Peace Rights is an NGO established to promote peaceful conflict resolution, challenge threats to peace and to develop educational and research initiatives for those concerned with peace and justice in the world.
 
you are here: home > projects > iraq2003

War on Iraq

Since the opposition to the war in Iraq has been so dominant, both supporters and opponents of Britain's involvement are interested in the legality of the action.

PeaceRight's Citizen's Legal Inquiry into the war on Iraq (October 2002)

The inquiry is presented in three parts : The Case Against War (Rabinder Singh QC & Janet Kentridge), The Case For War (Julian Knowles) and the Adjudication of Professor Colin Warbrick

08 October 2002
Skeleton Argument On Behalf of Peace Rights (Word Document)
This inquiry concerns the legality of the use of force by the United Kingdom against Iraq. Peacerights will invite the Inquiry to reach the following conclusion:

"The Inquiry concludes that it would be unlawful for the United Kingdom to launch or take part in a military attack on Iraq under present circumstances without the express authorisation of a United Nations resolution."


 
09 October 2002
Skeleton Argument On Behalf Of Legal Inquiries Support Group (LISG)

 
30 October 2002
Adjudication of Professor Colin Warbrick (Word Document)
"There is no explicit authority of the Council to the UK to use force for the implementation of Council resolutions [...] The conclusion against authorisation seems to me to fit best the structure of authority in the UN and the pattern of language of the resolutions."


Other Inquiries and Reports

20 January 2004
Report of the inquiry into the alleged commission of war crimes by coalition forces in the Iraq war during 2003 (Word Document)
The war in Iraq has raised significant questions of international law, the specific legal context of which has framed the scope of this Inquiry. Key aspects of the context are set out in the report.

01 September 2003
Can there be accountability for an illegal war ? (Word Document)
The decision of any government to go to war is a critically important one, and not surprisingly the part played by the UK in the recent war in Iraq, has raised profound concerns as to its basis in morality, common sense and legality.

23 July 2003
In the Matter of the Legality of the Occupation of Iraq by UK Armed Forces (Word Document)
An opinion given to the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) : Rabinder Singh QC and Charlotte Kilroy

06 June 2003
In the Matter of the Legality of the Use of Force against Iraq and the Alleged Existence of Weapons of Mass Destruction (Word Document)
Opinion of Rabinder Singh QC & Charlotte Kilroy on the legality of the use of force against Iraq

04 October 2005
Illegality of Preventive Attack and Unilateral Use of Force

Peace Rights in the Press