In Britain, a hearing into Britain’s involvement in the Iraq war opened on Tuesday with testimony that the drumbeat for war predated the 9/11 attacks. British officials said they began hearing of US plans to invade Iraq nearly two years before the March 2003 invasion. The head of the inquiry, Sir John Chilcot, said the panel would be unsparing in its criticisms.

Sir John Chilcot: “No one’s on trial here. We cannot determine guilt or innocence. Only courts can do that. But I make a commitment here that once we get to our final report, we will not shy away from making criticisms either of institutions or processes or individuals where they are truly warranted.”