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jail_for_the_war_criminals [2021/04/12 11:26] – [Tony Blair and money] babjail_for_the_war_criminals [2021/04/13 08:57] – iris
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 {{ :545168312_01c8ac7cc3b849e525e370bc51344120.jpg |}} {{ :545168312_01c8ac7cc3b849e525e370bc51344120.jpg |}}
  
-Julian Assange is being wrongly punished for revealing war crimes, but to this day, no one has been held accountable for these crimes..+Julian Assange is being wrongly punished for revealing war crimes, but to this day, no one has been held accountable for these crimes...
  
-It is time to re-examine the case in the light of the publisher's ongoing torment.+It is time to re-examine this absurdity in light of the Wikileaks publisher's ongoing torment.
  
  
  
-In 2003, the UK joins the US in the invasion of Iraq , based on lies. ((The Iraq War: In the beginning was the lie (DW) [[https://www.dw.com/en/the-iraq-war-in-the-beginning-was-the-lie/a-43301338|https://www.dw.com/en/the-iraq-war-in-the-beginning-was-the-lie/a-43301338]])).+In 2003, the UK joins the US in the invasion of Iraq, based on lies. ((The Iraq War: In the beginning was the lie (DW) [[https://www.dw.com/en/the-iraq-war-in-the-beginning-was-the-lie/a-43301338|https://www.dw.com/en/the-iraq-war-in-the-beginning-was-the-lie/a-43301338]])).
  
-In 2016, after 7 years of inquiry, Sir John Chilcot delivers a scathing report and recognises that the invasion and subsequent occupation  of Iraq was unnecessary and resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of individuals, as well as the displacement of over 4 million others.+In 2016, after 7 years of inquiry, Sir John Chilcot delivers a scathing report. He recognises that the invasion and subsequent occupation of Iraq was unnecessary, and resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of individuals, and the displacement of over 4 million others.
  
-Despite all efforts to prosecute the ones in charge, the High Court of UK ruled in 2017 that there is no crime of aggression in English law under which the former prime minister could be charged.+Despite all efforts to prosecute the ones in charge, the UK High Court ruled in 2017 that there is no crime of aggression in British law under which the former prime minister could be charged.
  
-But, in the 1940s, the international crime of a war of aggression had been accepted by the then UK attorney general Sir Hartley Shawcross QC  at the time of the Nuremberg trials of Nazi war criminals.+However, in the 1940s, the international crime of a war of aggression was accepted by the then UK attorney general Sir Hartley Shawcross QC during the trials of Nazi war criminals at Nuremberg.
  
 The UK government has been given “de facto domestic immunity” because “as long as it fails to enact legislation which makes the crime of aggression a domestic criminal offense, any __leader__ can act as he/she chooses knowing that whatever action they take, it can be taken with complete impunity" (Imran Khan, solicitor for plaintiff). The UK government has been given “de facto domestic immunity” because “as long as it fails to enact legislation which makes the crime of aggression a domestic criminal offense, any __leader__ can act as he/she chooses knowing that whatever action they take, it can be taken with complete impunity" (Imran Khan, solicitor for plaintiff).
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 The UK government has received so many complaints from Iraqis who were unlawfully detained and allegedly mistreated by British troops that its defence ministry says it is unable to say how many millions of pounds have been paid to settle the claims. The UK government has received so many complaints from Iraqis who were unlawfully detained and allegedly mistreated by British troops that its defence ministry says it is unable to say how many millions of pounds have been paid to settle the claims.
  
