LONDON—The official inquiry into Britain’s role in the Iraq War is releasing its findings Wednesday, more than seven years after hearings began and 13 years on from the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.
Retired civil servant John Chilcot is due to publish his 2.6-million-word report on a divisive conflict that — by the time British combat forces left in 2009 — had killed 179 British troops, almost 4,500 American personnel and more than 100,000 Iraqis.
Iraq descended into sectarian strife after the occupiers dismantled Saddam Hussein’s government and military apparatus, unleashing chaos that helped give rise to the Islamic State group.
The war has overshadowed the legacy of Britain’s then-leader, Prime Minister Tony Blair. His government has been accused of exaggerating intelligence about Saddam’s alleged weapons of mass destruction in order to build support for invasion.
Blair — who declined to comment on the report before publication — has always said his government did not invent or distort intelligence.
Senior politicians, diplomats, intelligence officials and military officers are prepared for criticism over the invasion and its aftermath.
