BRITAIN:Serious failings in British army leadership, planning and training - particularly about treating civilians in an occupied country - led to the abuse of Iraqis by British soldiers, a ministry of defence investigation has found.
Soldiers were not told about their obligations under international law or about a specific ban on hooding imposed by the government 36 years ago, said the report by Brigadier Robert Aitken, the army's director of army personnel strategy. Troops were given "scant" information on how to treat civilian detainees and needed "a better understanding between right and wrong".
His report, released yesterday, is a severe indictment of the overall failure to plan for the invasion and its aftermath. It was ordered after a string of cases alleging ill-treatment by British troops.
Des Browne, the defence secretary, told MPs that a further inquiry would be set up to investigate what he called "these appalling incidents". He said the army was still considering whether to take "administration action" - ranging from critical comments on a soldier's report to dismissal.