Intelligence failures

More from Jamie Merrill, on the intelligence failings leading up to the war.

The Chilcot report says:

“The statements prepared for, and used by, the UK government in public from late 2001 onwards conveyed more certainty that the JIC (Joint Intelligence Committee) assessments about Iraq’s proscribed activities and the potential threat they posed”.

Chilcot found that the JIC did not make clear to Blair that intelligence had not proved “beyond reasonable doubt” that Saddam Hussein had continued to produce chemical or biological weapons or that efforts to develop nuclear weapons continued.

“At no stage was the hypothesis that Iraq might no longer have chemical, biological or nuclear weapons or programs identified and examined by either the JIC or the policy community.”