-In late 2020, The International Criminal Court says it will take no action against the UK, despite finding evidence British troops committed war crimes in Iraq... +In late 2020, The International Criminal Court says it will take no action against the UK, despite finding evidence that British troops committed war crimes in Iraq...((see [[#rigging_the_international_criminal_court|Rigging the International Criminal Court]])) 
-  + 
-In April 2021, UK government passed a Bill that decriminalises torture and war crimes. Innocuously titled 'The Overseas Operations Bill', the new piece of legislation makes it even harder to prosecute cases committed by British soldiers more than five years ago. (([[https://www.amnesty.org.uk/blogs/campaigns-blog/5-things-you-need-know-about-overseas-operations-bill|5 things you need to know about the Overseas Operations Bill]])) (([[https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/world/harriet-harman-overseas-operations-bill|The overseas impunity bill]]))+In April 2021, UK government passed a Bill that decriminalises torture and war crimes. Innocuously titled 'The Overseas Operations Bill', the new piece of legislation makes it even harder to prosecute cases/offenses committed by British soldiers more than five years ago. (([[https://www.amnesty.org.uk/blogs/campaigns-blog/5-things-you-need-know-about-overseas-operations-bill|5 things you need to know about the Overseas Operations Bill]])) (([[https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/world/harriet-harman-overseas-operations-bill|The overseas impunity bill]]))
  
 So, will Tony Blair and his co-conspirators ever be held accountable for their lies and their consequences on the lives of millions of people ? So, will Tony Blair and his co-conspirators ever be held accountable for their lies and their consequences on the lives of millions of people ?
  
-----+<blockquote>"Imagine Tony Blair dragged from his multi-million pound Georgian home in Connaught Square, London, in handcuffs, for onward dispatch to the dock in The Hague. By the standard of Nuremberg, Blair’s “paramount crime” is the deaths of a million Iraqis. Assange’s crime is journalism: holding the rapacious to account, exposing their lies and empowering people all over the world with truth." –John Pilger</blockquote>
  
 ===== Tony Blair ===== ===== Tony Blair =====
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 === 2003 === === 2003 ===
-  * 6th Feb: "The oil conspiracy theory is honestly one of the most absurd when you analyse it." (([[http://web.archive.org/web/20030220164421/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/2732979.stm|Transcript of Blair's Iraq interview]] BBC Newsnight archive))+  * 6th Feb: "The oil conspiracy theory is honestly one of the most absurd when you analyse it." (([[http://web.archive.org/web/20030220164421/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/2732979.stm|Transcript of Blair's Iraq interview]] BBC Newsnight archive))(([[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pg9aEV9bcxs|Newsnight Special February 2003]] Youtube))
   * 2nd Mar: Katharine Gun, a young GCHQ translator, leaked a document which was subsequently passed to the British Newspaper The Observer, showing how the US had asked GCHQ to bug the phones of diplomats from the so-called UN “swing states” – countries believed to be open to persuasion to back an invasion of Iraq. ((https://www.theguardian.com/world/2003/mar/02/usa.iraq))   * 2nd Mar: Katharine Gun, a young GCHQ translator, leaked a document which was subsequently passed to the British Newspaper The Observer, showing how the US had asked GCHQ to bug the phones of diplomats from the so-called UN “swing states” – countries believed to be open to persuasion to back an invasion of Iraq. ((https://www.theguardian.com/world/2003/mar/02/usa.iraq))
-  * 20th Mar: The invasion of Iraq begins (Operation Telic).+  * 20th Mar: The invasion of Iraq begins (Operation Telic)((see [[#the_uk_s_op_telic|The UK's Op. TELIC]])).
  
 === 2005 === === 2005 ===
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 === 2007 === === 2007 ===
-  * 15th January: [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Trial_of_Tony_Blair|The Trial of Tony Blair]], a satirical TV drama recounting hypothetical war crimes proceedings brought against Tony, airs for the first time on More4. It repeats on 5 March 2007 and during Blair's last week as Prime Minister on .  +  * 15th Jan: [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Trial_of_Tony_Blair|The Trial of Tony Blair]], a satirical TV drama recounting hypothetical war crimes proceedings brought against Tony, airs for the first time on More4. It repeats on 5 March 2007 and during Blair's last week as Prime Minister on .  
-  * 23th June: Tony Blair departure from 10 Downing St.+  * 23rd Jun: Tony Blair's departure from 10 Downing St.
  
