Inquiry: Blair was given warning over Iraq 'damage'
On the eve of the March 2003 invasion, Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon told the then Prime Minister the UK had to cut its force levels by two-thirds by the autumn.
Mr Straw and Mr Hoon said keeping more troops in Iraq would be outside the Ministry of Defence's planning assumptions and would have an impact on other operations.
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Hide AdAn extract from a previously classified letter from the Cabinet Ministers to Mr Blair, dated March 19, 2003, was released yesterday by the Iraq Inquiry.
Mr Straw and Mr Hoon wrote: "It will be necessary to draw down our current commitment to nearer a third by no later than autumn in order to avoid long-term damage to the armed forces."
The inquiry continues.