Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair Friday conceded that he had "disregarded" initial advice from Peter Goldsmith, the government's chief legal adviser at the time, that the invasion on Iraq would be illegal without a second UN resolution and stressed that he considered such guidance as "provisional." Blair made his remarks during his appearance in London Friday before Britain's Iraq Inquiry on the role of Britain in preparing the scene for war in 2003, saying that his legal advisor Goldsmith was reconsidering his belief on the importance of the UN Security Council's issuing a second resolution once he was informed of the real details of the situation at the time. The Committee inquired Blair on the contradictions between his previous testimony before it one year ago and Goldsmith's statements that he was "uncomfortable" with Blair's interpretation of his advice. Blair added that the matter was not so tough at the time to require an official consultation from Goldsmith. "This is why I did not consider issuing a second decision by the US Security Council an important matter", he explained. He conceded that he was aware of Goldsmith's concerns of the illegality of the war on Iraq, noting that he took his decision following consultations with the United States according to the UN Security Council's resolution No. 1441 that allows using force against Saddam Hussein had he missed the last chance offered to him.
