Home>News Center>World
         
 

Feared Iraq war could be illegal - report
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-02-23 13:56

The British government's top lawyer warned less than two weeks before the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq that military action could be illegal, the Guardian newspaper reported on Wednesday.

Lord Goldsmith expressed his doubts to Prime Minister Tony Blair, Washington's staunchest ally in Iraq, in a document on March 7, 2003, the paper said.

The newspaper said the British government was so concerned about legal challenges to war that it set up a team of lawyers to prepare for any action in an international court.

The Guardian said it based its report on a book to be published this week called "Lawless World," by law professor and lawyer Philippe Sands, who shares the London offices of the prime minister's barrister wife, Cherie Booth.

"So concerned was the government about the possibility of such a case that it took steps to put together a legal team to prepare for possible international litigation," Sands wrote in an extract of his book published in the Guardian.

Goldsmith was not immediately available for comment.

He has previously denied opponents' claims he swallowed his own doubts about the case for war to give Blair legal cover after London and Washington failed to gain United Nations backing for a resolution authorizing military action.

The British government has only ever published a summary of his advice.

According to Sands's book, Goldsmith raised doubts about the legality of military action in advice given to Blair in a 13-page document.

Goldsmith warned: "If the argument were to come before a court of law it might well be unsuccessful, so the use of force could be found to be illegal."

However, Sands says that 10 days later, on March 17, Goldsmith said in answer to a parliamentary question that it was "plain" that Iraq was in breach of U.N. resolution 1441 which required it to comply with disarmament obligations.

"Plain to whom?" Sands asks in his book. "(This answer) was neither a summary nor a precis of any of the earlier advices which the attorney general had provided."

Blair, who is preparing to fight an election expected in May, has refused calls to publish the legal advice Goldsmith gave him.

The war in Iraq dragged down Blair's once sky-high public ratings and divided his ruling Labour Party.



 
  Today's Top News     Top World News
 

Beijing pushes for charter cargo flights across Straits

 

   
 

Bush threatens Europe on ending arms ban

 

   
 

Goliaths compete for nuclear plant pact

 

   
 

Strong quake strikes Iran, over 400 dead

 

   
 

US citizen accused of plotting to kill Bush

 

   
 

Medics venture into twilight zone

 

   
  Al-Jaafari likely to be next Iraqi PM
   
  Strong quake strikes Iran, over 400 dead
   
  South Korea, US, Japan to discuss nuclear strategy
   
  Europeans recall bad memories during Bush visit
   
  Aceh rebels drop demands for independence
   
  Al-Zarqawi tops U.S. list of most wanted
   
 
  Go to Another Section  
 
 
  Story Tools  
   
  Related Stories  
   
Al-Zarqawi tops U.S. list of most wanted
   
3 hostages freed by rebels enter Jordan
   
Al-Jaafari likely to be next Iraqi PM
   
Chalabi, Al-Jaafari to seek Iraq PM post
  News Talk  
  Are the Republicans exploiting the memory of 9/11?  
Advertisement
         
主站蜘蛛池模板: 亚洲最大的视频网站| 国产乡下三级全黄三级bd| a级毛片高清免费视频在线播放| 日本一区二区三区日本免费| 亚洲av极品无码专区在线观看| 深夜a级毛片免费无码| 午夜伦伦影理论片大片| 蜜桃视频一区二区三区在线观看 | 国产乱了真实在线观看| 日本国产成人精品视频| 国产色在线播放| 99热国内精品| 婷婷综合激情五月中文字幕| 久久6这里只有精品| 日韩丝袜在线观看| 久久综合色天天久久综合图片| 欧洲精品免费一区二区三区| 亚洲日韩欧美综合| 波多野结衣cesd—819| 国产成人无码精品久久久露脸| 五月天婷亚洲天综合网精品偷| 欧美日韩在大午夜爽爽影院| 亚洲精品无码av人在线观看| 玩弄CHINESE丰满人妻VIDEOS| 再深点灬舒服灬太大了ship| 美国一级毛片完整高清| 国产a久久精品一区二区三区| 足本玉蒲团在线观看| 国产在线xvideos| 黄色网站在线观看视频| 国产日韩在线看| 欧美另类xxx| 国产真实乱对白mp4| jizzjizz之xxxx18| 国产精品哟哟视频| 窝窝女人体国产午夜视频| 国产精品毛片va一区二区三区| 67194线路1(点击进入)手机版| 国产视频第二页| 33333在线亚洲| 国产精品国产三级国产专播|