06/07/2016 BBC Newsline

The headlines this Wednesday evening: Local soldiers

give their reaction to the long-awaited report

into the Iraq war, including the senior officer who gave

I think it's more candid than I was expecting and I think it's covered

many things that I expected but also things that I was not expecting it

to be as honest about. The Economy Minister tells business

leaders that the UK's withdrawal from the EU

will be a managed process. Celebrating its 40th birthday, join

me at the Ulster American folk Park as we ask what more needs to be done

to help promote these popular but less high-profile visitor

attractions. Also on the programme: Tough

conditions and a tough result for the Derry Londonderry Doire

yacht in the local leg The golfers may be worried about

that seek a virus but the boxes have no such concerns as they prepare for

the Olympics. A few showers this evening

but a much better day Dry and bright with just a few

showers and highs of 21 degrees. Thousands of soldiers

from Northern Ireland Today the inquiry into the war

concluded the former Prime Minister Tony Blair overstated

the threat posed by Saddam Hussein, sent ill-prepared troops into battle

and had wholly inadequate plans In a moment we'll hear from

Tim Collins, the Royal Irish Colonel who made the famous eve

of battle speech in 2003, and from the veteran journalist

Peter Taylor in relation to the implications

of what the inquiry has to say about the way intelligence

should be handled. First Mervyn Jess, who reported

from Iraq at the time, has been hearing the reaction

of some of those who took part Shock and awe. That's how the allied

military commanders to strike their offensive in Iraq which began with

air strikes on the capital Baghdad. Today so John Chilcott outlined his

findings after a seven-year inquiry into the war, a roar that claimed

hundreds of British lives and tens of thousands of Iraqi lives. The UK

chose to join the invasion of Iraq before the peaceful options for

disarmament had been exhausted. Military action at that time was not

a last resort. Doug Beattie fought in Iraq with the Royal Irish

Regiment. Now an MLA he gave his reaction to the Chilcott Report. I'm

not surprised by anything he said. We all knew that the government had

made a decision to go to war well before it got permission to do so. I

think this position was done in an ad hoc way. Our intelligence

services, MI5 and MI6, did not use the intelligence available to them

right and come out with the wrong solution and I think our military

were too eager to please. Steve Aitken who is also an assembly

member was an officer in the Royal Navy serving in the Gulf at the time

of the invasion. It's very clear it's a damning indictment of Tony

Blair and what he did and we did believe that Saddam Hussain had

weapons of mass destruction and now we see from the evidence that has

come through that there wasn't any dare and also begin to find out more

and this was not an issue of national security for the United

Kingdom, if I was one of the members of the family of the 203 odd British

people who died or any of the multitude of Iraqis that have lost

their lives I would be particularly upset and maybe angry today. The

report drew this response from the former Prime Minister. I acknowledge

all the problems that came with that decision. I acknowledge the mistakes

and accept responsibility for them. What I cannot do and will not do is

say I believe we took the wrong decision. I believe I made the right

decision and that the world is better and safer as a result of it.

In 2003, I reported from Iraq for BBC newsline. Remnants of the old

regime still litter the countryside but the emphasis now is very much

about empowering the local population and rebuilding Iraq. We

believe and we dream that our country will be better. A former

Sergeant Major in the Royal Irish Regiment reflected on the impact

they made while in Iraq. You assume that the political masters above are

creating the right reasons for us to go to such a place. I've seen that

volatile region, did we make it better the time? I'd like to think

we did. Do I think that we left it in a better place? I'm not so sure.

Do you believe the government needs to apologise to the families of

those who lost loved ones in Iraq which closely fought in Iraq? I

think we need to apologise to the Iraqi people who have suffered so

badly because of this really bad decisions go to war.

Earlier, I spoke to Colonel Tim Collins,

who is best known for a rousing speech he gave to the men of the 1st

Battalion the Royal Irish Regiment before the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

I asked him for his reaction to today's report.

I think it's more candid than I was expecting. I think it's covered many

things that I expected but also things that I was not expecting it

to be as honest about. I think one would expect after ten and seven

years and 2.1 million words it would be thorough. It looks like it is.

What did surprise you? The honesty with which they handle things like

conduct of military operation in Basra where we all knew that the

army was coordinating and negotiating with the militias and

that's been brought out and it hasn't gone as far as to say the

British army was defeated in Basra, it says that it was a long way from

being a success which is more or less the same thing. In your speech,

you said bring no shame and uniform or nation. How do you reflect on

those words and that speech now? The first thing is it was given to my

men and them alone. The world eavesdropped on it. It was therefore

only their consumption. Secondly, we were going with what we believed was

the case of the time. If you knew then what you know now, would you

have done things differently? Would you said the speech differently?

