Washington, July 8 (RHC)-- Following the release of the British Chilcot Inquiry report into the Iraq war, former U.S. President George W. Bush has defended the decision to invade Iraq together with the UK in 2003. 

Bush said that the world was a better place after the ouster of Iraq’s former leader Saddam Hussein.  The remarks came after the publication of the lengthy inquiry, led by Sir John Chilcot, into the UK’s role before, after and during the war in Iraq.

The 2.6 million-word Chilcot report said that the invasion of Iraq was not the “last resort” action presented to British MPs and the public.  It added that there was no “imminent threat” from Saddam at the time and that the intelligence case was not “justified.”

The report also said former British Prime Minister Tony Blair overstated the threat posed by Saddam’s supposed Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs), deployed ill-prepared forces to the Arab country and had “wholly” inadequate plans for after Saddam’s ouster.