Iraq invasion discussed in 2001 – but was dismissed as illegal

[oldironside]

"Toppling Saddam Hussein from power was being discussed by British and US officials two years before the invasion of Iraq, senior Whitehall figures admitted yesterday.

Foreign Office mandarins even drew up a secret document discussing the idea of removing the dictator as attempts to restrain him with sanctions began to fail. But any suggestions of supporting "regime change" were dismissed repeatedly as having no legal backing."

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/iraq-invasion-discussed-in-2001-ndash-but-was-dismissed-as-illegal-1826918.html

Although one can already tell what the results of the inquiry will be (mistakes were made, lessons have been learnt, no point in persuing prosections) it's still going to be damned entertaining stuff.