There's often some folk who don't get out enough to think I was picked

the world, I wasn't, the royal Irish battle group and speaking to with

the facts available time so what is in the Times and the time. Dude feel

that men and women were sent to their deaths unnecessarily? I don't

think they were sent there unnecessarily. The removal of Saddam

's regime was nothing but a good thing. I do think that the

desperation of those surrounding the Blair government is to try and

portray British operations as some sort of softly softly peacekeeping

operation when in fact it was a vicious insurgency going on around

them, that cost lives and that is something that needs closer

examination. In terms of some of the criticism that's been made

throughout the years and today about how ill-prepared some of the troops

were and the faults with the equipment, is that something that

you do reflect on? Naturally, one always wishes you had the best

agreement available but in my 23 years in the British army that is

never one to expectation. You get on and do it with what you have and if

you're asking should we refuse to go? No. We voice to our duty and we

do it with the tools available. I asked the veteran BBC journalist

Peter Taylor if he was surprised about the Iraq Inquiry's conclusions

about the use of intelligence. I wasn't surprised because it

confirmed what we had thought all along when we investigated for

panorama. The intelligence that was used to justify the war, the

conclusions that we reach raiser to the conclusions that Sir John

Chilcott and his panel reached although they went into much more

detail. What about Tony Blair 's reaction today? Sorry for the loss

of life but not sorry for the decisions that he made. Tony Blair

was never going to apologise for the war. He has apologised for getting

the intelligence wrong. But as the decision to go to war as far as the

public was concerned was based on the intelligence that Blair

presented and when the Prime Minister went before the House of

Commons and said that there was a clear and present danger that the

intelligence was cast iron and watertight, people would tend to

believe their Prime Minister who said that. We assumed on the basis

of what he was being told by the intelligence agencies in particular

by MI6. I do believe that Tony Blair lied, I know many would disagree,

but I think he had convinced themselves that the intelligence was

solid when in fact it was anything but. That's what Chilcott reveals

most starkly. Do you think Tony Blair has given an honest account of

themselves today? I think Tony Blair said what you would expect Tony

Blair to say. What he has said consistently. He regrets the loss of

life, well, of course you are breast loss of life, we all regret the loss

of life, but the does not regret the decision to go to war. -- regrets

the loss of life. Doesn't regret the posing Saddam but the reality is

that without the invasion I think it's highly unlikely that we would

be where we are now in Iraq and in Syria and you can trace the rise of

the so-called Islamic State directly from the but on Iraq. -- invasion of

Iraq. The Economy Minister Simon Hamilton

says the UK's withdrawal from the European Union will be

a managed process and that there In his first major speech

as minister, he made the comments at the Northern Ireland Chamber

of Commerce business breakfast. Here is our Political

Correspondent Stephen Walker. In front of an audience representing

around 100 businesses, it was understandable that part of Simon

Hamilton speech looked at life after the European Union. He said EU

withdrawal would be handled carefully. A lot is still to be

decided. It will be decided. Most likely it seems over a long period

of time. There will be no crash landing, it will be a managed

process. Yes, there is much to do but it will be done and it will be

carefully managed. So how will the leave vote affect the way business

is done? I'm eating an American company here in 15 minutes that is

looking to set up in Northern Ireland and the questions will be

what are the opportunities as a platform into Europe, what is Brexit

mean? Many businesses say they're simply have to get used to a degree

of uncertainty. We don't know, there are long-term issues, there's no

real plan for the exit whenever that happens. Does that worry you? Not

the minutes because we need to find out what the unknowns are and then

you can make a plan. Others in business save local politicians must

use this time negotiate a new deal. For Northern Ireland. Were unique

little place and we rely heavily on the EU for special funds to help

move are coming forward so it's important that we negotiate well

with Westminster over the coming months. The DUP campaign to leave

the European so the did the Minister vote accordingly? You voted to

leave? I don't want to go back over all of what people did or said, the

reality of the result is what the result is to deal with the

consequences of the result and the challenges and the opportunities.

Simon Hamilton told his audience that he wants to make Northern

Ireland a leader on the world's economic stage. With that in mind,

his official to look at the as -- economies of New Zealand, Finland

and Singapore as part of his ambition to make Northern Ireland an

economic powerhouse. A big ambition at the time that much economic

uncertainty. A 38 year-old man has died

following a crash in County Armagh. The collision happened

on the Red Lion Road in Kilmore There were some sharp exchanges

at Stormont today as MLAs on the education committee

questioned officials The authority has been criticised

for planning to reduce the hours some disabled children

will spend in special school I know that we're going to be

hearing from parents again this evening and it will brew but much of

what you said and I suppose one of the fundamental questions that I

would ask is from your perspective why has this whole process been such

a phenomenal disaster? First of all dead except that characterisation.

