Karla Adam of the Washington Post's article appearing in the July 31 Seattle Times writing from London explained:

"Britain began an independent inquiry into its role in the Iraq War Thursday with the panel's chairman (John Chilcot) confirming that former Prime Minister Tony Blair will not `shy away from making criticism!'

"John Chilcot, chairman, says the panel will cover 2001 until today.  He also said `The Anglo-American relationship is one of the most central parts of this inquiry' and the panel hoped to have `discussions' with the Americans involved in the war.  And at the same time, he said, discussions and evidence sessions are not necessarily the same thing, and of course we have no power to compel witnesses here, let alone in foreign governments.'

"Blair's decision to join the 2003 U.S. led invasion was deeply unpopular in Britain and was seen as one of the key reasons he stepped down."