Brit War Chief: We Underestimated Cheney

Says VP Had More Influence On Bush Than U.K. Thought; Despite Bad Planning, Defends Going To War

(CBS/AP)  Britain's defense secretary during the Iraq war says U.K. officials underestimated the influence of Vice President Dick Cheney in White House decision making, and the coalition failed to anticipate the bloody aftermath of the war, a newspaper reported Wednesday.

But Geoff Hoon, who was defense secretary in Prime Minister Tony Blair's government from 1999 until 2005, said intelligence officials had believed that Saddam Hussein was amassing weapons of mass destruction and that the allies did not lie about why they went to war.

In an interview with The Guardian newspaper, Hoon said that "we didn't plan for the right sort of aftermath."

"Maybe we were too optimistic about the idea of the streets being lined with cheering people. Although I have reconciled it in my own mind, we perhaps didn't do enough to see it through the Sunni perspective. Perhaps we should have done more to understand their position," Hoon was quoted as saying.

Hoon said the British side had not comprehended Cheney's influence in the U.S. administration.

Even when Blair and President Bush had agreed on some matter, "sometimes... the decision actually came out of a completely different place."

"And you think: what did we miss? I think we missed Cheney," Hoon was quoted as saying.

He did not cite any examples of decisions apparently reversed by Cheney.

Hoon, who is now minister for Europe in the Foreign Office, said Britain had opposed the wholesale dismissal of Iraq's army and police forces.

"We certainly argued against," Hoon was quoted as saying. "I recall having discussions with Donald Rumsfeld, but I recognized that it was one of those judgment calls. I would have called it the other way. His argument was that the Iraqi army was so heavily politicized that we couldn't be sure that we would not retain within it large elements of Saddam's people."

However, Hoon defended the decision to go to war on the basis of intelligence that believed Iraq was building up an arsenal of weapons of mass destruction — intelligence he now accepts was wrong.

"I've been present at a number of meetings where the intelligence community was fixed, and looked in the eye and asked are you absolutely sure about this? And the answer came back 'Yes, absolutely sure,"' Hoon was quoted as saying.

"I saw intelligence from the first time I came into office, in May 1999 — week in, week out — that said Saddam had weapons of mass destruction ... I have real difficulty in understanding why it was, over such a long period of time, we were told this and, moreover, why we acted upon it," he was quoted as saying.

"Whatever else I did, even if people say it was catastrophically wrong, I wouldn't agree with it, but I could live with it," he added. "But I can't live with the idea that I was telling lies, because I wasn't."

Hoon said he felt no need to apologize.

"You can say 'it did not turn out as we expected' and 'we made some bad calls,' but at the end of the day I defy anyone to go through what we went through and come to a different conclusion," he was quoted as saying.

The public, Hoon said, was not interested in perceptions in 2003 or subtle arguments over intelligence or policy.

"I think, especially when British soldiers are being killed, that the public have got to be pretty confident as to why. I think they're not any longer confident, and want us out of Iraq. That's why Tony gets the blame," Hoon said.

[f10561056]

Chenny and hid oil friends control this great county of america and its puppet president Bush - just go to your local gas station - wake up AMERICA.

[andrew_693]

yeah, thats why they are leaving the US alone in Iraq very soon, as the US increases their soldiers the brits are packing and leaving. That's why 80 % of britons don't support Bliar and your war.

[tbweb]

Great Britain is a steady and reliable U.S. ally and for better or worst they both support each other and will always find a way to do so.

[johngorrind]

In response to Chilean analysis: Just substitute Hitler for Pinochet. Would you still support a totalitarian take over if the historical figure were changed? Is one tyrant any better than the next?

Look at Germany in 1932- a basket case! (with slight revisions)- "Look at what happened after the arrival of the "tyrant"... Stability, economic resurgence never before seen in Germany, high standard of living, huge economic surplus, near-zero foreign debt (how are doing on that one), etc. Sure, 50 million dead is a horrendous thing, but how many have we killed so far in Iraq with nothing to show for it?"

Are you saying that loss of life is acceptable if there is "something to show for it?" You certainly are sanguine concerning the taking of human lives. What if that life were your own; or belonged to someone in your family? That is the litmus test you probably haven't applied. Hitler, Pinochet, or most American presidents would have certainly reserved a place for people with such a mentality in their administrations.

[strunke]

Exactly. People that think it was all a lie just because they wanted to goto war are idiots, plain and simple. The intelligence was there, no lies were told. This is the bottom line, if you believe other wise you are wrong and need to stop with the delusions.

[taylpatr]

All one has to do is look in Cheney's eyes and you're looking into pure evil.Go to Wyoming and ask the people of his home state what they think of him. I've spent alot of time working there and never once heard anything good said about the man.I think that from now on, political hopefuls should be subject to background and urine tests and tests of history, politics, geography, math and common sense.That way, people like Cheney and W. never would have gotten into the positions they have. W. would blow out on geography and common sense. Cheney would blow the **** test and the background check.

[frankbowers]

The thing that many have and still do not remember is *** cheney was sect of defense (signor of all discharges from the military)when gw bush was a deserter and his discharge would have had been signed by none other than *** cheney. so as the story goes he gw bush must now kiss cheney's a** or he will be outed as a deserter. kay b. hutchinsen knew his at the time and knew the same fact why they protect him now is so they can continue to reign in powers they do not deserve. the best of good byes frank bowers in austin, tx

[SamThornton]

Shows how easy it is to be prescient in hindsight. How reassuring to know other countries also elevate ignorant boobs to positions of power. If the human race is not doomed to extinction, it certainly won't be the fault of any of the bozos in charge in Washington and London.

[shedhouserob-2009]

this is just shows you who runs the white house- Corporate Cheney. His stooge- Georgie takes all the flak- you can't but help like the dumb bell, he takes all the heat while the real head of state Cheney lines his pockets at the expense of the lives of American soldiers and Irag's population. He tells anybody that disagrees with him to go f#uck themselves, shoot his hunting partners and tells the public, hey I'm the vice president, tough sh#t. His corporation is raking in huge profits, and making Corporate Cheney a billionaire by the time he leaves office. Impeach this worm not good old George. George can be controlled. (Ask Cheney)

[finewoven]

For the record, I am in favor of keeping troops in Iraq. But I am also in favor of an intensive campaign to get the people in Iraq to side with peaceful means of building their society through a sense of community. This may come through Islam, if the leaders that promote peace are teaching their adherents those ways. If Islam practices seek to prevent or limit women%u2019s participation, disallow the consumption of alcohol, prevent the application of interest in loans, forbid dogs or some other animals, and at the extreme%u2014kill every infidel; then what is to be done but respond with isolationist laws to remove them from our society.

But look at Rwanda, or the Congo, or Sudan, or Ethiopia, or Bosnia, or even Nazi Germany. People make up their own reasons for mass murder. The Spanish Inquisition gave Jews two options, conversion or death. It%u2019s all senseless, except for those who profit.