by Brian Jones
Biteback, 2010
With Iraq, dodgy dossiers and David Kelly in mind, this book is a must-read. Brian Jones was an intelligence official (he retired in 2003), and this is the story from the inside, making use of his personal knowledge of the system, the process that led us to Iraq, and his involvement in that process. With specialist expertise he analyses the evidence given at the Hutton, Butler and Chilcot inquiries, statements by politicians, and he makes use of the many documents that have been leaked since 2003. All point towards the fact that the intelligence was knowingly skewed, used selectively to make a case for an unnecessary war. More than that, he demonstrates how Tony Blair used the inquiries to cover up his own culpability.
Well, we’ve always known that Britain’s MPs were duped into voting for the invasion. And those of us who have campaigned on this issue have watched Blair try again and again to justify what he did. But this book, taking us through that time, month by month, is just what we need. It’s long, detailed and densely written, but it has all the facts on the intelligence issue in one place. And it is a fascinating read.
