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Peer calls for Iraq inquiry
Jan 29 2008 By Jonathan Walker
BRITAIN must hold an inquiry into the invasion of Iraq as the fifth anniversary of the war approaches, according to a Birmingham peer.
Lord Fowler, the former MP for Sutton Coldfield, said Britain must learn from its mistakes, as he led a debate in the House of Lords. He was backed by colleagues including former Foreign Secretary Lord Owen, but Ministers said no inquiry should take place until the conflict was over.
The invasion of Iraq by the United States and its allies including the United Kingdom began on March 20, 2003.
Lord Fowler said: "In a few weeks' time, in March, we will come to the fifth anniversary of the start of the conflict in Iraq . . . I want to renew that call for an inquiry because I know of no other way that the lessons from this conflict can be learnt."
He said that he had backed the invasion during the heated arguments in the run-up to the war - but now believed he had been misled by Tony Blair.
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