Military Situation in Iraq

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 3:55 pm on 9 September 2003.

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Photo of Mrs Alice Mahon Mrs Alice Mahon Labour, Halifax 3:55, 9 September 2003

Today's debate is timely, but I am sorry that the Government did not provide a full debate on the subject. I support the amendment that Mr. Salmond tabled. If it had been selected, I would have voted for it because

"stabilisation in Iraq can only be effective if implemented by forces under the control of the United Nations."

I would add that political power must be handed over to the Iraqi people as soon as possible. Some dreadful mistakes have been made, not least the total disbanding of the Iraqi army. That has made the situation far worse.

We are right to focus on the misleading devices that were employed to get the country to go to war. Like everybody else, I await with bated breath the outcome of the Iraq survey group's report on weapons of mass destruction and the Hutton report. However, now is not the time for that.

It is timely to remind hon. Members of the genuine consequences of the illegal and immoral war for the people of Iraq. It is proper to examine the way in which millions of ordinary Iraqi people are suffering now. We should also consider the destabilisation of the middle east. There is no comparison between that and the impact on a few political careers and no question about what should receive priority.