Prince Andrew says US should have listened to Britain over Iraq

[Judi Lynn]

Source: International Herald Tribune/Associated Press

Prince Andrew says US should have listened to Britain over Iraq

The Associated Press
Tuesday, February 5, 2008

LONDON: The United States could have avoided some of the problems it is experiencing in Iraq if it had listened to Britain's advice and learned from its experiences, Prince Andrew said in comments published Tuesday — a rare airing of political opinion by a senior member of the royal family.

Andrew, 47, said the invasion and its aftermath had created a "healthy skepticism" in Britain about what was said in Washington and led many to ask, "Why didn't anyone listen to what was said and the advice that was given?"

The second son of Queen Elizabeth II, who is fourth in line to the throne, said the United States was Britain's chief ally. But, he added, there were "occasions when people in the U.K. would wish that those in responsible positions in the U.S. might listen and learn from our experiences."
(snip)

Senior British officials have complained that the U.S. did not heed British advice about the potential pitfalls of invading Iraq, particularly the dangers of banning Saddam Hussein's Baath party and dismantling the Iraqi military.



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[cstanleytech]

1. I wonder how long until

someone opens his eyes to the Downing Street memos, boy would I like to see the look on his face.

[AngryOldDem]

2. Gee, I really don't remember Tony Blair being the bastion of caution....

...in the lead-up to the war, do you?

[Frank Cannon]

3. No kidding (n/t)

[Finite]

4. Hmmmm

He's right that we've been through all of this before, but it doesn't put us in a position to lecture America on this. We engaged in brutal supression, including using CHEMICAL WEAPONS on tribes who didn't pay their taxes, authorised by none other than Winston Churchill during his time in the foreign office.

I suppose the point is that we did all this, we cranked up the brutality in response to rebellions and it didn't work. America would certainly do well to heed this message.