ANNAN. Kofi Atta Annan is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations from January 1997 to December 2006. He and the UN were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001 (see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kofi_Annan ).
The United Nations secretary general, Kofi Annan, declared explicitly for the first time last night that the US-led war on Iraq was illegal.
UN secretary general, Kofi Annan, asked outright by the UK BBC if the Iraq war was illegal, replied (2004): "Yes, if you wish. I have indicated it was not in conformity with the UN charter. From our point of view and from the charter point of view it was illegal." [1].
[1]. Kofi Annan quoted by Ewan MacAskill and Julian Borger, “Iraq War was illegal and breached UN Charter, says Annan ”, Guardian, 16 September 2004: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2004/sep/16/iraq.iraq .
BLAIR. Tony Blair was the UK PM who notoriously joined the US in the illegal invasion of Iraq. The ABC is Australia’s equivalent of the UK BBC.
ABC News report: “Former British PM Tony Blair has admitted he disregarded a warning from his top legal adviser that attacking Iraq would be illegal without UN backing” [1].
[1]. ABC News, 22 January 2011: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-01-22/blair-advised-iraq-war-was-illegal/1914604 .
CLEGG. Nicholas William Peter "Nick" Clegg (born 7 January 1967) is the leader of the British Liberal Democrats and is currently the Deputy Prime Minister of the UK, Lord President of the Council and Minister for Constitutional and
Political Reform in the David Camerocn Coalition Tory-Liberal Democrat Coalition Government (see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Clegg ).
Nicholas Clegg on the illegality of the invasion of Iraq – standing at the government dispatch box in the Commons, Clegg threw the government's position concerning the legality of the Iraq war into confusion when, at the end of heated exchanges with Jack Straw, foreign secretary at the time of the war, Clegg said (July 2010) : "We may have to wait for his memoirs, but perhaps one day he will account for his role in the most disastrous decision of all: the illegal invasion of Iraq." [1].
Nick Clegg quoted in Nicholas Watt, “:Nick Clegg’s “illegal” Iraq war gaffe promotes legal warning”, Guardian, 21 July 2010: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/jul/21/nick-clegg-illegal-iraq-war-gaffe .
GOLDSMITH. Lord Goldsmith (Peter Goldsmith) is a Jewish British lawyer and was the Attorney General (2001-2007) (see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Goldsmith,_Baron_Goldsmith ).
Lord Goldsmith warned about the illegality of the impending Iraq invasion (2003): "If the argument were to come before a court of law it might well be unsuccessful, so the use of force could be found to be illegal" [1].
[1]. “UK Government feared Iraq war was illegal: report”, ABC News, 23 February 2005: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2005-02-23/uk-feared-iraq-war-was-illegal-report/1524106 .
LUDLAM. Scott Ludlam is an Australian Greens senator (see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Ludlam )
Scott Ludlam press release (2006): “Australian Greens Senator Scott Ludlam says the Prime Minister must prevent repeating the mistakes of the illegal invasion of Iraq, by supporting his Private Senator's Bill to ensure parliamentary approval for taking the country to war. The push comes as Britain's Gordon Brown announced an Inquiry into his Government's involvement in the Iraq war.
[1] Scott Ludlam, “Australia must never repat Iraq folly”. Scott Ludlam, press release, 15 Jun 2006: http://scott-ludlam.greensmps.org.au/posts/media-releases/all?page=65 .
VALDER. John Valder (born 21 September 1931) is a former president of the federal Liberal Party of Australia and also a previous chairman of the Australian Stock Exchange. John Valder was a founding member of the 'Not happy John!' campaign against former PM John Howard and called for Howard to be tried as a war criminal over the illegal invasion of Iraq (see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Valder ).
John Valder demanding Australian PM John Howard (leader of the federal Liberal Party) be tried as a war criminal over the illegal invasion of Iraq (2004): “"Bush, Blair, and Howard, as leaders of the three members of the coalition of the willing, inflicted enormous suffering on the people of Iraq. And, as such, they are criminals. I believe the only deterrent to a repetition of the Iraq situation is punishment in some form as war criminals." [1].
[1]. John Valder quoted in “Howard is a war criminal, says former colleague”, Sydney Morning Herald, 19 July, 2004: http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/07/18/1090089035899.html .
WIKIPEDIA. Wikipedia: “The legality of the invasion and occupation of Iraq has been widely debated since the United States, United Kingdom, and a coalition of other countries launched the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The then United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan said in September 2004 that: "From our point of view and the UN Charter point of view, it [the war] was illegal.” The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court reported in February 2006 that he had received 240 communications in connection with the invasion of Iraq in March 2003 which alleged that various war crimes had been committed. The political leaders of the US and UK have argued the war was legal, while many legal experts and other international leaders have argued that it was illegal.” [1].
[1]. “Legality of the Iraq Wa’< Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legality_of_the_Iraq_War .