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Wed, 10 June 2026

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Lord Sedwill

Lord Sedwill is a crossbench peer and former cabinet secretary and UK national security adviser

Trump’s Iran war aims are far from clear – but the UK cannot afford to use international law as an alibi

05 Mar Defence

Trump’s Iran war aims are far from clear – but the UK cannot afford to use international law as an alibi

Scarred by Vietnam, General Colin Powell, chairman of the joint chiefs during the first Iraq war and secretary of state during the second, set three tests for committing the United States military: a clear goal; a clear exit strategy; and overwhelming force.