Explosive declassified documents have revealed that the United States privately warned Britain that joining the Iraq invasion in 2003 could jeopardise Tony Blair's position as Prime Minister.
The newly released papers, dating from the run-up to the controversial war, show American officials expressing concerns that military action might prove politically disastrous for the Labour leader.
The Warning That Came Too Late
According to the documents, US Secretary of State Colin Powell told British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw in January 2003 that "regime change in Iraq could come at the cost of regime change in Britain." This stark warning came just two months before the invasion commenced.
Political Fallout
The revelation raises fresh questions about:
- Blair's decision-making process in the lead-up to war
- The accuracy of intelligence about weapons of mass destruction
- The long-term consequences for UK-US relations
Despite these warnings, Blair committed 45,000 British troops to the US-led invasion on 20 March 2003. The conflict would ultimately last eight years and claim hundreds of thousands of lives.
Legacy of Controversy
The Iraq War remains one of the most contentious decisions in modern British political history. While Blair survived the initial political fallout, his reputation never fully recovered from the controversy.
These documents add weight to critics who argue the former Prime Minister ignored significant risks - both geopolitical and personal - in his determination to support US President George W. Bush's Middle East policy.
The release comes as the Chilcot Inquiry's findings about the war continue to shape political discourse about military interventions and the special relationship between Britain and America.
