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UK 'misled' on Iraq, dead soldier's father tells inquiry
13.10.09
A retired senior Army officer whose son was killed in Iraq said today that Britain was "lied to" and "badly let down" before the start of the conflict.
Former Lieutenant Colonel Colin Mildinhall attacked the legality of the war and argued that the UK was "misled" over the claim that Saddam Hussein could deploy weapons of mass destruction within 45 minutes.
He told a special meeting of the Iraq Inquiry in London for families of servicemen and women who died in the conflict that the 45-minute claim referred only to Iraq's Scud missiles.
Mr Mildinhall, a veteran of the 1991 Gulf War, said: "It's on this basis that I believe we were misled.
"I would particularly like the Iraq Inquiry to look at the whole representation of intelligence, how it was used or misused in the approach to this war.
"I believe this country has been badly let down and been lied to. I would like to see some accountability."
He added: "The prime concern I have is over the legality of the war to start with."
His son, Lieutenant Tom Mildinhall, 26, of the Queen's Dragoon Guards, was killed by an improvised explosive device while in a Snatch Land Rover patrol in the southern city of Basra in May 2006.
Reader views (2)
Tony Blair had one thing in mind when we went to war in Iraq. Finger-licking the former President Bush and the fees he could subsequently earn in the future in the US as an after dinner speaker. Judging from the size of his property portfolio and his personal wealth, it looks as if he was completely successful. Unfortunately, it looks as if the problem will come back to haunt him for many years to come.
- Graham Rodhouse, Helmond, Netherlands
maybe mr blair would like to step forward and enlighten us to the real truth now he,s a devout christian he was in power when we went to war with his smirk grinning face. oh cherie what should i do !!
- Basil, bussiere poitevine 87320 france
