Tony Blair is probably in for a very hard day.
After seven years, €11.9 million in expenses and 2.6 million words, the 12 volume inquiry into the Iraq war will be finally published today as UK civil servant John Chilcot hands over his findings.
The report begins from the summer of 2001, when the potential invasion of Iraq was being publicly discussed, up to July 2009 when British troops left Iraq.
Speaking with the BBC, Chilcot says that he hopes the report will answer some of the questions that the families of those who died during the conflict still have.
Despite not having direct approval from the UN Security Council, the war ended Saddam Hussein’s regime in Iraq, but with severe casualties on both sides.
The US, which led the campaign in 2003, lost 4,487 military personnel while 179 Britons died from ’03 to ’09.
These figures pale in comparison to the amount of Iraqi’s that perished during the conflict. The estimated death total ranges from 90,000 to more than 600,000.
After reaching an accord in 2014, the report will disclose the personal notes that were exchanged between British Prime Minister Mr Blair and US President George W Bush. The report will also include testimony from Tony Blair, former Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon and UN weapons inspector Hans Blix among many others.
The Chilcot inquiry was not asked to rule on the legality of the invasion but if the evidence is found to be damning, The International Criminal Court may investigate further. It’s highly unlikely that Blair will face any prosecution as a war criminal, due to the fact that The International Criminal Court only tries war crimes that took place on the battlefield.
