[Un-allotted Half-Day] — Iraq

Part of Opposition Day – in the House of Commons at 4:32 pm on 31 October 2006.

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Photo of Margaret Beckett Margaret Beckett Foreign Secretary 4:32, 31 October 2006

I am willing to give way, if I have time, but I must get on with my speech.

The decision to take part in military action was not taken lightly or trivially. In an unprecedented step, it was the subject of a full debate and a vote in this House, which was right. Committing British troops to a war is one of the most solemn decisions that any Government can ever take, but we did so because we judged, and because this House judged—Adam Price talked about voices being heard; some 52 Members of this House spoke in that debate—that the threat to international peace and security was very real and very grave. The original decision to take military action provoked fierce debate in this Chamber and across the country, and I have no doubt that it will continue for much time to come; but the decisions we take in the weeks and months to come should surely have as their priority what is best for Iraq and its people, here and now, as well as the impact that any decision we make may have on our troops in the field.

Last December, more than 75 per cent. of the Iraqi people elected a new Parliament under a permanent, new constitution; and let us not forget that they did so under threat of death from those who sought only destruction in Iraq. This spring, that Parliament elected a new Government of national unity representing all Iraq's main political parties, and for the first time in their history the people of Iraq began a bold attempt to share power equitably among the nation's ethnic and confessional populations.

Annotations

Julian Todd
Posted on 2 Nov 2006 12:47 am (Report this annotation)

Voted "under threat of death"? Let's check that out with what was reported at the time.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,1668829,00.html

"The White House was encouraged by what it said seemed to be a high voter turnout and "relatively low" levels of violence."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12...

"But at least one Iraqi insurgent group made good on a promised election day moratorium on attacks, even putting masked gunmen on the streets to guard voters against the foreign fighters of al Qaeda in Iraq and let the marginalized Sunni minority try to address grievances through ballots rather than bullets."