THE Hutton Inquiry was intended to throw light on the events that led to the death of Dr David Kelly - instead it seems to have been hijacked by those intent on muddying the waters as to why we went to war with Iraq.

More evidence of this emerged at a meeting I had earlier this week with two young men from the North-East who have been serving with the Army in Iraq.

I always like to discuss important matters with those who have been at the sharp end, those who can tell it as it is without spin, embellishment or conjecture.

Friends and family of 20-year-olds Matthew and David Proudman gave them the welcome back they deserved at a local club, but the twins are concerned at the blinkered view some commentators seem to have of the conflict.

Having witnessed conditions first hand, the twins told me they have no doubt that action was needed to free the people of Iraq. The photographs they brought back illustrate how the vast majority welcomed them as liberators.

They have seen how the people of Iraq were treated. Many close to starvation, living in fear and squalor whilst their leader and his henchmen enjoyed unimaginable wealth.

Television news provides just a minute snapshot of what life is really like in war.

As well as snipers and suicide bombers, the soldiers have to contend with lethal spiders who numb the skin and then eat away as you sleep, deadly snakes and rats as big as cats.

One morning the twins woke to find a missile had landed close by but had failed to explode. That evening they wrote farewell notes and said their goodbyes, convinced there was a real chance they wouldn't see the dawn.

For the lads' close family it was, if anything, even worse. They told me they didn't want to watch the news but couldn't take their eyes away. When the names of fatalities were released there was a surge of relief that their boys were safe - but then guilt at feeling such relief when, elsewhere, families would be mourning.

With our servicemen and women putting their lives on the line in Iraq - as they continue to do - it was inconceivable that the Government would not try to find out who was leaking extremely sensitive intelligence to the media. What were the motives? What might be leaked next?

The death of Dr Kelly is a tragedy for his family but the fact remains that the chain of events which led to that tragedy was put in motion by Dr Kelly's own actions.

Spymaster John Scarlett, the head of the Joint Intelligence Committee, has made it clear he was in total charge of the content of the war dossier so there can be no question of the Government taking us to war on a lie.

Saddam Hussein has a past record that includes genocide of his own people, the invasion of a neighbouring country, and the support of international terrorism.

Reliable intelligence revealed he posed a real threat to the free world.

Nothing should detract from the bravery and sacrifce of troops - like the Proudman twins - who were sent to Iraq to do a job and carried it out with such swift effectiveness.

Published: 29/08/2003