Shock and War: Iraq 20 Years On

by BBC Radio 4

"Essential listening..." Why the US and UK went to war in Iraq and its legacy. Gordon Corera investigates.

Twenty years ago a US-led coalition invaded Iraq to overthrow Saddam Hussein. The UK was America's main partner. For many it remains a war based on a lie. So why did it happen? Why was Washington so fixed on regime change in Iraq? And why did the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, commit the UK to taking part? The BBC's security correspondent Gordon Corera seeks to find new answers to why the war happened and what it meant. Gordon speaks to those at the centre of the story, including some of the decision-makers and those living with the consequences. Tony Blair explains his thinking and why he promised to support George Bush. Sir Richard Dearlove, who was head of the UK's Secret Intelligence Service (also known as Mi6) at the time, defends the role of the intelligence services. The series also hears from the CIA's head of the Iraqi Operations Group, from weapons inspectors who were under pressure to find Saddam's WMD, and from Washington insiders. Gordon also speaks to Iraqis who experienced the "shock and awe" bombing campaign, the post-war instability and the arrival of ISIS. The series takes a fresh look at what really happened, revealing new information about the decision-making and the failures. And twenty years on, he explores some of the (ongoing) legacies of the invasion.

Episodes

Introducing Shadow War: China and the West

2m · Published 14 May 10:12

The rise of China is the defining challenge of our times - has the west been slow to wake up? Gordon Corera investigates the rise of China in Shadow War: China and the West.

Introducing Fever: The Hunt for Covid’s Origin

2m · Published 01 Jun 15:27

Cover-ups, coincidences, and conspiracy theories: where did Covid come from? John Sudworth was the BBC's China correspondent when an unexplained pneumonia started worrying Wuhan doctors in December 2019. Since then, he's been investigating the origin of the virus that would turn into a devastating global pandemic. From the beginning, there have been claims of certainty. Many scientists say the virus that causes Covid came from nature - probably carried from bats to other animals, and then to humans in a Wuhan market. But an alternative possibility - that it leaked from a laboratory - has refused to go away. And other scientists claim there's uncertainty. For them, the mystery of Covid's origin remains unsolved. So, where did Covid come from? For every one of the millions of lives lost, for every long sufferer, for the pain, the isolation, and the incalculable economic cost, the answer matters. It might also help us prevent another - maybe even worse - pandemic. But it's a debate that's become politicised, toxic, and a bit crazy. Presenter: John Sudworth Series Producer: Simon Maybin Editor: Richard Vadon Commissioning Editor: Dan Clarke

8. The Retreat

16m · Published 22 Mar 10:53

The failures in post-war Iraq would have wider consequences for the Western desire to intervene in crises. As first Libya and then Syria slip into violence, how far did Iraq lead to a retreat and were the right lessons learned? Presenter: Gordon Corera Series Producer: John Murphy Producers: Ellie House, Claire Bowes Sound Designer: Eloise Whitmore, Naked Productions Production coordinators: Janet Staples, Brenda Brown Series Editor: Penny Murphy

10. Legacy

19m · Published 20 Mar 06:40

Have new generations of Iraqis got the freedom they were promised? What is the legacy within Iraq today particularly for a new generation seeking democracy? And how do those directly involved in events reflect on the legacy of war twenty years on? Presenter: Gordon Corera Series Producer: John Murphy Producers: Ellie House, Claire Bowes Sound Designer: Eloise Whitmore, Naked Productions Production coordinators: Janet Staples, Brenda Brown Series Editor: Penny Murphy

9. Broken Trust

15m · Published 20 Mar 06:30

The widespread view among the British public that they had been misled about the reasons for war would leave deep scars. What is the legacy of the Iraq war on trust in public life and politics, and what has been the toll on individuals and societies? Presenter: Gordon Corera Series Producer: John Murphy Producers: Ellie House, Claire Bowes Sound Designer: Eloise Whitmore, Naked Productions Production coordinators: Janet Staples, Brenda Brown Series Editor: Penny Murphy

7. Terror

19m · Published 20 Mar 06:10

The invasion of Iraq was supposed to be about dealing with security threats but the chaos would turbo-charge extremism both within Iraq and in the UK. How far did Iraq make the threats worse and were warnings ignored? Presenter: Gordon Corera Series Producer: John Murphy Producers: Ellie House, Claire Bowes Sound Designer: Eloise Whitmore, Naked Productions Production coordinators: Janet Staples, Brenda Brown Series Editor: Penny Murphy

6. The Day After

16m · Published 20 Mar 06:00

Saddam’s regime in Iraq was removed quickly. But what came after proved disastrous as the country was plunged into chaos and violence. Was it always inevitable? Presenter: Gordon Corera Series Producer: John Murphy Producers: Ellie House, Claire Bowes Sound Designer: Eloise Whitmore, Naked Productions Production coordinators: Janet Staples, Brenda Brown Series Editor: Penny Murphy

5. No Way Out

20m · Published 13 Mar 06:40

As the clock ticks down Tony Blair’s options begin to run out. Diplomacy fails and the limits of British influence are revealed. So was war really the only option? Presenter: Gordon Corera Series Producer: John Murphy Producers: Ellie House, Claire Bowes Sound Designer: Eloise Whitmore, Naked Productions Production coordinators: Janet Staples, Brenda Brown Series Editor: Penny Murphy

4. The Inspectors

18m · Published 13 Mar 06:30

While politicians were making bold claims about weapons of mass destruction, inside Iraq UN inspectors were hunting for them and finding nothing. Why did this not stop the march to war? Presenter: Gordon Corera Series Producer: John Murphy Producers: Ellie House, Claire Bowes Sound Designer: Eloise Whitmore, Naked Productions Production coordinators: Janet Staples, Brenda Brown Series Editor: Penny Murphy

3. The Spies

19m · Published 13 Mar 06:20

The case for war would be made based on the idea of a threat from Weapons of Mass destruction. And spies would be used to help sell it. It would leave some on the inside of British intelligence feeling deeply uncomfortable. Presenter: Gordon Corera Series Producer: John Murphy Producers: Ellie House, Claire Bowes Sound Designer: Eloise Whitmore, Naked Productions Production coordinators: Janet Staples, Brenda Brown Series Editor: Penny Murphy

Shock and War: Iraq 20 Years On has 13 episodes in total of non- explicit content. Total playtime is 3:13:37. The language of the podcast is English. This podcast has been added on March 26th 2023. It might contain more episodes than the ones shown here. It was last updated on May 16th, 2024 01:10.