I can't tell you how delighted I was to hear that Ming was at last calling for troops out of Iraq.........phew, that was a long haul, but better late than never! At spring conference two years ago I moved an amendment to the Iraq motion which would have meant our party policy was troop withdrawal. I was vilified, not least by Tim Garden (OK so it was a bit David and Goliath - I never quite made it to Air Chief Marshall level in my short military career - mainly coz me and the army didn't quite see eye to eye!) But, I think I counted at least 5 hands at the time voting with me.........
For me the serious point is why now and not then? What exactly has changed? How much more bloodshed and heartache could have been avoided? I know there are those who say we shouldn't withdraw and leave the Iraqi's in a potential bloodbath, but it seems to me we are part of the problem not part of the solution. We can't undo the tragedy of this unjust, immoral and illegal war, but perhaps we can contribute to the debate in a way that hastens the day our troops will come home and perhaps remove one of the irritants to those who object to the occupation and sadly see their only way of doing so as being through violence.
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Although we should never have been in iraq to start with, I find it quite disgusting that our country support bring troops out of iraq. What is it... blow up a country, and the president, kill its citizens then leave. Its disgusting. im a strong beliver in 'dont fire, unless fired upon', which means we shouldnt have been there in the first place, but comon we have ruined the contries whole infostructure, is it any wonder they hate us? Who realy is the ones terrorising people, especialy if we cut our loss an run. Shame the UN doesnt exist anymore... oh wait, it does. I say, let Blair face an internatinal war chrimes tribunal, and let us lib dems give back to iraq what we stand for Liberty and Democracy.
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