more … ]]> http://www.mingcampbell.org.uk/2010/10/24/menzies-campbell-nasty-brutish-and-refusing-to-go-away/feed/ 0 http://www.mingcampbell.org.uk/2010/01/13/ming-campbell-comments-on-iraq-inquiry/ http://www.mingcampbell.org.uk/2010/01/13/ming-campbell-comments-on-iraq-inquiry/#comments Wed, 13 Jan 2010 17:44:16 +0000 Web Team http://www.mingcampbell.org.uk/?p=845

more … ]]> Commenting on Tony Blair’s former Director of Communication Alastair Campbell’s evidence to the Iraq Inquiry, former Liberal Democrat Leader and member of the Foreign Affairs Committee Sir Menzies Campbell said:

“Alastair Campbell’s evidence to the Chilcot Inquiry was only the hors d’oeuvre, the main dish will be Tony Blair on Friday 29th January.

“It is clear now what Mr Blair’s line is going to be – there is nothing for which to apologise and military action against Saddam was the right thing to do!

“The only thing wrong with that position is that it ignores the fact that the action was illegal under the UN Charter, that the resolutions of the United Nations did not authorise the use of military force and that the inspectors looking for weapons of mass destruction did not get the chance to finish their job. If they had been allowed to do so then both President Bush and Prime Minister Blair would have known the truth – that there were no such weapons!

“The result of the illegal Iraq war was to cause incalculable instability in the Middle East, to provoke terrorist activity, to damage reputation significantly, and to cause the death of a huge but unknown number of Iraqi citizens.

“On the 29th January we shall see whether Mr Blair still thinks that it was the right thing to do.”

more … ]]> Liberal Democrat Leader Ming Campbell has called on Labour and the Conservatives to focus on the real issue facing our troops in Iraq, the timing of their withdrawal, not the timing of political announcements.

He said:

“It’s time both the Labour and Conservative parties stopped playing cynical political games over Iraq and took responsibility for their disastrous military action there.

“It certainly hasn’t taken long for a Prime Minister billed as a statesman to show himself as just another short term political tactician once a general election is in the offing.

“We mustn’t allow shallow posturing to obscure the real issue: what possible purpose is served by British troops remaining in Iraq?

“If their continued presence is merely to provide political cover for the United States then the Government must come clean.”

Sign Ming’s petition to pull British troops out of Iraq here.

more … ]]> Responding to reports, accompanying Gordon Brown’s visit to Iraq today, that 2,000 troops could be brought home by the spring, Liberal Democrat Leader Ming Campbell said:

“While we welcome any reduction in the number of British troops in Iraq, there is now an urgent need to get all the 5,000 remaining troops home.

“The overriding question is whether there is any military or political benefit to be gained from the continued presence of our armed forces in Iraq. The answer is clearly no.

“The Government should draw up a timetable to get all our soldiers safely home within six months.”

Sign Ming’s petition to pull British troops out of Iraq here.

more … ]]> Liberal Democrat Leader Ming Campbell has demanded an explanation from the Government after it controversially transferred 350 troops to Basra, near the Iraq-Iran border. The Independent reports that the deployment was at the request of the Americans, and quotes Ming:

“This is yet more evidence of the lack of a coherent strategy for the deployment of British troops in Iraq. It would be disastrous if we were drawn into some kind of proxy war with Iran.

“It would serve neither regional nor international interests and would put British lives at further risk,” he added. “We have consistently called for the early withdrawal of British forces from Iraq as their presence is not helping establish the lasting peace the country so desperately needs.”

Read the full story here.

Sign Ming’s petition to withdraw our troops from Iraq »

more … ]]> Ming Campbell has today called for British troops to leave Iraq. You can back Ming’s call by signing his petition.

“It is time to recognise that British troops can do no more in Iraq.

“Their professionalism and dedication has been outstanding and their courage has been beyond belief.

“The Government is failing to answer the fundamental question about the military purpose they are serving and the political objective they are achieving by their continued presence.

“The level of casualties is unacceptable. We have a moral obligation to the young men and women of our armed forces.

“We should now set a framework for their withdrawal from Iraq.”

You can see Ming talking in more detail about why British forces should leave Iraq in this video.

Sign the online petition here.

more … ]]> Commenting on General Petraeus’s testimony to Congress, Liberal Democrat Leader Ming Campbell said:

“This report changes nothing from the standpoint of the United Kingdom.

“There is no case for the continuing open-ended commitment of British forces.

“Nor does General Petraeus provide any help to the British Government in answering the two fundamental questions – what military purpose is being achieved and what political objectives are being met by our continued presence in Iraq.

“I repeat my call for a framework for phased withdrawal of all British forces.”

more … ]]> Speaking ahead of evidence to be given to the United States Congress today by General David Petraeus, Liberal Democrat Leader Ming Campbell has accused the British Government of closing down debate about the continuing British military presence in Iraq. He said:

“While the strategy followed in Iraq by the United States has been under constant review by the Iraq Study Group, by both houses of Congress, and now General Petraeus, the British Government has failed to show the same openness.

“Rather than promoting debate regarding our future role, it has been closing it down. The Government has still not explained what military purpose or political objectives are being served by our presence.

“The continuing deployment in Iraq does not justify the unacceptable level of British causalities.

“Our future role in Iraq should be put at the top of the political agenda.”

more … ]]> Commenting on the MoD announcement today that Britain’s military deployment in southern Iraq is to be cut by 500, Liberal Democrat Leader Ming Campbell said:

“This reduction is not unexpected. But the Government has still failed to answer the two fundamental questions about our continuing deployment in southern Iraq. What military purpose is being served and what political objectives are being achieved?

“Nearly a year ago, Britain’s most senior soldier Sir Richard Dannatt questioned our continuing role in Iraq. Nothing that has happened since has undermined either his analysis that we are exacerbating the security situation or his conclusion that we should leave soon.

“500 troops is a start, but it’s a long way short of the total withdrawal which is necessary.”

more … ]]> Commenting in response to correspondence received from Gordon Brown on Iraq and Afghanistan in reply to a letter from himself, Liberal Democrat Leader Menzies Campbell said:

“The Prime Minister’s letter simply rehearses the Government line and could have been written by his predecessor. But the reality on the ground and the views of senior military figures undermine Mr Brown’s analysis.

“The debate on this issue will not go away, particularly as the American presidential elections will put Iraq at the centre of American politics.

“It should now be put to the top of Britain’s agenda.”