Straw blocks publication of pre-Iraq war discussion

By Frank Prenesti

LONDON (Reuters) - The government refused on Tuesday to publish records of cabinet discussions on the legality of invading Iraq in 2003, despite a tribunal ruling in January that it should release them.

Justice Secretary Jack Straw used a ministerial veto to block the request made under the Freedom of Information Act, saying the release of the records would "in my judgement risk serious damage to Cabinet government."

"The decision to take military action has been examined with a fine-tooth comb; we have been held to account for it in this House and elsewhere," Straw said in a statement to parliament.

"But the duty to advance that interest further cannot supplant the public interest in maintaining the integrity of our system of government."

Publication of the documents could have embarrassed Prime Minister Gordon Brown, whose predecessor Tony Blair was accused by critics of glossing over lawyers' initial reservations about launching the invasion that overthrew Saddam Hussein.

Previously released documents have shown that Attorney General Peter Goldsmith, then the country's senior legal officer, had cast doubt on the legal grounds for war on March 7, days before Blair ordered British troops to invade Iraq.

Ten days later, when Britain had failed to get a new United Nations resolution authorising an invasion, Goldsmith gave the cabinet and parliament short written advice that war would be legal -- and mentioned no doubts.

Blair denied Goldsmith had bowed under political pressure but opposition parties accused the prime minister of deceit. Brown was finance minister and supported Blair over the war.