Bush hasn't read Chilcot report, but says world better off without Saddam

Former US President George W. Bush, the main promoter of the Iraq war during 2003-2011, has said that he still hasn't read the Chilcot report which raised harsh criticisms against his former ally Tony Blair in Britain and that he was convinced that the world is a better place without Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.

Bush's spokesperson Freddy Ford explained on Wednesday that the former President hasn't had the chance to read the Chilcot report and that "despite the intelligence failures and other mistakes he has acknowledged previously, President Bush continues to believe the whole world is better off without Saddam Hussein in power."

"He is deeply grateful for the service and sacrifice of the US and coalition forces in the war on terror. And there was no stronger ally than Britain under the leadership of Prime Minister Tony Blair," Efe news quoted Ford as saying.

Blair was harshly criticised in the report on the Iraq war in 2003 for authorising the invasion with flawed intelligence before having exhausted all peaceful options.

Sir John Chilcot, former Privy Counsellor and former civil servant heading the Iraq Inquiry, published an extensive and comprehensive report on the war after spending seven years evaluating thousands of official documents, interrogating witnesses and questioning politicians, although his mission was not aimed to prosecute or recommend charges against anybody.

Chilcot states that his purpose was to "consider the period from the summer of 2001 to the end of July 2009, embracing the run-up to the conflict in Iraq, the military action and its aftermath."

In his 12-volume document, Chilcot placed the burden of responsibility on Blair and revealed the extent of his alliance with the then US President George W. Bush, to whom he promised an unconditional support for the invasion of Iraq in 2002.

--IANS

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