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The British government has questioned US control over its military operations in Iraq after 13 months of war, newly revealed documents show, highlighting the Blair government's frustration with its most important ally.
The documents you published Cabinet Office Tuesday contained internal briefings prepared for then-Prime Minister Tony Blair, which raised concerns about whether the US had control over invasion tactics.
“The Prime Minister may wish to question Bush about whether there is appropriate political control over military operations,” the documents said.
The briefings, which came before a meeting with President George W. Bush on April 16, 2004, also showed that Britain believed that “too many military officers (were) speaking forcefully to the American public.”
These revelations reveal the UK government's growing frustration with the United States after the start of the First Battle of Fallujah on April 4, which resulted in a victory for the Iraqi insurgents.
Blair's decision to join the US-led invasion of Iraq damaged his approval ratings and led to increasing pressure within the party to force him to resign. In 2007, Blair stepped down as leader of the Labor Party after serving 10 years as Prime Minister.
A separate document from the UK Embassy in Washington sent to Number 10 after the first week of the battle revealed that the then US Deputy Secretary of State, Richard Armitage, told the British ambassador that Bush wanted to “kick some ass” in Fallujah. .
But she added that “faced with a dose of reality” that his actions might lead to the overthrow of the Iraqi government, Bush was forced to back down.
The newspaper said that Armitage believed that Bush “still believed he was on some kind of mission from God in Iraq” and expressed his view that the United States was “gradually losing on the battlefield” and that there was no “coherent strategy” for operations.
He then urged the British to reach an understanding with Bush about the need for the United Nations to play an important role in establishing a political process in the country.
Prior to his meeting with Bush, officials briefed Blair that Fallujah “did not demonstrate American planning at its best,” that American tactics were “clumsy” and “their public statements heightened tensions,” worsening the situation.
The British had hoped to gain private agreement at the meeting that the American approach “needs further measurement” because it “loses political capital” for both governments.
The documents also reveal that UK officials believe the management of the US alliance has been “not good at all” since the beginning of the war.
The papers noted that the United States believed the Polish, Spanish, and Ukrainian governments had “let the side down.” The British also expressed frustration with Ukraine over a perceived lack of support for the war effort.
The “Coalition of the Willing” was formed in early 2003, shortly before the decision to invade Iraq was taken on March 20. At its peak, the coalition included 49 countries.
These documents came ahead of the political transition planned for June 30, through which the Iraqi interim government took control of the country from the established Governing Council.
The conflict eventually ended in 2011 after a long insurgency by armed groups following the fall of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein in 2003.
The Cabinet Office and Armitage declined to comment.
