Chilcot Iraq war probe report: 'Despite flawed intel, world better off without Saddam'

Former US President George W Bush, the main promoter of the Iraq war during 2003-2011, has said 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

Washington: Former US President George W Bush, the main promoter of the Iraq war during 2003-2011, has said 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.

Former US President George W Bush (right) said there was no stronger ally than Britain under Tony Blair’s leadership. File Pic/AFP

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,” Ford said.

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 seven years, although his mission was not aimed to prosecute or recommend charges against anybody.

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