back

Iraq war whistleblower tells her story

Whistleblower Katharine Gun tells Brut how she tried to have the 2003 Iraq war put on trial.

Breaking the law in order to do so

That’s Katharine Gun, a whistleblower who tried to stop the Iraq War in 2003. She revealed a U.S. plot to coerce members of the UN Security Council to vote in favor of a US-led invasionof Iraq. At the time, Gun was a translator for the UK government, which was in favor of the war. Upon reading the email, she decided to leak it to the British press. The story made front-page news, leading UK intelligence officers to interrogate her and her coworkers.

Intercepting an e-mail that had the potential to prevent the invasion of Iraq

“In January 2003, I received an email from the NSA, which is the US National Security Agency and it was to approximately 100 people at GCHQ. It was from a man called Frank Koza who was head of regional targets in the US, at the NSA, and he wanted UK British assistants to take the information that they gathered from 6 swing nations sitting on the UN security council at the time. So, these were relatively small, in terms of their power at the UN, countries. They wanted information on the diplomats that they could use to “motivate” them, let’s say, to vote for the resolution. In other words, to blackmail them, threaten them, bribe them into voting for this resolution. And that would’ve given legal cover for the Iraq war. It would’ve been authorized by the UN,” Katharine Gun tells Brut.

Consolation for her actions

Accused of high treason, she built her defense by arguing that the invasion itself was illegal, effectively putting the war on trial. The UN vetoed the U.S. resolution to invade Iraq, but an American-led coalition still went ahead, leading to over 8 years of war. Gun’s case came to court in 2004. Within half an hour, it was dropped because the prosecution declined to offer evidence. Gun’s story has now inspired a film starring Keira Knightley: Official Secrets.

Brut.

01/05/2020 12:57 PM
  • 87.8k
  • 101

And even more

  1. 4:08

    Oklahomans produce face shields in their living room

  2. 5:38

    iPads to Hospitals: Connecting COVID-19 patients with their families

  3. 5:58

    The PPE Portrait Project connects doctors with patients

  4. 3:31

    17-year-old creates coronavirus-tracking website

  5. 9:35

    The life of Abigail Disney

  6. 3:52

    Charity feeds undocumented restaurant workers in LA

81 comments

  • Frank G.
    01/31/2020 18:31

    THE WHOLE BEYOND CORRUPT GOVERNMENT IS A TERRORIST EMPIRE.

  • Terri C.
    01/31/2020 16:19

    Uuuummmmm ... basis of a IPU planned weapons test ? .. or the new world bank just needs to loan some more money? ..

  • Danyel S.
    01/31/2020 13:24

    Most likely the wrong job for her, she belongs in burger king flipping burgers!!!!!!

  • John C.
    01/31/2020 09:59

    Everyone knows who runs the sham called u.n

  • Julie S.
    01/30/2020 00:26

    very courageous woman....she chose doing the right thing over doing nothing

  • Noel S.
    01/29/2020 22:37

    Your 10 years to late...why?

  • Janey M.
    01/29/2020 20:30

    Courageous woman!

  • Leonard T.
    01/29/2020 13:54

    -NATO invaded Yugoslavia to end ethnic cleansing, There was no U.N. -The U.S. invaded Afghanistan after 9/11, there was no U.N. -Saddam Hussein violated 17 U.N. resolutions The U.N. was asked to join the war in Iraq The U.S. invaded, there was no U.N. -Libya bombed a discotheque in Berlin killing Americans, there was no U.N. -And Iran funds Hamas and attacked the U.S. in the 70s, there was no U.N.

  • Tim Y.
    01/28/2020 12:49

    Wants her 15 minutes of fame

  • Ron B.
    01/28/2020 00:07

    If she Republican do not listen or believe Republicans are liers. Iraq war got rid of a murderous dictator. End of story !!!!!

  • Mark G.
    01/27/2020 17:47

    LOL this Is a true Republic... And the way it works. Don't worry about that man behind the curtain when you should be worried about the people that are enabling his actions!

  • Linda G.
    01/27/2020 13:23

    where are they finding all these morons

  • Heath D.
    01/26/2020 15:19

    I'm sure as long as American soldiers die, Iranian civilians continue to be killed by their own government, the middle east is nuked, and the world economy is destroyed by Iranian oil grabbers, this lady will be happy.

  • Arnold P.
    01/25/2020 17:50

    Big money made having wars

  • William P.
    01/25/2020 03:55

    should be tried as a crime !!

  • Priscilla V.
    01/25/2020 00:23

    This is so good!

  • Chuck D.
    01/24/2020 20:47

    if the Iraq war was just Bush's just want to go to war or to make make money so be it in the end what did Iraq get FREEDOM to me that is priceless young women in afghanistan being allowed to vote and so much more free press

  • Gregory C.
    01/24/2020 14:01

    She's the kind of low-life no one wants working for them.all she was supposed to do was translate not investigate she's too f****** stupid to do that

  • Gregory C.
    01/24/2020 13:59

    If you know it's not legal, and you give it to the press. Then you should be prosecuted for the crime you have committed. Regardless of your feelings you committed a crime and should be punished. You are placed in a position of a party and now you have compromised your integrity

  • John M.
    01/23/2020 18:08

    Maybe she have stuck with what she said; "It's something you know you shouldn't do."