff Hoon, Secretary of State for Defence, 2001 – 2005
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Monday 18 January
Jonathan Powell, Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister, 2001 – 2007
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(Week 6)
Thursday 15 January 2010
Major General Graham Binns, General Officer Commanding Multi-National Division South East, Aug 2007 – Feb 2008
General Sir John Reith (private session), Chief Joint Operations, Aug 2001-Jul 2004
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Wednesday 13 January
Nemat Shafik, Permanent Secretary, DFID, 2008 – 2009
Lord Turnbull, Cabinet Secretary, 2002 – 2005
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Tuesday 12 January
Alastair Campbell, Director of Communications and Strategy to the Prime Minister, 2001 – 2003
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Monday 11 January
Lieutenant General Sir Richard Shirreff, General Officer Commanding Multi-National Division South East, July 2006 – Jan 2007
Major General Jonathan Shaw, General Officer Commanding Multi-National Division South East, Jan – Aug 2007
(Note: From this point forwards the Inquiry listed witnesses by ‘relevant role’, rather than by subject area, as had been done previously.)
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(Week 5)
Friday 8 January 2010
Topic: Negotiating the UK military exit
Peter Watkins, Director Operational Policy, MOD, 2008 – 2009
Topic: UK’s policy towards Iraq in 2009
John Jenkins, Director Middle East and North Africa, FCO, 2006 – 2009
Frank Baker, Deputy Director Middle East, FCO, 2006 – 2009
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Thursday 7 January
Topic: Basra: Operation Charge of the Knights
Major General Barney White-Spunner, General Officer Commanding Multi-National Division South East, Feb – Aug 2008
Topic: Basra: Developments after the Charge of the Knights
Nigel Haywood, Consul General Basra, 2008 – 2009
Keith Mackiggan, Head of Provisional Reconstruction Team (DfID Secondee), Sep 2008 – Apr 2009
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Wednesday 6 January
Topic: Policy Decisions 2007 – 2009
General Sir Peter Wall, General Officer Commanding 1 (UK) Division, May – July 2003 and Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Commitments), 2007 – 2009
Jon Day, Director General Operational Policy, MOD, 2007 – 2008
Policy Director, MOD, 2008 – 2009
Topic: Policy Decisions 2007 – 2009
Mark Lowcock, Director General Programmes, DfID, 2008 – 2009
Topic: Baghdad 2007 – 2009
Christopher Prentice, HM Ambassador to Iraq, 2007 – 2009
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Tuesday 5 January
Topic: Baghdad 2005 – 2006
Sir William Patey, HM Ambassador to Iraq, 2005 – 2006
Topic: The view from Baghdad 2005 – 2006; the military perspective from London 2006 – 2007
General Sir Nicholas Houghton, Senior British Military Representative in Iraq, Oct 2005 – Mar 2006, and Chief of Joint Operations, Mar 2006 – Mar 2009
Vice Admiral Charles Style, Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Commitments), 2006 – 2007
Topic: Policy Decisions 2007 – 2009
Simon McDonald, Prime Minister’s Foreign Policy Adviser and Head of Foreign & Defence Policy Secretariat, 2006 – 2009
(Christmas and New Year hearing break.)
