ARmy Rumour SErvice

**Dilfor** · 31-10-2006, 13:15

BBC News Link

Downing Street has warned of "very real consequences" for British troops in Iraq if MPs defeat the government over calls for an inquiry into the war.

No 10 says an inquiry now would be seen by the enemy as a sign of weakness.

But Mr Blair's official spokesman also hinted that the government might agree to an inquiry once troops have left Iraq.

He said: "Of course we continue to learn the lessons all the time and there is no doubt that at the end of our period there people will want to look back.

"The time to deal with that is then, not now. This is not a theoretical debate. It is a very real debate with very real consequences for our soldiers on the ground."

Assuming an inquiry is a good thing (which I think it probably is) there is a logic for it occurring when all the troops are home - since it can then consider the whole event.

There is also a political logic which benefits the gov/Labour Party in having an inquiry when Mr Blair is no longer in office but touring the US. I suspect this thought is actually paramount.

Would there, however, really be adverse consequences on the ground if an inquiry commenced now? Would it mean that the 'enemy' would take time off from indirect fire attacks to catch up on the news about dodgy dossiers and poor kit? Would the various protagonists take succour from the amazing discovery that the whole thing was poorly conceived from start to finish and consider one last push? Would our brave boys be equally amazed and lose heart?

Or is this a particularly shameless smokescreen to protect Mr Blair?

**Ord_Sgt** · 31-10-2006, 13:26

Spin to try and head off some accountability by the government. Weakness my arrse - if you think soldiers will be in more danger becasue of an inquiry then we may as well all start smoking wacky backy.....

**Sven** · 31-10-2006, 13:28

I welcome an inquiry once the last squaddie has left Iraq.

There is a phrase - giving succor to the enemy - and I believe that a premature inquiry would be doing just that

**Ord_Sgt** · 31-10-2006, 13:29

What you beleive is rubbish then!! How will this give succor to the enemy exactly?

**FluffyBunny** · 31-10-2006, 13:31

I'm not going to reply to any of Dilfor's points. Not because I disagree with them, but my blood pressure has been a little high of late and I'll start ranting about TCB and pop an artery.

However, I had the pleasure of hearing some Labour Party zoid, may even have been an MP, telling us what the effects will be on the morale of the troops.

"Imagine you were sitting in a foxhole in Iraq etc etc"

Never having done it, I can't imagine what it's like sitting in a foxhole in Iraq and I've been blowing stuff up at weekends for Queen and Country since 1982.

If I can't do it, who the heck (remembering it's current affairs, no swearing .... ) is she to tell us what our soldiers think?

**Bravo2nothing** · 31-10-2006, 13:35

Originally Posted by Sven

I welcome an inquiry once the last squaddie has left Iraq.

There is a phrase - giving succor to the enemy - and I believe that a premature inquiry would be doing just that

By that time it'll be too late to hold Tony to account. I don't see how the British Public understanding why we invaded Iraq and our current engagement in 'Stan would assist the 'enemy'. We're nut deep in it now, how can it get any worse?

Moral will go through the roof on hearing this news. Normal bollox and spin from those Labour Cnuts.

**Ord_Sgt** · 31-10-2006, 13:35

I can imagine the moral of troops will plumet knowing TCB is getting investigated for sending them there.

What a complete load of rubbish and so typical to try and spin this off until later trying to cover it with putting troops lives in danger.

**mistersoft** · 31-10-2006, 13:38

Aren't there "very real consequences" for British troops in Iraq whether there is an inquiry or not?

I'm sure it will make all the difference to those on the ground to have somebody run through some charade of an enquiry and eventually produce a 236 page report stating the obvious and with no firm recommendations or conclusions.

**LankyPullThrough** · 31-10-2006, 13:41

If No 10 is worried about an inquiry being seen as a 'sign of weakness' I wonder how they expect the evacuation of the Basra consulate as reported in today's Daily Mail to be viewed (...if true)?

Accoding to the report, at the advice of Control Risks,'...almost all the 200 Foreign Office and Department for International Development staff will move either to the main UK military HQ outside Basra, to the safety of neighbouring Kuwait, or will be withdrawn back to London'.

On page 2. Presumably in online edition too.