Military

Military leaders gagged over Chilcot’s Iraq War condemnations

Military chiefs are banned from sharing their views on Sir John Chilcot’s Iraq War Report because they are deemed too damaging to army morale.

The gag means military chiefs are not allowed to publicly express their own views on the devastating findings of the seven-year investigation into the Iraq War. They are also gagged from sharing their views with soldiers, sailors and airmen under their command.

Instead, a “top line” was agreed for dealing with troops, while senior officers were forbidden from expressing their views in the media.

On Monday, defense sources told the Telegraph of fears in Whitehall that military morale could be ruined by the report’s scathing conclusions.