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Iraq

I agree with the Secretary of State that terrorist activity should not hasten our departure from Iraq. I agree also on the need to support our troops, who have been plunged into a Herculean task. Will the right hon. Gentleman say whether he thinks it satisfactory that militias are lined up as the private armies of members of the Government of Iraq? Does he think that it was merely an aberration that on 19 September our soldiers were handed over to private militias? Does he believe that the governor of Basra, Mohammed al-Waili, is helping to maintain morale at home when he says that British troops are responsible for destabilising security in the province?