KEETCH SETS TIMETABLE FOR TROOPS OUT FROM IRAQ

12.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 18th May 2004

Hereford's MP Paul Keetch says that British troops should be pulled out of Iraq as soon as an Iraqi Government has been elected, hopefully January next year. Mr Keetch, who is the Liberal Democrat Shadow Defence Secretary, also paid tribute to the courage of our troops, but said that further troops should not be put under US control. He also called for a greater involvement for the UN, and for UK forces to record the number of Iraqi civilian deaths.

Mr Keetch also described the photos of US troops abusing Iraqi detainees as "shocking and awful".

Speaking yesterday in the House of Commons to a Lib Dem resolution bearing his name, Mr Keetch wound up the debate for the opposition. Although some Labour and Conservative MP's supported the Lib Dem motion, the majority of Labour and Tory MP's supported the Government.

Mr Keetch opened by saying that war should only be contemplated as a last resort.

"It is a sad fact that Iraq appears increasingly unstable. Liberal Democrats and Members of other parties warned a long time ago how enormously difficult it would be to restore stability to a post-war Iraq. War is a terrible business, which is why it must always be used only as a last resort. Not only does it put at risk the lives of our armed forces and innocent civilians, but it rips up the fabric of societies and breeds discontent and malice".

He said that Iraq was more likely to breed terrorists now than it would have before the war;

"In his speech of 18 March last year, the Prime Minister suggested that he wanted to break any link between Iraq and terrorism. He has certainly failed to do so. It is sadly apparent to us that Iraq is now more a home for the likes of al-Qaeda than ever it was before we went to war".

But he said our troops needed to be protected in the field.

"Having chosen the course of war, our duty now is twofold. First, we must ensure that the men and women of Her Majesty's armed forces, who serve with such credit and distinction in Iraq, are given the best possible protection and, secondly, we must try to offer stability, peace and sovereignty to the people of Iraq".

Responding to remarks from the Former Conservative Chancellor Ken Clarke and the former Labour Cabinet Minister Clare Short, he called for a greater role for the UN.

"The right hon. Member for Birmingham (Clare Short), Ladywood spoke about the United Nations, about which we again heard two myths: first, that we went to war to support the wonderful UN resolutions, and the British and the Americans were champions of the UN; and, secondly, that the UN had failed in its duty. In reality, however, it was not the United Nations that set the timetable for war in Iraq but the United States and Britain. To try either to blame the UN or to suggest that we were protecting its role is ridiculous. Increasing the role of the UN, as suggested by the right hon. and learned Member for Rushcliffe (Mr. Clarke), by internationalising the political and security processes in Iraq, and trying to ensure that our forces are associated not with war but with a future peace is the best way to achieve our goals".

And he concluded that further British troops should only be sent to help protect our troops who were already there.

"If UK commanders on the ground seek support as a force protection measure, we will give it to them. However, we owe it to them to have an exit strategy and a plan for the future, as they are putting their lives on the line. We in the House simply pay lip service to that."