Iraq: Deployment of UK Forces (Hansard, 10 November 2004)

§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Bach)
My Lords, the Black Watch battle group deployed to north Babil in central Iraq on 27 October. That deployment supports the Iraqi Interim Government strategy of building a free, stable and secure Iraq in which ordinary Iraqis can live their lives free from the constant fear of violence, 886 economic hardship and from political repression and tyranny. Above all, the Iraqi Interim Government are seeking to provide a stable environment under which domestic elections can take place throughout Iraq in January 2005.

§ Lord Dykes
My Lords, I thank the Minister for that Answer. Does not the war remain illegal, as does the sacking of Fallujah right now? Bearing in mind that the UK Armed Forces have been successful in not causing excessive casualties among innocent Iraqi civilians—unlike the incompetent and reckless performance of the US armed forces—will the Minister give us further assurance that urgent action will be taken from now on in our zones to protect properly innocent Iraqi civilians and to reduce the clear danger to our own soldiers?

§ Lord Bach
My Lords, I do not agree with the noble Lord when he says that what is happening in Fallujah is illegal or unlawful. Prime Minister Allawi declared a state of emergency law in Fallujah and Ramadi on Sunday. Any military action in Fallujah or, indeed, elsewhere takes place to create the conditions for the conduct of free and fair elections for the Iraqi people. The House hardly needs reminding of the efforts made to negotiate peacefully with the insurgents and terrorists who are based in Fallujah. The Iraqi Government have done everything possible to secure national reconciliation and a peaceful solution in that city.
The Prime Minister has offered an amnesty to armed groups. He has supported the creation of a broadly representative national council. He has conducted intense efforts at dialogue with all groups, particularly with representatives of Fallujah, and he has made clear his determination, which I presume this House supports—in fact I am sure the House supports; I wonder if the noble Lord does—to press ahead with the first national elections in January. If that does not take place now, what alternative solution does the noble Lord have?

§ Lord Astor of Hever
My Lords, will the Minister confirm that the Government will give the highest priority to the security and protection of the Black Watch battle group, thereby ensuring a safer place for civilians in central Iraq?

§ Lord Bach
My Lords, of course we will. The question is a proper one. We are concerned that the Black Watch are equipped and supported appropriately for the range of tasks they face. The situation they encounter, as we know already in northern Babil, is not greatly different from that in some parts of MND (South East), but in other ways it is more difficult.

§ Baroness Ramsay of Cartvale
My Lords, does my noble friend agree that the massive publicity and political debate surrounding the redeployment of the Black Watch in Iraq has done nothing for that brave and distinguished regiment, except to make it an attractive publicity target for any attacker?

§ Lord Bach
My Lords, I agree absolutely with what my noble friend says. The House will remember the question 887 asked yesterday in this House by the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Chelmsford about publicity at the present time. But if that was not enough, it may not have escaped noble Lords' attention that in the Times today a Black Watch lance corporal said: We don't want to go anywhere. If we pulled out now, we'd feel like we've failed. It's a hindrance when people at home call for us to be pulled out. We know they're only trying to help, but it's not helping us at all. We're here. We're staying, so please give us the support to carry on and get the job done".

§ Lord Hurd of Westwell
My Lords, the Minister set out the objectives of the present exercise. Can he give us an assurance that before the Cabinet committed British troops for this purpose it had approved convincing plans for the aftermath of the immediate battle, aimed at the objectives which the Minister set out? Or did it once again, as after the main battle, simply obey a plan devised by others, based on assumptions which quickly collapsed?

§ Lord Bach
My Lords, I remind the noble Lord—of course I respect his deep experience—that this is a request from the Iraqi Government and should be seen as such. The Black Watch deployment, if that is what he is talking about, and our wider deployment in Iraq, is part of the Government's wider commitment to helping the Iraqi people to create the right conditions for them to shape their own future. That, it seems to me, is adequate reason for the Black Watch deployment to take place, and, as I have already attempted to argue, explains what is happening in Fallujah at present.
Of course, one of the considerations in respect of Fallujah is that if Fallujah is made a free city many Sunnis would be able to vote who would not otherwise be able to vote. There are reconstruction plans for the Sunni areas of Iraq that are impossible to put in place at present because of the presence of the insurgents.

§ Lord Garden
My Lords—

§ Baroness Strange
My Lords—

§ Lord Snape
My Lords—

§ Baroness Amos
My Lords, there is enough time for both questions. I suggest that we hear from these Benches and then from the Liberal Democrat Benches.

§ Lord Snape
My Lords, does the Minister agree with the proposition put forward earlier by my noble friend that the deployment of British troops in Iraq is not a suitable subject for debate in this House or in any other? Does he remember the days of the Falklands War when the Official Opposition, and even the Liberal Party—as it was in those days—properly backed British troops in action, instead of carping and criticising the way they are doing at the moment?

§ Lord Bach
My Lords, I do remember those days. But I have to say that the Official Opposition—and I 888 say this slightly reluctantly—have not for a moment opposed this particular deployment. I wish I could say the same about the Liberal Democrats.

§ Lord Garden
My Lords—

§ Baroness Strange
My Lords—

§ Baroness Amos
My Lords, I said Liberal Democrats, but I had not realised that the noble Baroness, Lady Strange, wanted to speak. I suggest that she speaks next and then the Liberal Democrat Benches.

§ Baroness Strange
My Lords, I thank the Leader of the House. Will the Minister please convey to the Black Watch forces now serving in Iraq the thoughts, good wishes and prayers of every single Member of this House?

§ Lord Bach
My Lords, I am very grateful to the noble Baroness for her question. I will make sure that that is done.

§ Lord Garden
My Lords, will the Minister tell us whether he now has a full replacement for the Black Watch in the south so that security is re-established there, as the attacks on the oil infrastructure are apparently increasing?

§ Lord Bach
My Lords, as far as concerns the MND (South East), we are content with the present arrangements. The noble Lord knows that a new reserve force is coming in. Of course, if we need more troops in that area we will bring more troops into that area.