 === 2009 === === 2009 ===
   * Mission [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Telic|Operation Telic]] ends.   * Mission [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Telic|Operation Telic]] ends.
-  * [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraq_Inquiry|Iraq Inquiry]] started (Chilcot inquiry)+  * [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraq_Inquiry|Iraq Inquiry]] started (aka Chilcot inquiry)
  
  
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 === 2017 === === 2017 ===
-  * [[https://archive.is/oFyZP|Tony Blair prosecution over Iraq war blocked by judges ]] The Guardian (archived) ((High court rules that there is no crime of aggression in English law under which former PM could be charged)) (([...] extremely disappointed with the judgment of the high court in London which brings to an end the hope of prosecuting Tony Blair, Jack Straw and Peter Goldsmith for the crime of aggression in invading Iraq in 2003)) ((the government had been given “de facto domestic immunity” because “as long as it fails to enact legislation which makes the crime of aggression a domestic criminal offence, any leader can act as he/she chooses knowing that whatever action they take, it can be taken with complete impunity.” )) +  * [[https://archive.is/oFyZP|Tony Blair's prosecution over Iraq war blocked by judges ]] The Guardian (archived) ((High court rules that there is no crime of aggression in English law under which former PM could be charged)) (([...] extremely disappointed with the judgment of the high court in London which brings to an end the hope of prosecuting Tony Blair, Jack Straw and Peter Goldsmith for the crime of aggression in invading Iraq in 2003)) ((the government had been given “de facto domestic immunity” because “as long as it fails to enact legislation which makes the crime of aggression a domestic criminal offence, any leader can act as he/she chooses knowing that whatever action they take, it can be taken with complete impunity.” )) 
  
 === 2018 === === 2018 ===
-  * New reports by the parliamentary intelligence and security committee (ISC): British intelligence officers were present at, or knew about, hundreds of incidents, working alongside the CIA and other American partners in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantánamo. (([[https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/commentisfree/2018/jul/01/britain-torture-911-rendition-cia]]))+  * New reports by the parliamentary Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC): British intelligence officers were present at, or knew about, hundreds of incidents, working alongside the CIA and other American partners in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantánamo. (([[https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/commentisfree/2018/jul/01/britain-torture-911-rendition-cia|Why Britain’s role in torture must be revealed in full]] Guardian))
  
 === 2020 === === 2020 ===
-  * MOD says compiling data about millions paid out to settle thousands of complaints against British soldiers since 2003 is [[https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/iraq-british-soldiers-abuse-payouts-count-uk-government|too costly to be done]]. (Midle East Eyes) ((The UK government has received so many complaints from Iraqis who were unlawfully detained and allegedly mistreated by British troops that its defence ministry says it is unable to say how many millions of pounds have been paid to settle the claims.)) +  * MOD says that compiling data about millions paid out to settle thousands of complaints against British soldiers since 2003 is [[https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/iraq-british-soldiers-abuse-payouts-count-uk-government|too costly to be done]]. (Midle East Eyes) ((The UK government has received so many complaints from Iraqis who were unlawfully detained and allegedly mistreated by British troops that its defence ministry says it is unable to say how many millions of pounds have been paid to settle the claims.)) 
-  * [[https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-55247033|The International Criminal Court finds UK war crimes but will not take action]] BBC ((The International Criminal Court says it will not take action against the UK, despite finding evidence British troops committed (hundreds of) war crimes in Iraq))+  * [[https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-55247033|The International Criminal Court finds UK war crimes but will not take action]] BBC ((The International Criminal Court says it will not take action against the UK, despite finding evidence British troops committed (hundreds of) war crimes in Iraq))((see [[#rigging_the_international_criminal_court|Rigging The Internation Criminal Court]]))
  
  
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 === Erinys === === Erinys ===
 ''private security'' ''private security''
- 
   * $50m from US Army Corps of Engineers.    * $50m from US Army Corps of Engineers. 
   * $100m to protect oil fields   * $100m to protect oil fields
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 === HSBC === === HSBC ===
 ''financial'' ''financial''
-  * has bought 70% of Dar es Salaam Investment Bank, (with assets of $91.1m)+  * bought up 70% of Dar es Salaam Investment Bank, (with assets of $91.1m)
   * HSBC profit from Middle East business rose 25% in 2004   * HSBC profit from Middle East business rose 25% in 2004
  
