Inquiry: Blair was given warning over Iraq 'damage'

Tony Blair was warned there could be "long-term damage" to the armed forces unless Britain slashed its commitment to the Iraq War, a previously secret document revealed.

By The Newsroom

Published 2nd Jul 2010, 22:08 BST

Updated 2nd Jul 2010, 22:08 BST

On the eve of the March 2003 invasion, Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon told the then Prime Minister the UK had to cut its force levels by two-thirds by the autumn.

Mr Straw and Mr Hoon said keeping more troops in Iraq would be outside the Ministry of Defence's planning assumptions and would have an impact on other operations.

An extract from a previously classified letter from the Cabinet Ministers to Mr Blair, dated March 19, 2003, was released yesterday by the Iraq Inquiry.

Mr Straw and Mr Hoon wrote: "It will be necessary to draw down our current commitment to nearer a third by no later than autumn in order to avoid long-term damage to the armed forces."

The inquiry continues.