Former British Foreign Secretary defends decision to back U.S.-led invasion in Iraq

Former British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has expressed his deep regret over the loss of life in Iraq, but defended his decision to back the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.

Addressing the Iraqi war inquiry Thursday in London, Straw conceded that the failure to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein had undermined trust.

But he also argued that there was no way for officials to know that the widely accepted claim that Saddam had weapons of mass destruction would turn out to be inaccurate.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown set up the Iraq war inquiry last year to learn lessons from the conflict following the withdrawal of British troops from Iraq. Straw, who is now Justice Secretary, served as Foreign Secretary under Prime Minister Tony Blair between 2001 and 2006.

Britain's Justice Secretary Jack Straw arrives to give evidence at the Iraq Inquiry in central London January 21, 2010. REUTERS/Andrew Winning