John Howard admits Iraq War might not have happened without false intelligence

Former Australian Prime Minister John Howard has admitted that the invasion of Iraq might not have occurred if the intelligence regarding weapons of mass destruction had been accurate. Speaking 25 years after the September 11 attacks, Howard stated that the flawed intelligence was not a case of deliberate deceit, but rather an instance where he and other leaders were unintentionally misled.

Howard suggested that if the intelligence had been correct, it would have provided a reason for the coalition—including the United States, Britain, and Australia—to pause and reconsider the decision to go to war. He described the realization as a “game changer” in retrospect. The conflict, known as Operation Iraqi Freedom, resulted in the deaths of five Australian soldiers and left hundreds more injured.