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From the Falklands to Iraq

Simon Jenkins

Wednesday, 28th March 2007

Twenty-five years ago this weekend British territory was invaded by a foreign power. The Argentine invasion of the Falkland Islands followed six months in which the British government, for extraneous reasons, claimed that no such threat existed, corrupting the conduit of intelligence to that end. It blinded itself to the possibility of conflict. In the subsequent war, 255 British troops died and £3 billion was spent recapturing the islands. An inquiry, under Lord Franks, was staged to exonerate ministers of guilt.

Four years ago a British government was in an eerily inverse predicament. It spent six months claiming, again for an extraneous reason, that a foreign power posed an imminent threat to Britain, corrupting the conduit of intelligence to that end. It blinded itself to the possibility of no conflict. In the subsequent war 134 British troops, so far, have died and well over £3 billion has been spent. Two inquiries, under Lord Hutton and Lord Butler, have been staged to exonerate ministers of guilt.

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