Mythbusters.....

[Loosehead]

Is it a lefty propegated myth that the Iraq war is illegal?

[Dizzieblonde]

It all seems a bit of a grey area, but I think there has to be a recognisable threat to a country to justify it declaring war with another - hence the claim that Iraq was harbouring WMD and intended to use them.

[jake-the-peg]

Lorg Goldsmith, the attorney General probably has a better legal mind than any of us and his advice to the Government is here:

http://www.ico.gov.uk/cms/DocumentUploads/Anne x_A%20_AG_s_Advice_7_3_03.pdf

I'd suggest that this advice could be characterised as saying. He's doubtful whether or not further action without an additional resolution would be legal.

So if the Attorney General doesn't know for sure I can't see that you'll get a more informed opinion on the Answer Bank

[Loosehead]

Well what I was getting at Jake is that there are still resolutions in force from the previous Gulf war. There is also the general declaration of a "war on terror". But more than that, what is illegal anyway? i mean is it legal to declare war and then get on with it? I just don't understand how you can have legislation outside of a national legislature.

[sp1814]

I *think* the illeagality issue is based around whether the latest UN resolution was adhered to at the time the war was declared.

I have no idea as to which court of law the legality of this applies, and who would be tried if it were proven to be illegal.

[jake-the-peg]

I think it's generally understood and accepted that in this context illegal means without a supporting resolution from the UN agreeing to the use of force.

It's interesting to speculate what would have happened if the US had returned for a further resolution and had France veto'd it. - I have little doubt the US would have continued anyway but would the UK have followed?

[jno]

depends what you mean by illegal. Countries' governments can pass laws about what behaviour is illegal within those countries, but who passes laws about what the countries themselves can do? I guess UN resolutions are as good a basis as any, and like jake I suspect that this means the war is illegal. It's clear, though, that the proclaimed justification for going to war - the WMD - was complete hogwash.

[Whickerman]

what jno said.

[youngmafbog]

Always had a problem getting my head around how a war can be legal or illegal. Just because one bunch of slimey lawyers say it is illegal by the laws they abide by cannot surley mean that another set would interpret it differently.

Seems to me to be something the slimeballs have dreamt up to grasp more money from the pot to fund their pointless little lives.

All war is bad, legal or illegal. Tell anynoe being bombed out of existence that the war is legal and I'm sure it will make the world of difference to them.

In addition I would hope that by the time it came to war all diplomatic avenues have been investigated so who apart from greedy lawyers cares at that point.

[matt66]

youngmafbog and loosehead

Slobodan Milosevic would have loved to hear from you when he was alive.