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 === Control Risks === === Control Risks ===
 ''Private security'' ''Private security''
-  * Unknown proportion of $500m; subcontractor for Parsons USAID buildings contract. (2004)+  * unknown proportion of $500m; subcontractor for Parsons USAID buildings contract. (2004)
   * £23.5m from UK government for protection squads; (2004)   * £23.5m from UK government for protection squads; (2004)
-  * one of the largest British private security company in Iraq (2005)+  * one of the largest British private security companies in Iraq (2005)
  
 ---- ----
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 {{ :memes:meme_blair_ja.png?800 |}} {{ :memes:meme_blair_ja.png?800 |}}
 ===== Tony Blair and money ===== ===== Tony Blair and money =====
 +==== Personal Profit / Conflict of Interest  ====
 +Although he denies it, Blair is estimated to have earned between £50-100 million since stepping down as UK prime minister (( 
 +Tony Blair: "I'm worth less than £20m, and I'm not interested in making money" [[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/tony-blair/11547808/Revealed-how-Tony-Blair-makes-his-millions.html|Revealed: how Tony Blair makes his millions]] Telegraph))((He may own six or more homes, have an income of around £20 million a year and spend his time travelling the world by private jet. Just don’t call Tony Blair super rich.[[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/tony-blair/9367302/Im-not-one-of-the-super-rich-says-Tony-Blair-despite-being-worth-20m-a-year-and-owningsix-homes.html|I'm not one of the super-rich, says Tony Blair despite being worth £20m a year and owning six homes]] Telegraph))((Delving into what drives the politician, this programme investigates how successful his various business activities have really been. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOQGn8OWSDI|The Blair Rich Project]] Channel 5 youtube)).
  
-Although he denies it, Blair is estimated to have earned between £50 million and £100 million since quitting as prime minister ((  +Since he left office at 10 Downing Street, he has been operating as a shadow ((Mr Blair insists on strict secrecy in his business dealings with no fewer than 10 clauses dealing with confidentiality. [[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/tony-blair/11547808/Revealed-how-Tony-Blair-makes-his-millions.html|Revealed: how Tony Blair makes his millions]] Telegraph)) government ((Mr Blair used his status as former prime minister to secure the deal, boasting that “improved delivery was one of the great achievements of the Blair administration”)) ((Robert Harris on Tony Blair: "He was a one-man government" [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaLhwML5pZs|BBC Newsnight 2016]])); using a variety of consulting companies to broker business deals between heads of state he had met during his mandate.
-Tony Blair: "I'm worth less than £20m, and I'm not interested in making money" [[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/tony-blair/11547808/Revealed-how-Tony-Blair-makes-his-millions.html|Revealed: how Tony Blair makes his millions]] Telegraph)).+
  
