Labour shadow Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper

Labour is preparing a break with its recent past by dropping its unquestioning support of US foreign policy under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.

Yvette Cooper, the shadow Foreign Secretary, said America was by far the UK's most important foreign ally, but Britain should be prepared to speak out in certain circumstances.

Ms Cooper said that under Mr Blair and Mr Brown, ministers did raise concerns with the Bush administration both over human rights and aspects of the war in Iraq, but perhaps should have done so publicly. "If you look at some of the things that George Bush said about water-boarding it's just shocking – really troubling. Guantanamo Bay was a huge problem and area of disagreement. Wherever we did not make that sufficiently clear I think that was the wrong thing to do. We should have said very clearly and strongly that that was the wrong approach."

Ms Cooper said: "My initial thoughts are we got it wrong on Iraq. I thought there were weapons of mass destruction and there weren't, and that was wrong. We have to recognise that and face up to that.

Well thats all right then I am sure the relatives of the 10's of thousands of died innocent Iraqies will sleep easier now.

in reference to:

"Yvette Cooper, the shadow Foreign Secretary"
- http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/cooper-we-should-have-criticised-us-over-human-rights-2158678.html (view on Google Sidewiki)