2nd LD Writethru: Britain went into Iraqi war before exhausting peaceful options: report

Britain on Wednesday published the long-awaited inquiry into the Iraq War, concluding that Britain went to war before all peaceful options had been exhausted, according to the Chairman of the UK's inquiry John Chilcot.

In a statement, Chilcot said military action was not a last resort in the Iraq war.

The inquiry has also found the then British Prime Minister Tony Blair told the then U.S. President George Bush he would be with him "whatever" in regards to Iraq, several months before they launched the Iraq invasion.

Chilcot also said the legal basis for British military action in Iraq was "far from satisfactory," stressing that British policy on Iraq was made on the basis of "flawed intelligence and assessments".

He noted that Blair was warned that military action in Iraq would increase the threat of al Qaeda to Britain, but war risks were not "properly identified".

In March 2003, there was "no imminent threat" from Saddam Hussein, according to Chilcot.

Britain military role in Iraq went "badly wrong" and "ended a long way from success', he said.

In the statement, Chilcot also revealed that Blair "overestimated his ability to influence U.S. decisions on Iraq". Endit