[Marxism] U.K. dustup over the legality of Iraq War

[Brian Shannon <Brian_Shannon@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Like the U.S., the United Kingdom has a Freedom of Information Act. It
just came into effect.

So two years after the start of the aggression against Iraq, we find
that Lord Goldsmith, the main advisor to the Blair government, believed
that the war was illegal. However, he changed his mind at the last
moment. Apparently this is in the "missing paragraph" that is "covered
by exemptions relating to the professional privilege applying to a law
officer in the formulation of government policy" whatever the hell that
means.

More doubletalk on the new FOIA law here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/4143287.stm

So will Ms. Wilmshurst give us the information openly rather than
obliquely?

More than highly unlikely. She had an opportunity to say more when she
resigned on the eve of the war. She could have told the world then that
Lord Goldsmith held that the war was illegal up to the last moment. She
could have become an active opponent of the war.

Instead, like her U.S. counterparts, she moved over to academia in
order to bolster her creds. At age 55, she has many years ahead of
muddying the waters and potential major betrayals.

from Brian Shannon
__________________________

'Professional privilege'

Ms Wilmshurst resigned from her post on the eve of war because she did
not believe military action in Iraq was legal. In her resignation
letter, Ms Wilmshurst says military action in Iraq was "an unlawful use
of force" which "amounts to the crime of aggression."

"Nor can I agree with such action in circumstances which are so
detrimental to the international order and the rule of law," she says.

The letter was requested by the BBC News Website's World Affairs
correspondent Paul Reynolds under the Freedom of Information Act - but
part of the letter was not revealed. The Foreign Office said the
missing part was covered by exemptions relating to the professional
privilege applying to a law officer in the formulation of government
policy.

According to Channel 4 News, the missing piece refers to legal advice
Lord Goldsmith gave to the government. Channel 4, without giving a
source for the information, quotes Ms Wilmshurst as indicating that the
attorney general changed his mind at the last minute, giving approval
for the war after having previously opposed it.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/4377605.stm
See the sidebars for additional background




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