14 July 2004

TODAY PROGRAMME & IRAQ

This morning, Humphrys interviewed the new PM of Iraq. Contra Humphrys, he stated categorically that (a) Saddam did have WMD programmes; (b) Saddam’s regimes did have links with terrorists.

Humphrys replied that "no evidence of any links whatsoever" had been found linking Saddam and terrorist groups like Al Qaeda. This is unarguably factually incorrect. There can be no dispute that there have been links with Al Qaeda and other groups - the only dispute can be about their scale and significance.

It is disgraceful that the BBC keeps repeating this; it is incompetent of the Government not to have forced the BBC to change their reporting; and it is short-sighted of the Conservatives that they have not made this point in the absence of effective Government action.

Ironically, given their next guest, much of the evidence for the connection was set out by Clinton and Clinton’s officials. And, when Clinton came on, he did say that "nearly everybody" including himself thought that there were substantial stockpiles left, and Clinton referred to the famous defection in 1995 which resulted in major discoveries - which understandably created suspicion that UN inspectors could not get to the whole truth. Clinton also talked about the perceived danger of these falling into terrorist hands "by accident or design".

Unsurprisingly, Naughtie did not question him on this - he did not, for example, ask - "Why did your Justice department’s 1998 indictment of Bin Laden refer to his connections to the Iraqi government?"

Then, on came Ken Clarke to babble about the "impartial civil service" only to be given the encouraging remark from Naughtie about the "independence" of the civil service - "independent - like the Bank of England?"

Humphrys’ line of questioning was factually wrong and inexcusable considering the weight of evidence for the connection now in the public domain.

Naughtie refused to probe Clinton or didn’t want to.

The BBC has repeated several times the unfounded assertion that "it has been proved that there were no links between Al Qaeda and Saddam".

Another reason why the Right should be aiming for the end of the BBC in its current form and the legalisation of TV political advertising.