Iraq: What do we know?

[Dblitzen]

Dumb ass libs, COMMUNISTS

[realzoomy]

We know we were lied to about Iraq, and most of us fell for it. And we know that our "special" relationship with America is special all right - just like Laurel and Hardy, "That's another fine mess you got me into!"

[martynblackburn1977]

Are the LibDems in on this New World Order?

[k2boarder444]

9/11?? Iraq and Saddamm had nothing to do with 9/11 where have you been man

[littletomo02]

no, the war is not illegal, remember 9/11? 7/7? yes? Go shove your somehow both liberal AND democratic self out of a window

[AncientPistol49]

And look where he is now!

They could afford to be patient, after all.

Unlike with Robin Cook.

[Taribo187]

As long as the BNP and the Conservative's arent voted in I'm happy ;D

[ukburger]

taribo what about Labour?

[ejbh3160]

Amazing he wasn't bumped off by the US/UK military industrial complex for opposing it! But good for him! If only more of them HAD! Maybe a few hundred thousand people would still be alive!

[MissStratfan]

lol@supporting the Lib Dems they would be even worse than Labour

[pinkdogster]

Ooooh, I didn't know Ron Paul was standing for election over here in the UK. I had thought he was an American politician. What a silly dog I am, I'm going all pink with embarrassment now! What constituency is he standing in? Woof woof.

[WeWantFreedom]

Ron Paul 2008! Brief overview of Ron Paul's record: He has never voted to raise taxes. He has never voted for an unbalanced budget. He has never voted for a federal restriction on gun ownership. He has never voted to raise congressional pay. He has never taken a government-paid junket. He has never voted to increase the power of the executive branch. He voted against the Patriot Act. He voted against regulating the Internet. He voted against the Iraq war.

[kannon9]

The one person greater is Ralph Nader but Ron Paul would be a major improvement over NAZI Bush but we would have to really keep him safe from the evil "I". UK has been screwed just like us for too long. Listen to David Icke he has told you the truth and how to remedy this problem, humans must be the solution not these evil "I" monsters.

[rexStuartus]

While who comes here? Fight for their freedom? Who should they fight? Us? I would hope not.

Our troops are dying because they were sent there by our government. Or by the Americans, depending on how you look at it.

If the BNP were elected to govern (which will never happen), I am confident that the British economy would be wrecked within a decade. We joined the EC because our economy was being destroyed by not being in it!

[jazzbunny]

BNP are just a bunch of racist morons with no idea. You want to stop 'foreigners' claiming government support - then start by giving them work permits - that way they have the opportunity to make a go of living in the UK and paying taxes. At present the Labour government like the Tory one before it, prevent refugees making an honest living. Work permits will also discourage illegal immigration and make it easier to track where people are in the country.

[PaulNigelCrossley]

Iraq is the biggest crime this government has committed. Tony Blair's legacy will be Iraq and taking the country to war on a sham pretext. And Brown and Cameron are equally culpable.

[socialdemocratic98]

That's true, Blair's legacy will be War in Iraq

[gogzter77]

i think the lib dems have potential but without joining the snp they wont be able to release it fully. The referendum issue really isnt a big deal to the people of Scotland. Lib Dems are just too proud. Remember pride before a fall.

[rexStuartus]

Unfortunately, Iraq doesn't have an established democracy in the way we do. Iraqi democracy is therefore unstable, especially considering its clear record of success at keeping order!

[theturtlesback]

Good on you LibDems! Good luck from an Australian, whose country is caught up in this terrible catastrophe as well. British people are so lucky to have a vibrant and effective third party to vote for. You'd be crazy not to vote for them!

[pattymkirkwood]

After all that the Liberals 'opposed' the war, while remaining in coalition with Labour in Scotland and Wales, and in many councils across the country. How can anyone trust Ming Campbell, especially after he so brutally assassinated wee Charly!

[rexStuartus]

The Lib-Dems did oppose the war. That, however, wasn't anything to do with the Scottish Parliament, the Welsh Assembly, or local councils.

