Scarlett, author of the Iraq war dossier, is knighted

[Poiuyt]

John Scarlett, who took responsibility for the error-ridden dossier that justified the war in Iraq, is knighted in today's New Year's Honours list. The award will enrage peace campaigners, who have accused the veteran spymaster of saving Tony Blair's skin over the flawed case for the invasion.

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Sir John, the head of MI6, played a key role in the Hutton Inquiry hearings into the death of the weapons expert David Kelly, three years ago. He steadfastly defended the dossier, which contained the notorious claim that Iraq could launch weapons of mass destruction in 45 minutes. And he dismissed accusations he had bowed to pressure to "sex up" the document's conclusions.

snip-

Sir John allowed last-minute changes that had the effect of strengthening its conclusions, leading Lord Hutton to suggest that he could have been "subconsciously influenced" by his political masters.

One crucial alteration was to cut the observation that Saddam Hussein was more likely to use chemical and biological weapons defensively than offensively - a change was made after Jonathan Powell, Tony Blair's chief of staff, said the passage could pose "a problem" that could be seized on by anti-war critics.

more -

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/article2112587.ece

So Bush gives out Freedom medals to the criminals who helped fuel his war, but in England they are knighted.

[dave_p]

1. The fall-guy's reward

Scarlett took the fall for Blair's bootboy Alastair Campbell, so this is his reward. The real criminals are still in power.

[Benhurst]

2. What a disgrace.

You'd think even the dog-faced queen would have found that a bit much to stomach.

[DeepGreen]

3. Maybe we should start knighting our own!

How about Sir Keith ?