February 8, 2010

Britain's official inquiry into the Iraq war for the second time linked the conflict with Iran at a session on Monday dedicated to further investigate the invasion's legality.

The former foreign secretary and the incumbent justice secretary, Jack Straw, reappeared before the Downing Street-selected committee investigating the build up to the 2003 war and denied "ignoring" legal advice that war would be in breach of international law without a second UN Security Council resolution.

During his testimony, however, Straw ventured to mention Iran, this time with a view starkly opposing those expressed by former Premier Tony Blair, who urged strong international action against the country over it energy nuclear program.

"Iran have not invaded any other country," the Times quoted Straw as saying Monday during the testimony.

"They [Iran] couldn't stand al-Qaeda … or the Taliban anymore than we could," said the British minister who asserted that the country's inclusion in former US President George Bush's "axis of evil" incomprehensible.

"I think it's simplistic to regard Iran as a bogeyman," Straw said.

An unrepentant Tony Blair, the prime minister at the time of the Iraq war, portrayed Iran as nothing short of a growing threat during his evidence to the Chilcot inquiry two weeks ago, as he veered off the Iraq question to argue that al-Qaeda's 9/11 attack in the United States had been the major factor that balance the scale towards acting on Iraq.

Blair mentioned Iran 58 times during his appearance and argued that he now sees the same justification for invading Iraq about Iran.

ZHD/MD