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(Week 4)
Thursday 17 December 2009
Topic: Promoting Iraq’s recovery and growth after the initial invasion
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Jim Drummond, Director Iraq, DfID, Aug 2003 – Jan 2005
Martin Dinham, Director Europe, Middle-East and Americas, DfID, Jan 2005 – Spring 2007
Stephen Pickford, Director International Directorate, HM Treasury, 2004 – 2005, and Director International and Finance Directorate, HM Treasury, 2005 – 2006
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Wednesday 16 December
Topic: The view from London and Baghdad
Lt Gen Sir Robert Fry, Deputy Chief Defence Staff (Commitments), MOD, 2003-2006, and Senior Military Representative in Iraq, Mar – Sept 2006
Topic: The view from Whitehall
Sir Nigel Sheinwald, Prime Minister’s Foreign Policy Adviser, 2003 – 2007
Sir John Sawers, UK Special Envoy for Iraq, May – July 2003 and Political Director, FCO, 2003 – 2007
Desmond Bowen, Policy Director, MOD, 2004 – 2008
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Tuesday 15 December
Topic: Baghdad at the time of the Coalition Provisional Authority
Sir Jeremy Greenstock, UK Special Envoy for Iraq, Sept 2003 – March 2004
Topic: Views from Basra 2004 – 2006
Lt Gen William Rollo, General Officer Commanding Multi-National Division South-East, Jul – Nov 04 and Senior British Military Representative in Iraq, July 2007 – March 2008
Lt Gen John Cooper, General Officer Commanding Multi-National Division South-East, Dec 05 – Jul 06 and Senior British Military Representative in Iraq, March 2008 – March 2009
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Monday 14 December
Topic: Views from Baghdad 2004 – 2005
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Lt Gen Sir John Kiszely, Senior British Military Representative in Iraq, Oct 2004 – Apr 2005
Lt Gen Robin Brims, General Officer Commanding 1 (UK) Armoured Division, UK Land Component Commander Operation Telic, Nov 2002 – May 2003
Topic: The view from Basra 2004 – 2005
Lt Gen Jonathon Riley, General Officer Commanding Multi-National Division South-East, Nov 2004 – Aug 2005
Topic: Basra and the South after the invasion
Gen Sir Peter Wall, General Officer Commanding 1 (UK) Division, May – July 2003 and Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Commitments), 2007 – 2009
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(Week 3)
Thursday 10 December 2009
Topics: No 10 perspective in 2001; the early days of the Coalition Provisional Authority
Sir John Sawers, Private Secretary to Tony Blair with responsibility for Foreign Affairs, 1999-2001; UK Special Envoy for Iraq, May – July 2003, and Political Director, FCO, 2003 – 2007
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Wednesday 9 December
Topic: Law, Order and Security in the aftermath
Lt Gen Sir Frederick Viggers, Senior British Military Representative in Iraq, May – Sept 2003
Lt Gen Andrew Figgures, Senior British Military Representative in Iraq, Sept 2003 – Apr 2004
Topic: Basra and the South 2003 – 2004
Sir Hilary Synnott, Coalition Provisional Authority’s Regional Commander for Southern Iraq, Jul 2003 – Jan 2004
Lt Gen Sir Graeme Lamb, General Officer Commanding Multi-National Division South-East, Jul 2003 – Dec 2003, and Senior British Military Adviser to Iraq, Sept 2006 – July 2007
Maj Gen Andrew Stewart, Coalition Provisional Authority’s Regional Commander for Southern Iraq, Jul 2003 – Jan 2004
Topic: Baghdad 2006 – 2007
Lt Gen Sir Graeme Lamb, General Officer Commanding Multi-National Division South-East, Jul 2003 – Dec 2003, and Senior British Military Adviser to Iraq, Sept 2006 – July 2007
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Tuesday 8 December
Topic: Post Invasion Iraq: The planning and the reality after the invasion
Sir Suma Chakrabarti, Permanent Secretary, Department for International Development, 2002-2007
Dominick Chilcott, Head of Iraq Planning Unit, Foreign Office, 2003
Topic: Intelligence
Sir John Scarlett, Chairman Joint Intelligence Committee, 2001-2004
Topic: The Military Invasion
Air Chief Marshal Sir Brian Burridge, National Component Commander Operation Telic, Nov 2002 – May 2003
Lt Gen Robin Brims, General Officer Commanding 1 (UK) Armoured Division, UK Land Component Commander Operation Telic, Nov 2002 – May 2003
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Monday 7 December
Topic: Baghdad 2004 – 2005
Edward Chaplin, HM Ambassador to Jordan, 2000-2002
Topic: Post Invasion Iraq: The planning and the reality after the invasion
Maj Gen Timothy Cross, Coalition Provisional Authority, 2003
Desmond Bowen, Deputy Head, Defence and Overseas Secretariat, from September 2002
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(Week 2)
Thursday 4 December 2009
Topic: Military Planning
Anthony Pigott, Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Commitments), 2000-2003
David Wilson, Senior British Military Adviser to CENTCOM, 2002-2003
Topic: The view from London and Baghdad 2004-2007
Dominick Asquith, Director Iraq at the Foreign Office, 2004-2006 and HM Ambassador to Iraq, 2006-2007
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Wednesday 3 December
Topic: Military Planning
Kevin Tebbit, Permanent Secretary (Ministry of Defence), 1998-2005
Michael Boyce, Chief of the Defence Staff, 2001-2003
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Tuesday 1 December
Topic: UK policy towards Iraq 2001 – 2003
Edward Chaplin, HM Ambassador to Jordan, 2000-2002
Sir Peter Ricketts (again), Director General Political (Foreign and Commonwealth Office), 2001-2003
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Monday 30 November
Topic: UK policy towards Iraq 2001 – 2003
Sir David Manning, Foreign Policy Adviser to the Prime Minister, 2001-2003
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(Week 1)
Friday 27 November 2009
Topic: Developments in the United Nations
Sir Jeremy Greenstock, British Ambassador to the United Nations, 1998-2003
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Thursday 26 November
Topic: The Transatlantic Relationship
Sir Christopher Meyer, British Ambassador to the United States, 1997–2003
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Wednesday 25 November
Topic: Weapons of Mass Destruction
Sir William Ehrman, Director International Security, Foreign Office, 2000-2002
Tim Dowse, Head of Counter Proliferation, Foreign Office, 2001-2003
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Tuesday 24 November
Topic: UK Policy towards Iraq in 2001
Simon Webb, Policy Director, Ministry of Defence, 2001- 2004
Sir Peter Ricketts, Political Director, Foreign Office, 2002/3
William Patey, Head of Middle East Department, Foreign Office, 1999-2002
Sir Michael Wood, Legal Adviser, Foreign Office, 1999-2006
Possibly forthcoming witnesses
.
