One critical piece of false intelligence sent the US, Britain and Australia into Iraq in the wake of September 11.
Speaking with 7NEWS Political Editor Mark Riley, former Prime Minister John Howard has admitted for the first time that if that intelligence was right, the war might never have happened.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: John Howard admits Iraq war might never have happened but for false intelligence
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Operation Iraqi Freedom left hundreds of Australian soldiers injured and five dead. An invasion based on US intelligence that was catastrophically flawed.
“Oh no, I don’t think I was misled. Misled implies deliberate deceit. No, we weren’t deliberately deceived,” Howard said.
Twenty-five years after the September 11 attacks, the former Prime Minister concedes he was at least unintentionally misled. United Nations inspectors later concluded Saddam Hussein did not possess weapons of mass destruction.
Former prime minister John Howard. Credit: 7NEWSOperation Iraqi freedom. Credit: 7NEWS
When asked what would have happened if the pivotal intelligence had conveyed the true advice, Howard made a stunning admission.
“I think that would have given us pause to think hard about whether to go ahead,” he said.
For the first time, he’s suggesting US President George W. Bush, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and himself would not have invaded Iraq. The coalition of the willing, suddenly unwilling.
“That would have been, to my mind and in retrospect, a game changer,” Howard said.
Hundreds of Australian soldiers were injured. Credit: 7NEWSIraq war started after September 11 attacks. Credit: 7NEWS
The decision changed the arc of history over the past quarter of a century, turning Iraq into a violent sectarian breeding ground for ISIS and backer of Hamas and Hezbollah.
Visiting Canberra, former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says the world is still paying the price.
“That was a profound and enduring geopolitical cost which ensued from, I think, an ultimately failed geopolitical decision,” Rudd said.
Howard revealed Hussein was in the Bush White House’s scopes from day one, connecting him to September 11. He says he didn’t think that connection existed.
But he still believes the greater good was served and the overthrow of Hussein was not a mistake.
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