Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
Media: AFP
Byline: n/a
Date: Sept 28, 2006
LONDON, Sept 28, 2006 (AFP) - Former British foreign secretary Jack Straw
said Thursday the situation in Iraq was "dire", adding that the United
States government had made "many mistakes" after the 2003 invasion.
"The current situation is dire," he told BBC television.
"I think many mistakes were made after the military action -- there is no
question about it -- by the United States administration. Why? Because they
failed to follow the lead of (former) secretary (of state Colin) Powell.
"The State Department had put in a huge amount of effort to ensure there was
a proper civilian administration."
After Prime Minister Tony Blair, Straw was the government member most
closely associated with Britain's decision to go to war in Iraq.
In May, he was replaced as foreign secretary by Margaret Beckett and is now
leader of Britain's House of Commons, the parliamentary lower chamber. The
change was widely seen as a demotion.
Straw's comments come after Blair defended Britain's relationship with the
United States, including over the war in Iraq, at the governing Labour
Party's annual conference Tuesday.
Blair warned against backing down in the face of mounting casualties in Iraq
and Afghanistan, both on the frontline of the US-led "war on terrorism".
Byline: n/a
Date: Sept 28, 2006
LONDON, Sept 28, 2006 (AFP) - Former British foreign secretary Jack Straw
said Thursday the situation in Iraq was "dire", adding that the United
States government had made "many mistakes" after the 2003 invasion.
"The current situation is dire," he told BBC television.
"I think many mistakes were made after the military action -- there is no
question about it -- by the United States administration. Why? Because they
failed to follow the lead of (former) secretary (of state Colin) Powell.
"The State Department had put in a huge amount of effort to ensure there was
a proper civilian administration."
After Prime Minister Tony Blair, Straw was the government member most
closely associated with Britain's decision to go to war in Iraq.
In May, he was replaced as foreign secretary by Margaret Beckett and is now
leader of Britain's House of Commons, the parliamentary lower chamber. The
change was widely seen as a demotion.
Straw's comments come after Blair defended Britain's relationship with the
United States, including over the war in Iraq, at the governing Labour
Party's annual conference Tuesday.
Blair warned against backing down in the face of mounting casualties in Iraq
and Afghanistan, both on the frontline of the US-led "war on terrorism".