-Blair seems to be a pathological liar, systematically asserting the contrary of the truth/facts. 
- 
-In complete conflict of interest since he left office at 10 Downing Street, he has been acting as shadow ((Mr Blair insists on strict secrecy in his business dealings with no fewer than 10 clauses dealing with confidentiality. [[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/tony-blair/11547808/Revealed-how-Tony-Blair-makes-his-millions.html|Revealed: how Tony Blair makes his millions]] Telegraph)) government ((Mr Blair used his status as former prime minister to secure the deal, boasting that “improved delivery was one of the great achievements of the Blair administration”)) throughout various consultancy entities, arranging business deals in between various country leaders he has encountered during his mandate.. 
 === 2007 === === 2007 ===
   * criticism came after Mr Blair reportedly earned £300,000 in his first week of a North American speaking tour last month, during which he apparently recycled the same jokes on a number of occasions.   * criticism came after Mr Blair reportedly earned £300,000 in his first week of a North American speaking tour last month, during which he apparently recycled the same jokes on a number of occasions.
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 === 2013 === === 2013 ===
-  * Tony gets a £30m Blair Force One ((estimated cost of £7,000 for every hour it is in the air [[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/tony-blair/10341587/Former-prime-minister-Tony-gets-a-30m-Blair-Force-One.html|Former prime minister Tony gets a £30m Blair Force One]] Telegraph)) +  * Tony acquires a £30m private jet 'Blair Force One' ((estimated cost of £7,000 for every hour it is in the air [[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/tony-blair/10341587/Former-prime-minister-Tony-gets-a-30m-Blair-Force-One.html|Former prime minister Tony gets a £30m Blair Force One]] Telegraph)) 
-  * On Sept 2, Mr Blair gave a speech in Bangkok at a one-day conference on reconciliation being paid £400,000 by the Thai government+  * 2nd Sept: Mr Blair gives a speech in Bangkok at a one-day conference on reconciliation, and gets paid £400,000 by the Thai government.
 === 2015 === === 2015 ===
   * [[https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/may/27/tony-blair-resigns-as-middle-east-peace-envoy-report|Tony Blair resigns as Middle East peace envoy]]   * [[https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/may/27/tony-blair-resigns-as-middle-east-peace-envoy-report|Tony Blair resigns as Middle East peace envoy]]
-  * his extensive business activities in the Middle East have led to repeated accusations of conflicts of interest+  * his extensive business activities in the Middle East have led to repeated accusations of conflicts of interest.
   * TB was being paid millions by the United Arab Emirates while also working as Middle East envoy.(([[https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/tony-blair-uae-middle-east-envoy-qatar-israel-palestine-foreign-office-a7894641.html|Why was Tony Blair being paid by the UAE while working as Middle East envoy?]] Independant))   * TB was being paid millions by the United Arab Emirates while also working as Middle East envoy.(([[https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/tony-blair-uae-middle-east-envoy-qatar-israel-palestine-foreign-office-a7894641.html|Why was Tony Blair being paid by the UAE while working as Middle East envoy?]] Independant))
   * TB was also being paid by a Korean oil company seeking to do business with the UAE-owned International Petroleum Investment Company.   * TB was also being paid by a Korean oil company seeking to do business with the UAE-owned International Petroleum Investment Company.
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 The expenses cover a “contribution towards the transportation costs” for visits by Mr Blair and his team. For the money, Mr Blair promised to fly to Abu Dhabi at least 12 times a year.[[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/07/09/tony-blair-wanted--35m-to-build-uaes-brand-and-influence/|Tony Blair wanted $35m to build UAE’s brand and influence]] Telegraph)) The expenses cover a “contribution towards the transportation costs” for visits by Mr Blair and his team. For the money, Mr Blair promised to fly to Abu Dhabi at least 12 times a year.[[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/07/09/tony-blair-wanted--35m-to-build-uaes-brand-and-influence/|Tony Blair wanted $35m to build UAE’s brand and influence]] Telegraph))
-  * Tony Blair is closing TBA the advisory firm that has muddied his post-government career by making millions of pounds from an array of controversial clients (([[https://archive.ph/iDTve|Tony Blair shuts down advisory firm that made him millions]] Financial Times))+  * Tony Blair closes TBA, the advisory firm that has muddied his post-government career by making millions of pounds from an array of controversial clients (([[https://archive.ph/iDTve|Tony Blair shuts down advisory firm that made him millions]] Financial Times))
      
