BRITISH Prime Minister Gordon Brown has confirmed an inquiry will be held to learn "all possible lessons" from the Iraq war - but resisted calls for it to be held immediately.
The Tories said this week's fifth anniversary of the US-led invasion was the time to begin a full analysis of the controversial military action.
"If we are not going to start it now, five years on from the beginning of the war, then when on earth would we have such an inquiry?" asked shadow foreign secretary William Hague.
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"Lessons have got to be learned, and visibly learned, and we have got to start on that process now.
"We will be raising this again in Parliament in the coming weeks."
Ministers have previously suggested no inquiry would happen while British troops remain in Iraq, and there are at present no firm plans for a full withdraw.
In a letter to the Fabian Society, seen by the Independent newspaper, the PM wrote: "There will come a time when it is appropriate to hold an inquiry."
But, he went on, "while the whole effort of the Government and the armed forces is directed towards supporting the people and government of Iraq as they forge a future based on reconciliation, democracy, prosperity and security, we believe that is not now".
His words were published after predecessor Tony Blair's former chief of staff admitted the Government had failed to plan properly for the aftermath of the war.
Jonathan Powell told the BBC: "We probably hadn't thought through the magnitude of what we were taking on in Iraq, this is something that will take many decades to sort itself out."
On Saturday, thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of London and Glasgow to mark the anniversary - which falls this Thursday - with a call for troops to come home immediately.
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