Giving evidence to the Iraq Commission, Liberal Democrat Leader Ming Campbell called on Gordon Brown to give a target date for withdrawal of British troops from Iraq when he becomes Prime Minister.
He said that during his visit to Iraq Gordon Brown should make clear to the Iraqi Government that our continuing presence in the country is unsustainable.
Later, Menzies Campbell said:
“Gordon Brown must recognise that given the lack of UK influence over coalition strategy, the deepening sectarian conflict, and the increasing antipathy of the Iraqi people to the coalition forces, the time has come for a controlled exit.
“We have done all we can and our presence is exacerbating the situation.
“The Prime Minister in waiting must recognise that it is time to bring our troops home.”
Ming reissued his call for an inquiry. He said:
“The Government must hold an inquiry that investigates the decision making that led us into the illegal war in Iraq based on this flawed prospectus.”
“It is disgraceful that four years from the invasion the situation is getting worse not better and both the US and UK governments have no effective strategy to deal with this.”
Brown is on the Bushblair hook as regards Iraq. He can’t upset Blair’s Washington mentors even if the likelihood is that Clinton will win in 2008. She is as much a chickenhawk as Bush and Cheney. And Brown will need her.