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Iraq (Basra Incident)

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his contribution. Because of his constituency interest, I am aware that he will face some responsibilities in relation to the consequences of the incident. If we can give him any support, he need only ask. He asked me to make a comparative analysis of the level of risk. Given the time that I have been at the Ministry of Defence, it would be inappropriate for me to accept his invitation to do that. However, on the assumption that the assessment is correct, it would seem to me to be a reflection of the response of those who want to stop Iraq moving and making a transition to where we all want it to be, because the progress—albeit tentative—that I have been talking about from the Dispatch Box today must be as manifest to them as it is to us.