-  * The Tony Blair Institute(TBI) was set up in late 2016 after Mr Blair announced that he was wrapping up his controversial business empire in order to focus on philanthropy.+  * The Tony Blair Institute (TBI) i set up in late 2016 after Mr Blair announced that he was wrapping up his controversial business empire in order to focus on philanthropy.
   * £9m Saudi payment was mentioned in TBI’s first set of accounts published , alongside contributions from the US State Department, the Canadian government, some African governments and the Victor Pinchuk Foundation — a charity set up by a Ukrainian billionaire. (([[https://archive.ph/RhfB1|Tony Blair Institute confirms donations from Saudi Arabia]] Financial Times))   * £9m Saudi payment was mentioned in TBI’s first set of accounts published , alongside contributions from the US State Department, the Canadian government, some African governments and the Victor Pinchuk Foundation — a charity set up by a Ukrainian billionaire. (([[https://archive.ph/RhfB1|Tony Blair Institute confirms donations from Saudi Arabia]] Financial Times))
   * TBI said it was “committed to working for modernisation and reform” and that none of the money goes personally to the former British prime minister, who works for free.   * TBI said it was “committed to working for modernisation and reform” and that none of the money goes personally to the former British prime minister, who works for free.
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 ==== The Iraq war ==== ==== The Iraq war ====
-WikiLeaks’ files highlight the legacy of Tony Blair in Iraq. In October 2010 WikiLeaks published the largest classified military leak in history – the “The Iraq War Logs”, which consist of 391,832 reports documenting the war and occupation in Iraq from 2004-09 as told by soldiers in the US Army on the ground in Iraq. The reports detail 109,032 deaths in Iraq, comprised of 66,081 “civilians”; 23,984 “enemy” (those labelled as insurgents); 15,196 “host nation” (Iraqi government forces) and 3,771 “friendly” (coalition forces). The majority of the deaths (66,000, over 60%) of these are civilian deaths.(([[https://wikileaks.org/irq/]]))+WikiLeaks’ files highlight the legacy of Tony Blair in Iraq. In October 2010 WikiLeaks published the largest classified military leak in history – the “The Iraq War Logs”, which consist of 391,832 reports documenting the war and occupation in Iraq from 2004-09 as told by soldiers in the US Army on the ground in Iraq.  
 + 
 +The reports detail 109,032 deaths in Iraq, comprised of  
 +  * 66,081 “civilians” 
 +  * 23,984 “enemy” (those labelled as insurgents)  
 +  * 15,196 “host nation” (Iraqi government forces)  
 +  * and 3,771 “friendly” (coalition forces).  
 + 
 +The majority of the deaths (66,000, over 60%) of these are civilian deaths.(([[https://wikileaks.org/irq/]]))
  
 ==== The UK’s “Op Telic” ==== ==== The UK’s “Op Telic” ====
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 The invasion of Iraq has long been criticised for being a war for oil and for years many commentators sought information on whether Britain would encourage its oil companies to profit from this widely-condemned war. The invasion of Iraq has long been criticised for being a war for oil and for years many commentators sought information on whether Britain would encourage its oil companies to profit from this widely-condemned war.
  
-A US cable of April 2009, six years after the invasion of Iraq, shows Peter Mandelson, a chief architect of Tony Blair’s election wins and now Trade Secretary in the Brown government, pushing British oil and other corporate interests in Iraq. Mandelson attended the Basrah Investment Conference which brought together 23 UK-based companies such as Shell, BP, Rolls Royce and HSBC. The region was significant to the UK since this was the principal area occupied by UK military forces after the 2003 invasion.+A US cable of April 2009, six years after the invasion of Iraq, shows Peter Mandelson, a chief architect of Tony Blair’s election wins and then Trade Secretary in the Brown government, pushing British oil and other corporate interests in Iraq. Mandelson attended the Basrah Investment Conference which brought together 23 UK-based companies such as Shell, BP, Rolls Royce and HSBC. The region was significant to the UK since this was the principal area occupied by UK military forces after the 2003 invasion.
  
 The US cable notes: “According to Basrah HMG officials, UK delegates were able to establish or strengthen relationships with key business figures in Basrah”. Attendees also included the directors of oil investment in Basrah and the commander of Iraqi security forces in the region alongside “UK Force Commander Tom Beckett and several Basrah-based UK military officials”. The cable added: The US cable notes: “According to Basrah HMG officials, UK delegates were able to establish or strengthen relationships with key business figures in Basrah”. Attendees also included the directors of oil investment in Basrah and the commander of Iraqi security forces in the region alongside “UK Force Commander Tom Beckett and several Basrah-based UK military officials”. The cable added:
  • jail_for_the_war_criminals.txt
  • Last modified: 2021/04/14 12:00
  • by bab