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Iraq

First, let me tell the right hon. and learned Gentleman that we are training the Iraqi army and working with it so that it can build up its strength. We have already trained 20,000 members of the Iraqi armed forces, and the work in hand for the next few months is to train several thousand more. That is an important way to show that the Iraqi army will be suitable, able and equipped to carry out its tasks. As for Afghanistan, the right hon. and learned Gentleman, like me, recognises the difficulties that all countries face there. We are dealing with an insurgency and problems that have arisen from a change of tactic by the Taliban, but I believe that our armed forces are tackling that with great effectiveness and success. As for equipment, we have been able to meet the urgent operational requirements of the Army and the other forces. We have put aside, as a matter of policy, money to meet all the urgent operational requirements, which have run into substantial figures in the past few years. When the Army, the Navy or the Air Force make requests for us to meet those urgent operational requirements, we do our best to fulfil them.