Iraq: Time for a reckoning

"Talking to dozens of Iraqis in Jordan and Syria over the past fortnight, one cannot help but feel a mixture of emotions ranging from utter despair from the scenes and stories of misery, pain and suffering to elation at the resolve of the human spirit in the face of incredible adversity.
Yet five years on, and despite every new meeting bringing a fresh perspective, a previously unheard narrative and an unseen image, one thing remains a permanent fixture; why did all this have to happen?
Another sure thing is that almost no one will be celebrating the the anniversary of the fall of Baghdad today.........
Unless we hold those who committed this crime, supported it, funded it and cheered it on, accountable, the rest of us will be seen and judged in the same light by the victims. Five years is a very long time, particularly for those who suffer pain and loss every hour of every day. However, it's never too late to make things right."

writes Anas Altikriti in today's Guardian.
It certainly isn't too late to make things right. As I argued in the Guardian last summer, holding those who planned and propagandised for the brutal, illegal and deceitful assault on Iraq to account is not just about forcing some very arrogant and conceited people to show some humility. It's about ensuring that such a disaster NEVER happens again.