Sir Richard Dearlove on

blair

4 quotes · Oct 2001 – Mar 2026

Saidverbatim, newest first

  1. Dearlove reveals he urged Blair to form a military council in Iraq instead of disbanding the army.

    “the huge mistake that Brammer made in Iraq on which we were not consulted, I was chief at the time, was to disband the Iraqi military.”

    1:01 · The Brink · 13 Mar 2026 · permalink
  2. Dearlove recounts recent conversation with senior American general confirming his Iraq military council advice.

    “I mean, I was urging the Blair government to form a military council. And actually talking to an American general recently who was part of that group, who was in a very senior position,”

    32:07 · The Brink · 13 Mar 2026 · permalink
  3. Dearlove advised Blair not to dissolve Iraqi army and Ba'ath structures but Blair did not follow advice.

    “And my advice to Blair, which he didn't follow, because I'm not a policy guy, but I said, look, what we should have because bits of the Iraqi army were not particularly contaminated by Saddam Hussein.”

    58:25 · Cliveden Literary Festival · 11 Oct 2019 · permalink
  4. Dearlove reveals he advised Blair not to dissolve Iraqi military structures but was not followed.

    “my advice to Blair, which he didn't follow, because I'm not a policy guy, but I said, look, what we should have because bits of the Iraqi army were not particularly contaminated by Saddam Hussein.”

    58:27 · Cliveden Literary Festival · 11 Oct 2019 · permalink

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