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Iraq: Future Strategic Relationship

The Minister repeats again and again that life is obviously much better now that Saddam has gone. I do not think that anyone in the House disputes that—at least, not on the Conservative Benches. By repeating that, however, he is avoiding telling us why it has taken so long to get to where we are today. Why, when we went into Iraq in the first place with the 7th Armoured Brigade at a time of relative peace, did things deteriorate to a point at which the 4th Battalion The Rifles had to leave with their tails between their legs? The Minister has not answered those questions, and those are the answers that we want to hear.