一份外界期待已久的有关英国介入伊拉克战争的官方报告认为，13年前在英美领导下的同盟国侵入伊拉克的行动“完全没有必要”，伊拉克独裁者萨达姆·侯赛因对英国或是西方国家不构成迫在眉睫的威胁。
前英国政府高级官员约翰·齐尔科特主持的这项调查对政要，情报和外交系统官员，以及军方将领在侵入伊拉克，以及英国部队数年间在伊拉克，特别是伊拉克南部的军事行动提出批评。
齐尔科特在伦敦召开的记者会上措辞严厉。他说，伊拉克战争的策划和军事干预行动都存在重大问题，很失败，其影响一直持续到今天，他指的显然是最近巴格达发生的造成250多人丧生的自杀爆炸事件。
The invasion of Iraq 13 years ago by an American- and British-led coalition was “unnecessary” and Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein represented “no imminent threat” to Britain or the Western powers, according to a long-awaited official report into Britain's involvement in the Iraq War.
The inquiry led by John Chilcot, a former top British civil servant, heaped blame on politicians, intelligence officials, diplomats and generals for their role in the invasion and for the conduct of the years-long military operations by Britain's forces, mainly in the south of Iraq.
In a scathing appraisal, Chilcot told a news conference in London that the planning and conduct of the military intervention was seriously flawed and “went badly wrong, with consequences to this day.” He referenced the recent suicide bombings in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, that left more than 250 people dead.