Also, he didn't assassinate Charles Kennedy. He's got something sadly increasingly rare in politics: he's a good man.

[pattymkirkwood]

Politics does not respect 'reserved issues', it just doesn't work like that. The Lib Dems went to the Scottish electorate this year playing up their anti-war credentials, with the full intention of jumping straight back into bed with Labour. If they do not want to be judged across the boundaries of reserved issues, they should not campaign on them! Matter of fact Ming assassinated Charly.

[DBunny49]

The Lib Dems are the biggest washout of a political "organisation" in the history of the world.

Alco Charley boy makes Ming look professional, and let's face it Charley boy was off his tits for most of the time!

[paulmn]

Yes, the Lib-Dems opposed the war....and then supported it when it started.

[rexStuartus]

Not quite - the Lib-Dems recognised that, since we were there, we couldn't just drop everything and run, having destabilised the country. Having destroyed the (awful, though no worse than many others) government, just abandoning Iraq would have been immoral. The objection is that the war was illegal. The current situation is undesirable, but legal.

[paulmn]

I was under the impression that they supported the war from the day it started? Loyalty to the troops being the reasoning? The UN mandate came later. In my view, we've been destablising Iraq from day one and any one less day spent there would be a good thing. We do have an obligation to help them because of the mess we created but it shouldn't be in the shape of troops. The Lib-Dems should have followed it through and called for an end to the war, like many Labour backbenchers did.

[rexStuartus]

Well, they have called for an end to the war. The problem is that cutting and running isn't really an option with Iraq in the state it's now in! Troops should be phased out as soon as possible - and, indeed, I think that's already started. Sort of.

Troops aren't particularly helpful, but withdrawing them overnight would be still worse.

[jazzbunny]

All non-Iraqi troops should be moved to border partol and let the Iraqi's deal with internal security. Right or wrong - our troops are being blamed for Muslims murdering Muslims and only by moving them to secure Iraq's borders from foreign influence (Saudi, Iranian, Jordanian and Syrian) will the world see how it is Iraq's neighbours that are destablising the country.

[rexStuartus]

Fair enough - but what do you think should be done if (when) Iraq dissolves into civil war? I'm not saying you're wrong, but it's extremely risky.

What is clear is that the Iraqi government is not fit for purpose. That's the problem - and we can't do anything about it except wait for more elections and hope.

[jazzbunny]

Since day one when the government decided to take us to war - I have been in favour of Iraq being divided. At the time (too late now) giving the Shi'i independence would open the opportunity for re-establishing a friendly relation with Iran at a time when Iran's policies were becoming more moderate. Now, however, Iraq should be divided for Iraq's sake. A deal could be done with Turkey over Kurdish independence.

[rexStuartus]

Interesting idea. Divided by ethnic groups? I suppose it could work, although it would create a region with high tensions between neighbours, which isn't ideal.

Something to think about, though. Nothing else seems to work.

[jazzbunny]

You would need to place all of the oil revenues (regardless of location) in a cooperative divided equally between the 3 new countries and managed by OPEC (so no direct Western involvement)

[rexStuartus]

Oil. Naturally.

[jazzbunny]

The LibDem party have never supported the war in Iraq but have supported our troops - there is a difference between supporting a war and supporting the British armed forces. Even Labour backbenchers are Thatcherites in disguise. Labour seem to think that spending large sums of money on demolishing hospitals and schools is investing in the NHS and education.

[paulmn]

Please give over with all the 'our boys' stuff. A load of our boys in Iraq and Afghanistan, the ones descended from immigrants, would be offered money by the BNP to leave the country if they ever had any power. That is how much they are 'our boys' to the BNP. British Nationalist Party? Don't make me laugh. More like White Nationalism parading as British Nationalism, as always.

[RA4901]

Good on you Ming & Co - we're wasting money, wasting lives out there, when our local hospital has wards shut for lack of money.

[Bespoke2]

Too bloody right!!! When will people out there remember that the Tories voted this war through - and they want Dave Cameron in No. 10 next election! Wake up before it's too late!!