The Inquiry announced the name of one further witness, who has not yet been scheduled to appear.
Dr Nicola Brewer CMG, Director General Regional Programmes, Department of International Development, 2002 to 2004
Digest suggested witnesses
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No 10 Downing Street:
Baroness Sally Morgan (Director of Government Relations 2001-2005)
Mathew Rycroft (Private Secretary to Prime Minister 2002)
Daniel Pruce (Press Officer 2002/3)
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Foreign and Commonwealth Office
John Williams (Press Secretary 2002/3)
Paul Hamill (Press Officer 2002/3)
James Paver (Press Officer 2002/3)
Mark Matthews (Press Officer 2002/3)
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Ministry of Defence
Air Marshall Sir Joe French (Chief of Defence Intelligence 2000-2003)
Tony Cragg (Deputy Chief of Defence Intelligence 2002-2003)
Defence Intelligence Staff (DIS) analysts responsible for assessments on Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction
Officials who represented the Defence Intelligence Staff on Iraq dossier drafting committee in September 2002
DIS official responsible for drafting Howard’s advice to Defence Secretary Hoon on his evidence to Intelligence and Security Committee, and who assisted Howard in preparing DIS evidence for Hutton and Butler inquiries.
DIS officials who worked in the DIS Rockingham cell in 2002 – 2004
DIS officials who visited or supported the Iraq Survey Group
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Cabinet and other ministers
All Cabinet members 2002-3, but particularly:
Lord Charles Falconer (Constitutional Affairs Secretary 2003-2007)
Harriet Harman (Solicitor General 2001-2005)
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Cabinet Office
Sir Richard Wilson (Cabinet Secretary 1998-2002)
Julian Miller (Chief of the Assessments Staff 2002-2003)
(Unnamed) Deputy Chief of Assessment Staff in charge of group covering WMD and Proliferation in 2002-3
Joint Intelligence Committee assessments staff responsible for assessments on Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction
(If not otherwise listed) The drafter(s) of the March 2002 “Iraq Options” paper
All (other) members of the Joint Intelligence Committee 2002-3
Baroness Ann Taylor (Chair, Intelligence and Security Committee, 2001-2005. Also Butler Review)
Michael Mates MP (Intelligence and Security Committee, Butler Review)
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Secret Intelligence Service (MI6)
Sir Richard Dearlove (Chief, 1999-2004)
Nigel Inkster (Former Assistant Chief)
Michael Shipster (Former SIS officer)
SIS representatives on the Iraq Dossier drafting committee September 2002
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UNSCOM, UNMOVIC, ISG and IAEA:
Mohamed ElBaradei (IAEA Director General 1997-2009)
Charles Duelfer (UNSCOM Deputy Executive Chairman 1993-2000 and ISG Head 2004/5)
Scott Ritter (US UNSCOM weapons inspector in Iraq 1991-1998)
Hamish Killip (UK biological weapons inspector 1991 onwards)
Rod Godfrey (UK chemical weapons expert, “Mr A” at Hutton Inquiry)
Rod Barton (Australian weapons inspector 1991 onwards)
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Legal Experts:
Keir Starmer (Director of Public Prosecutions 2008- )
Philippe Sands (Professor of International law at University College, London)
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Other Digest reader suggested legal expert witnesses:
Bill Bowring (Law Professor, Birbeck College, London University)
Francis Anthony Boyle (Professor of International Law, University of Illinois College of Law)
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Key US Witnesses:
George W Bush (Former President)
Dick Cheney (Former Vice President)
Donald Rumsfeld (Former Secretary of Defense)
Colin Powell (Former Secretary of State)
Condoleezza Rice (Former National Security Advisor)
Richard Armitage (Former Deputy Secretary of State)
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Other Digest reader suggested US witnesses:
Paul Wolfowitz
Doug Feith
Richard Perle
General Franks
General Abiziad
General Petraeus
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Key Iraqi Witnesses:
