Implications of a US attack on Iran 'might be greater' than Iraq in 2003, former Defence Secretary claims
The implications of a US attack on Iran will likely be more significant than during the Iraq war in 2003, former Defence Secretary under Tony Blair Geoff Hoon has told LBC.
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Mr Hoon told LBC's Tom Swarbrick talk of the United States potentially going in to drop bombs in the Middle East evokes "difficult" memories for him.
He served as Secretary of State for Defence during the Iraq War, and played a significant role in the UK's involvement in the conflict. He held the position from 1999 to 2005.
"Clearly it does bring back echoes of Iraq and the decisions that were taken at the time." he said.
"I think this is a slightly different scenario because, clearly, even in the United States there is much more concern about the implications of American participation in support of Israel's bombing of nuclear facilities in Iran.
"It was a rather different situation where the Americans were clearly intent upon dealing with Saddam Hussein and going into Iraq. So this is a much more nuanced."
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While he recognised that any US attack on Iran would likely be more targeted than the campaign in Iraq, he said the implications down the line "might be greater".
He said there "was little support internationally for Saddam Hussein", but the implications of supporting Israel in military action would "be far more serious internationally".
Mr Hoon said it would ultimately depend on how the international community reacts, but Russia has already indicated, on the back of an agreement they have with Iran, they are concerned about any action taken by the US.
MPs have warned against the government becoming embroiled in the conflict between Israel and Iran, as they warned involvement could have the same results as the Iraq War.
Labour and Liberal Democrat MPs said Britain should be wary of any involvement, as they compared it to the British invasion of Saddam Hussein’s country in 2003.
Intelligence on Tehran’s nuclear capabilities was treated with scepticism, as one MP said the Commons should have a vote on whether to engage in any military action.
Liberal Democrat MP Al Pinkerton drew a comparison with the Tony Blair-era conflict.
He said: “A despotic Middle Eastern dictatorship, a rogue state, a terrorist state perilously close to achieving a weapon of mass destruction so serious that it could disrupt the entire region.
“Members, as well as the public listening at home, may hear echoes of 2003 in that description of current events.
“And with talk of regime change again in the air, can I ask the Foreign Secretary what he is going to do to personally talk back the authorities in Jerusalem, in Israel, because what they’re doing at the moment strikes me as providing the Iranian regime with the best possible propaganda tool that they could possibly have.”