http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/judges-call-for-inquiry-into-iraq-abuse-claims-1.932527

<quotes>

The Government is coming under increasing pressure from senior judges to 
establish an inquiry into all allegations of abuse of Iraqis by British 
military personnel.

The moves follow revelations that there are 33 new cases of alleged abuse of 
Iraqis by British soldiers under investigation, including the rape of a 
16-year-old boy.

Judges want the abuse allegations dealt with through a public inquiry to 
prevent 33 costly and lengthy cases being played out in court. The 
Government tactic is to drag the cases out as long as they can.

</quotes>

Grounds of cost is as good as reason as any for a public enquiry, though 
that shouldn't be an alternative to Iraqis receiving compensation for any 
abuse meted out nor punishment for those involved in it.

Though a piblic enquiry in principle would be welcomed by many ( we're still 
waiting on one to explain how we got dragged into the War on Iraq on Bush's 
coat-tails ), public enquiry is in the public mind synonymous with 
"whitewash" and "cover-up".

Such a public enquiry would likely focus on "systemic abuse" ( and everyone 
can guess the outcome of that; "a few bad apples", yada, yada, yada without 
spending millions of pounds ) rather than individual cases of it, so there 
doesn't seem to be any way to avoid all those trials anyway; absence of 
systemic abuse doesn't disprove individual abuse.