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Nations”. Blair outlines the evidence for Iraq’s possession of WMD and their continued flouting of Security Council resolutions, referencing the September Dossier, the government paper on Iraq’s weapons. That dossier engendered the widely-held belief, as Blair here repeats, that Hussein’s “military planning allows for some of the WMD to be ready within 45 minutes of an order to use them”. This became a foundation of the eventual invasion. Blair concludes the letter “I am in no doubt that the threat is current and serious, that Saddam has made progress on amassing WMD, and that he has to be stopped. To do nothing on Iraq is not an option”, adding in a handwritten postscript “I hope recent events & discussion in the U.N. have allayed, at least, some fears”. Jackson reported at the time she received hundreds of letters from constituents opposing the prospect of invasion. She later said, in the parliamentary debate on the tenth anniversary of the invasion, that it was the “worst foreign policy decision in my lifetime, if ever”. 3 pages, printed out on Downing Street stationery, hand-written salutation, subscription, and postscript. Light handling creasing, folds into three, in very good condition. £3,750 [137019]
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invasion to the Labour MP and actress Glenda Jackson, asserting that war is not imminent or inevitable, though also making clear the case for intervention if Saddam Hussein does not meet their demands, grounded on Hussein’s possession of 45-minute-ready weapons of mass destruction. Jackson remains one of the most prominent actresses of her generation, her multi-decade career including winning two Oscars. From 1992 to 2015 she served as Labour MP for Hampstead and Highgate and its successor constituency in that period. Initially a supporter of Blair – who appointed her parliamentary under-secretary of state for transport from 1997 to 1999 – she became one of his prominent backbench critics, most notably on the issue of Iraq, later calling for him to resign over the Hutton Inquiry into the death of David Kelly. She was one of 12 Labour MPs who joined opposition parties in calling for a full inquiry into the war in 2006. Blair responds to a letter Jackson sent on 5 September 2002, where she conveyed her fears and those of her constituents about the prospect of military action. Blair writes that no decision has yet been made about military intervention. “There is no doubt that Iraq, the region and the whole world would be better off without Saddam, but that our purpose is disarmament. No one wants military conflict”. Blair goes on, however, to provide a clear justification for conflict if circumstances do not change. Recent movement by Iraq on the weapons issue was a result of “the credible threat of force” and “if we were now to lose the collective will to deal with Iraq, we would destroy the authority of the United
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All items are fully described and photographed at peterharrington.co.uk
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