Secondly, you do need to remind all of those that virtually everybody

who works in support of children with special needs in Northern

Ireland is in the play-off the education authority. This is not as

against them, this is ours, the employees, they are in the education

authority. There were a record 2.3 million

visitors from outside As many again were

local holidaymakers. But, apart from the very successful

attractions like Belfast Titanic, the Giant's Causeway

and Derry's Walls, how Tomorrow Donna Traynor

is in Downpatrick. You join me at an attraction

celebrating its 40th birthday, people have come here to the Ulster

American folk partner Oma to learn and to be entertained. This is where

you can be transported from the old world of Ireland in the 18

hundredths to the New World of America. Visitors of the day are

steeped in the history of the past. Tourism in Fermanagh and Omar brings

in about ?50 million a year. The crowds are brought in on a day like

today with the celebrations of the birthday but Fermanagh and Omar is

not included in Northern Ireland's top ten when it comes to the areas.

What businesses doing to compete for tourists. Off the beaten track,

that's part of the attraction for visitors but location is also part

of the problem for those in the local tourist industry. Places are

made and measured by the people that live there. Titanic Belfast and the

Giants Causeway attract hundreds of thousands of visitors and just

across the border to wild Atlantic way is a big tourism success story.

Pottery is just outside the top ten in visitor numbers with 150,000

coming here last year. The wild Atlantic way has been very positive

but we been fortunate that were so close of getting more and more

people coming from Donegal in the Fermanagh here to the pottery. Some

are offering unique experiences as a way to compete for business in a

market. These new Forest on Saturn Locklear believed are proving to be

a hit. Overall it's been fantastic, we been surprised by the reached a

fad. People coming from... Staying around Cork and they come all the

way up here because they've seen the uniqueness of them and the something

romantic about them. Lying at the stars in a four-poster bed is the

epitome of romance. Big events like the annual Bluegrass Festival at the

folk Park during the crowds but there have been disappointments with

the loss of the Beckett arts Festival and next year 's Irish

open. Some believe more could be done to promote the area 's biggest

asset, its scenery. This new business offers guided boat tours of

a lot then. There's been a lot of marketing campaigns like the while

that on the way and now Ireland's agent is, will be great to see my

Fermanagh involved with some of the big marketing campaigns. The

attraction is here already. In the wake of the referendum, the fall in

sterling means is now cheaper for foreign tourists come here. Many are

hoping to feel the benefit. Tourism is an essential part of the local

economy. Many jobs depend on ensuring the south-west doesn't miss

the boat. This is Catherine Thompson from

national museums Northern Ireland. You're also in charge of the Ulster

Museum and the folk Park, given they are in Belfast what difficulties do

you have an attractive people here to Omar? We get approximately

125,000 visitors a year to the site and 36% of them come from outside

Northern Ireland. Proportionately, we have the highest number of

tourists on this site so we do quite well from tourism here. We believe

there's a lot more that we could be doing to realise the real potential

of this site and this area. Therefore what can the tourism

promotion bodies do to help you in that case? We been working with

tourism Northern Ireland and the manner and the District Council to

look at how we would did develop the potential of the site. North America

and North American visitors in Northern Ireland have been

increasing significantly. They offer a real opportunity if we can develop

experiences that will resonate with that market. As a big market demand

for those who want to tap into their roots and research their ancestry.

We believe that this site offers a unique opportunity to brother Harb

for that experience. The most important thing is that people are

not currently coming to an Northern Ireland so we will compete with

Belfast and the rest Northern Ireland. This is a new market that

we have an opportunity to exploit. How important is the local trade?

And those from the Republic who come to the park? It's incredible

importance because we are an asset and we are an attraction that is

here for the local people and the Republic. We get about 15% of

visitors from the south. That's very strong. It's really cute was that we

local people coming here and enjoying what we have to offer.

Thank you. Tomorrow in Downpatrick I took to the man whose job is to

market and develop tourism in Northern Ireland. Tell us which

visitor attraction you like to visit. Join the conversation on our

Facebook page. There's been great excitement along

the coastline this morning at the local leg of the Clipper

round the world yacht race. The yachts have begun

making their way to Londonderry Here's our North-West

reporter Keiron Tourish. It was an emotional homecoming for

the first of the Clipper Cruise. They sailed up the lock foil this

afternoon. L Max was the first boat to finish the local leg of the

raise. About five miles ahead of the Derry Londonderry tour boat. Its

crew was just the alighted to be back home after the 17 day journey

from New York. The welcome has been overwhelming. As a of boats and

hundreds of people lining the banks. I can't wait to see the city itself

and we get there. Were all excited. Cruising 12 yachts sailing 40,000

miles across the globe over 11 months. Facing treacherous

conditions and a stunning backdrops and everything in between. It draws

people from all walks of life including students, solicitors and

accountants. In all 44 different nationalities. The council spent a

considerable amount and the race but feels it's justified. For the last

two Clipper races with invested ?1.2 million and that given as to boats

for those two years, an international profile around the

world but also to major international festivals in our time.

