UK report on legality of Iraq war altered prior to release to public News
UK report on legality of Iraq war altered prior to release to public

[JURIST] A UK newspaper has disclosed that the legal advice rendered to Prime Minister Tony Blair's government on the eve of the Iraq war included multiple caveats that were not included in a one-page summary supporting the conflict that was released to Parliament at the time. A copy of the full report by UK Attorney General Lord Goldsmith [profile] was leaked to the Daily Mail. Goldsmith's six caveats, ranging from a belief that it was the UN's role to declare Iraq in breach of UN resolutions to a warning that US legal authority was different because of the powers granted the US president by Congress, were stripped out of the report before the summary was published. Blair has faced increasing criticism from political oppenents over the legality of entering the Iraq war as the date for national elections, currently scheduled for May 5, draws closer. The Daily Mail has more. Previously in JURIST's Paper Chase…

THIS DAY @ LAW

US House voted to impeach President Clinton

On December 19, 1998, a divided US House of Representatives voted to impeach President Bill Clinton on charges of lying under oath to a federal grand jury and obstructing justice in the Monica Lewinsky affair.

Read the Articles of Impeachment.

UK signs Hong Kong over to China

On December 19, 1984, the United Kingdom and China signed the Sino-British Joint Declaration, which ceded control of Hong Kong to the government of mainland China in 1997. The treaty also ensured that Hong Kong would retain its capitalist and democratic systems for at least 50 years after the transfer of power.