Tariq Aziz (Former Iraqi Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister)
Amir al-Saadi (Former Iraqi Presidential Advisor)
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Further witness suggestions from Digest readers:
Francis Richards (GCHQ)
4 Responses to “Witnesses”
Comment from Nigel Aylwin-Foster
Time December 8, 2009 at 2:39 pm
It seems odd that the inquiry will not interview members of the MOD’s own strategic lessons team at the time, namely the Directorate of Operational Capability (I was its Assistant Director). This small team compiles lessons on all MOD operations, for Chiefs of Staff and Ministers’ consumption.
The response to these lessons could often prove instructive…
Comment from Lee Roberts
Time February 2, 2010 at 8:30 am
Additional international lawyers who have both done intensive studies of the legal status and consequences of the invasion:
Bill Bowring, Law Professor, Birbeck College, London University
Francis Anthony Boyle Professor of International Law, University of Illinois College of Law
Comment from Carl Osgood
Time February 9, 2010 at 4:52 pm
Under “Key US witnesses,” I would add Paul Wolfowitz, Doug Feith and Richard Perle. I’m fairly certain that all three had extensive contact with counterparts in the British government. And, since there’s no comparable inquiry in the United States, questioning these three might provide us some necessary insight into their machinations to get us into this unnecessary war.
I would also think that any senior US military officer who engaged with the British military, starting with Franks, then proceeding through Abiziad, Petraeus and numerous others would be useful, too. I doubt any currently serving US officer would be willing to participate, but many have retired and therefore have much looser tongues, now.
Comment from Richard Heller
Time November 2, 2009 at 8:33 am
Further suggested questions for witnesses at Iraq inquiry
Alastair Campbell
- why did you not sue the Mail On Sunday when it published an article by Andrew Gilligan which named you directly as responsible for exaggerated claims in the September dossier? Why did you concentrate on the later BBC comment by Gilligan, which did not name you at all?
- when was the Iraq Communications Group formed, how was it paid for, how were its members selected, whom did it report to, what was its mission?
Admiral Lord Boyce
- did you at any time suggest to Tony Blair that military action against Saddam Hussein was a necessity?
Defence analysts
- did anyone make a correct assessment of Saddam’s military capabilities before the war? Was he or she rewarded in any way after the war?
Lord Goldsmith
- was your full advice of 7 March 2003 presented to HM Queen?
- why did you seek advice only from Professor Greenwood on the legality of war against Iraq? He was a known exponent of the “revival” argument, which underpinned your outline advice of 17 March. Many other international lawyers of repute disagreed with his view. What account did you take of their arguments? Why did you reject them?
- did you make any attempt to assess the quality of the evidence that Saddam Hussein was in breach of UN resolutions, or did you rely on a bare assurance from Tony Blair?
- why on 13 March did you discuss Iraq with Lord Falconer and Baroness Morgan, since neither had any responsibility for the subject? Were officials present? Was any note taken of that discussion?
- in the light of what you know now, do you still consider that the Iraq war was lawful?
Harriet Harman
- what role did you play, as Solicitor General, in the discussions of the legality of the Iraq war?
- did you seek any personal advice, or reach any independent judgment, about any aspect of the legality of the Iraq war?
SIS/MI6
- do you deny the account in Ron Suskind’s book THE WAY OF THE WORLD of interviews between Michael Shipster and Tahir Jalil Habbush which suggested correctly that Saddam Hussein was NOT in possession of WMD?
Ron Suskind
- will you make available to the inquiry any tapes or notes which support your account in THE WAY OF THE WORLD of the interviews between Michael Shipster and Tahir Jalil Habbush, and their subsquent analysis and use?