We expect a huge return for that and 125,000 visitors came last year and

we expect somewhere in that ballpark again. It adds signalling has the

local economy. There will be plenty of activity along the quay in the

next week or so is the city plays host to this major maritime

festival. It will include food and music from across the globe. That

hope the weather improves. Find out about that in a minute but

first test even the sport. Yes, golfers Rory McIlroy

and Shane Lowry have already withdrawn from the Olympic Games

this summer citing concerns about the Zika virus

but there are no such qualms Traditionally the richest source

of medals at the games through the years, today

was the kitting out day for our boxers ahead

of the games in Brazil. And the virus was certainly not

a big concern for the members of the squad heading to the Olympics

in August, including Ireland's Olympic champion

from four years ago. I wouldn't be concerned at all about

those eco-virus. It's not something that I'm worried about or thinking

about. And focusing on the competition itself and we have been

given a lot of advice regarding those eco-virus and is something

which built too worried about really. As I said, my focus is just

completely on the competition itself and the training in the weeks coming

up to it. We been very good getting all the athletes best advice. We get

that from the IOC, the World Health Organisation and government

departments. The his choice of the end of the day but most athletes

athletes will be in Rio and we will take care of them and they will

perform to the maximum. The Northern Ireland and Motherwell

assistant manager Stephen Robinson is set to be announced

as the new Oldham Athletic boss. It's understood that Robinson

will sign a two-year deal After working alongside

Michael O'Neill, including at Euro 2016, it's thought unlikely

that he would not be able to combine this new job with his role

at international level. The football season at club level

has started very early for three All are in action in the second legs

of their first round Europa League Linfield will travel to Cork a goal

down while Glenavon face a 2-1 Cliftonville look best placed

to progress, with an away goal in a 1-1 draw last week

away to Differdange. This was what is meant to the

players when they clinched a place in Europe at the end of last season.

And after a short break they kicked off their campaign with a solid

result in Luxembourg despite being a little understrength. We had free or

four on married and we had one or two away at the Euros and its

typical Irish lead. A part-time and trying to be professional.

Preparation, you're making the most of it, when you're playing as a team

that side of Europe and getting home and food, it's difficult and plus it

is telling everyone together when the bond, the bond, the camaraderie,

everything, it's decent and you have to make the most of it. The club had

a brilliant run three seasons ago, eventually losing to Celtic. They

are working hard to emulate that success. When you're in Europe it's

a long season. You're back early doors and personally I haven't had a

break. I be much harder in pre-season and I did rout the season

so you want to play the best teams in Europe, playing in the best teams

anywhere and progress. It's great having your CV as a footballer that

you've got into the second round of the European stages. Hopefully with

annexing to do it. And be hoping that are at home advantage of the

second leg they can set up another busy summer at solitude.

The prize for those three clubs hoping to reach the second

Two rounds later, that goes up to 2.4 million if they can

Let's get the weather now. Jeff, what's in store? It's been a great

day for my friends here. The rain kept coming down. Never terribly

heavy but taking the edge of the day. Is go through the evening we

got a band of showers to work its way out to the east. Once it does we

are into the clearer cooler air. A few gaps opening up in the cloud

tonight. Enough breeze to turn the air over so temperatures staying

largely in double figures. It does set is up for a very nice couple of

days ahead. There will be dried and bright. It will feel warmer than it

has of late. Always the risk of the odd shower here and there. This is

the picture you will be waking up to tomorrow morning. It's pretty good,

dry, bright, plenty of sunny spells around through the morning and as

that sunshine gets to work it helps the temperatures nicely on the rise.

As we go through the afternoon highs of 19, 20 or even 21 degrees. We

haven't been able to say that for the last few weeks. As we go

overnight, we see a bit more cloud filling. Chance and if you showers

in the north and west but the bulk of the rain will pass above others.

Because it Overnight, has been a warm day and we have cloud cover, it

will be very mild. Temperatures in the low teens. As we head towards

the weekend, this area of low pressure is heading directly for

ours. While we get one more day of respite on Friday, dry and bright,

the odd shower, temperatures up to 18, 19 degrees, the evening has rain

arriving. The thing Friday looking really rather pleasant but Saturday

and Sunday are a different story. They will be wet and it is going to

be windy. At the outlook for the next two days, it's quite a pretty

picture as far as Thursday and Friday are concerned. The time we

get the weekend, it is all going downhill. Sorry about that. I'll

pretend I didn't hear that. Thank you.

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