The committee headed by Sir John Chilcot, a retired civil servant, has promised to produce a “full and insightful” account of the most debated and contested war in recent history and the circumstances in which it was inflicted on Iraq. 

While it remains to be seen how candid and courageous this probe is going to be, Sir John has asserted that it will not be a ‘whitewash’ job, as many suspect it to be. 

Let’s hope Sir John has the courage of conviction needed for this difficult job and can confront those who took Britain, and the world, to a totally unjust, unreasonable and unnecessary war on Iraq — a country that had already been on the verge of collapse after years of crippling, punishing UN sanctions dictated by Western powers. 

Sir John must have the courage to confront those plotted and forced that illegal war despite desperate efforts and pleas by Iraq’s neighbours, the United Nations and rest of the civilised world to avoid it.  And there must be action against those responsible for it. 

In fact, everyone knows how this war was imposed on Iraq and who unleashed it.  You hardly need a panel of former civil servants and experts to get to the bottom of it.  What we need is action. Otherwise, what purpose does this inquiry serve? More important, what difference will it make to the Iraqi people? After all, this isn’t the first inquiry into this war.  At least four inquiries have already been conducted in Britain since the Iraq invasion.  In 2003, the Foreign Affairs Committee and the joint Parliamentary Intelligence and Security Committee looked into the intelligence used to justify the war.

In January, 2004, the Hutton commission probed the death of UN weapons inspector Dr David Kelly and Prime Minister Blair’s claim that Iraq was ready to unleash WMD attack against Britain within 45 minutes. In July 2004, the Butler inquiry looked once again at the intelligence used to justify the war.

So unless this probe results in concrete steps, leading to justice for the people of Iraq and preventing more unjust wars in the future, this is little more than a symbolic exercise.

But by initiating this Britain is at least trying to repent and make amends for the criminal blunders of its leaders. What about the United States? Why’s there been no action, no step whatsoever in this direction?

No attempts, however perfunctory, have been made by the US establishment, civil society and the media to confront their leaders on Iraq.

Yet more than a million innocent lives have been wasted in Iraq, not to mention the appalling, total devastation the war has unleashed on the country that was one of the region’s most modern nations.  And all for a lie!