20 Years Since the Invasion of Iraq: UK Accused of Complete Hypocrisy by Standing Against Russian War Crimes

The Middle East Eye report revealed that human rights organizations had accused the British government of “hypocrisy” after announcing that it would host a summit to discuss international support for the ongoing war crimes investigations in Ukraine, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the invasion of Iraq.

The London meeting is scheduled to take place in March 2023 and is co-hosted by the Dutch government, with the aim of increasing financial and practical support for the International Criminal Court in The Hague to investigate alleged war crimes during the Russian war on Ukraine.

The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court opened an investigation into the situation inside Ukraine in late March 2022, following the Russian attack on Ukraine in February 2022.

The investigation examines alleged war crimes since 2013, covering the long conflict that saw Russian-backed separatists revolt in eastern Ukraine, Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea, and allegations of atrocities committed by Russian forces since the start of the latest offensive.

 

‘We Will Back Ukraine’

For his part, British Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab said: “Russian forces should know they cannot act with impunity and we will back Ukraine until justice is served.”

The British Ministry of Justice has not confirmed the exact date of the summit. However, the summit is scheduled to be held in the same month that will witness the 20th anniversary of the participation of British forces in the invasion of Iraq under the leadership of the United States, which began on March 19.

The UK continues its support for Ukraine and has provided military support worth 2.3 billion pounds ($2.78 billion) to Kyiv.

Last year, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court opened an investigation into possible war crimes in Ukraine.

Legal experts say the court’s jurisdiction over Russia’s invasion includes only member states and countries that have agreed to its jurisdiction, such as Ukraine, and not Russia, which does not recognize the court.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in November that the EU would try to set up a specialized court backed by the United Nations to investigate and prosecute possible Russian war crimes.

 

Hypocritical Position

The rights groups have reported to Middle East Eye that the UK risked being labeled as a “hypocritical” country over its support for the International Criminal Court’s investigation into allegations of atrocities in Ukraine.

Iain Overton, executive director of Action on Armed Violence (AOAV), told the British website: “[Russian President Vladimir] Putin should absolutely be held to account, but the UK government is in danger of engaging in hypocrisy by failing to investigate crimes perpetrated by British soldiers properly.”

He added that under the leadership of successive governments, we have seen an attempt to impose a time limit on war crimes investigations committed by British soldiers, and a softer approach to investigations of crimes committed inside Northern Ireland. A judge-led report is issued, but it remains a rare occurrence.

Emily Apple, a spokesperson for the Campaign Against the Arms Trade (CAAT), said: “While it’s good to see the UK government taking war crimes seriously, it’s time it applied the same standards to all war crimes, including those committed by countries it sells arms to.”

 

War Crimes

The UK and the US forces faced war crimes charges during and after the invasion, while the United Nations Secretary-General condemned it as illegal in 2004.

The Netherlands supported the war effort at the time as well, but a Dutch parliamentary inquiry in 2010 ruled that the invasion had no basis in international law.

In 2020, the International Criminal Court closed its preliminary investigation into allegations that British forces committed war crimes inside Iraq, but the court said that there are certain rationales supporting the belief that members of the British armed forces committed war crimes such as premeditated murder, torture, cruel/inhumane treatment, outrages upon personal dignity, rape and/or other forms of sexual violence.

In 2019, the British Middle East Eye website reported that the British army allowed its soldiers to sometimes shoot civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan if they suspected they were watching them. Several former soldiers who spoke to the British website said that the shooting targeted a number of children and teenage boys.

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair expressed his regret and grief on July 6, 2016, and offered his “apologies” after publishing a report harshly criticizing his decision to involve the UK in the Iraq war in 2003. The former prime minister, who seemed affected, said during a press conference in London that it was the most difficult decision he’s ever made, and that he did it in good faith.

The former British Labor Prime Minister added that he bears full responsibility, expressed his pain and regret, and offered his apologies. But he emphasized that the report made clear there were no lies, the government and parliament were not misled, and there was no secret commitment to war.

Earlier, the head of the British Commission of Inquiry on the Iraq War, John Chilcot, harshly criticized Tony Blair, saying that the invasion of Iraq in 2003 occurred before all peaceful solutions had been exhausted and that London’s plans for the post-war period were not appropriate.

Blair was responding to harsh criticism contained in a report of a seven-year investigation into the war. Blair told reporters that it turned out that the intelligence assessments at the time of going to war were wrong. It turned out then that the consequences were more hostile, extended, and more bloody than one can imagine.

 

Poor Compensations

The Guardian newspaper reported in November 2021 that the UK Ministry of Defense had settled 417 Iraq compensations.

The abuse forms against the Iraqi detainees included cruel and inhumane treatment, arbitrary detention, and assault.

In an interview with Al-Estiklal in November 2021, the Iraqi political writer Nadhir Kandory pointed out: “The number of cases filed against the British army is not commensurate with the size of the large violations that took place in Iraq against Iraqi civilians.” 

He added, “The reason for this gap is because many Iraqis who were subjected to these violations or their families, do not have the ability to claim their rights in the British courts.”

Mustafa Kamil, editor-in-chief of Wijhat Nadhar newspaper, told Al-Estiklal that none of the Iraqi households had spared the British–American war’s severe consequences. He emphasized that the Iraqis were subjected to direct crimes in the form of torture, rape, imprisonment, killing, destruction of property, and displacement.