MP says Iraq still casts a long shadow
Today in the House of Commons there was a Debate marking the 10th Anniversary of the Iraq War. John Baron MP used the opportunity to highlight key lessons that can be taken from that period and which are still relevant today.
John said:
“Although we invaded Iraq ten years ago, the experience still casts a long shadow. Key lessons are still relevant today. Perhaps the most important is the need to base our foreign policy decisions on firm evidence. We now know we went to war on a false premise – there were no WMD.”
“The lesson is that we must be wary of Government spin. In the case of Iran, for example, no intelligence service has been able to produce hard evidence that the Iranian leadership has decided to build a nuclear weapon. Yet our policy makers paint a very different picture.”
“Interventions often produce unintended consequences: A vicious civil war; the establishment of Al-Qaeda; minorities having suffered, including the Iraqi Christians; a new wave of sectarian unrest unfolding. Meanwhile, the removal of Saddam altered the regional balance of power to the advantage of Iran.”
“Certainly the neo-con dream of establishing a liberal democracy stands in tatters. Democracy is taking root in North Africa where Western support has been minimal, and not in Iraq or Afghanistan which has cost us heavily in lives and treasure. Meanwhile, the invasion has radicalised elements of the Muslim world against us, and certainly increased the terrorist threat on our streets.”
“If there is a positive it is that the war may have served to lay to rest once and for all the view that the British electorate would instinctively support politicians advocating interventional war. Blair was never trusted thereafter. As the Prime Minister considers possible responses to Syria, he would be wise to reflect on this.”
“Let us hope these lessons have been learnt for the sake of future generations.”
Ends
Word Count: 336
Date: 13th June 2013
Notes to Editors
At the time, John Baron MP resigned from the Front Bench to vote against the war.
The speech can be found in tomorrow’s Hansard.
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