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Perplexing delay in Iraq inquiry report
Who wants to see the Iraq inquiry report published sometime soon? And who does not? Last week, the Independent reported that the fraught process of getting the government to declassify documents that will support the report’s findings is still “stalled”.
That may see the report come out very close to next year’s general election, which could harm Labour and suit the Tories. But Nick Clegg clearly is not happy and says things should be accelerated. His comments have been read as blaming Tony Blair for the hold-up, but Blair says he wants the report out there.
If you are confused, you are entitled to be. The inquiry and the Cabinet Office cannot even agree on how close they are to an agreement. As the Independent’s Nigel Morris wrote: “Sources close to Sir John and his four colleagues say they now regard the Cabinet Office’s attitude towards their requests as ‘ridiculous and intransigent’”. But the Cabinet Office is saying it “has been in a constructive dialogue with the inquiry team over recent months, with a clear view to meeting their declassification requests. That process should be concluded shortly.”
Even if that “should” and “shortly” mean anything, there is a long way to go. The lengthy “Maxwellisation” process, by which people such as Blair are told of potential criticisms and given the chance to have them watered down, has still not begun.
Who wants to see the Iraq inquiry report published sometime soon? And who does not? Last week, the Independent reported that the fraught process of getting the government to declassify documents that will support the report’s findings is still “stalled”.
That may see the report come out very close to next year’s general election, which could harm Labour and suit the Tories. But Nick Clegg clearly is not happy and says things should be accelerated. His comments have been read as blaming Tony Blair for the hold-up, but Blair says he wants the report out there.
If you are confused, you are entitled to be. The inquiry and the Cabinet Office cannot even agree on how close they are to an agreement. As the Independent’s Nigel Morris wrote: “Sources close to Sir John and his four colleagues say they now regard the Cabinet Office’s attitude towards their requests as ‘ridiculous and intransigent’”. But the Cabinet Office is saying it “has been in a constructive dialogue with the inquiry team over recent months, with a clear view to meeting their declassification requests. That process should be concluded shortly.”
Even if that “should” and “shortly” mean anything, there is a long way to go. The lengthy “Maxwellisation” process, by which people such as Blair are told of potential criticisms and given the chance to have them watered down, has still not begun.
Source: http://rinf.com/alt-news/breaking-news/perplexing-delay-iraq-inquiry-report/
