§ Mr. Alan SimpsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the military actions carried out by Iraqi forces against Kurds and Sh'ia Muslims between 18 November and 15 December 1999 which required operational sorties by UK forces. [108434]
§ Mr. HoonIt is not for us to account for the actions of the Iraqi military over a specific period of time. It is clear, however, that Saddam's internal security organisations continue to persecute all opponents of the regime on the ground. Coalition patrols of the no fly zones prevent Saddam Hussein from using his air force to repress the Iraqi people in the north and south of Iraq. Previously he has made extensive use of helicopter gun ships to repress the Kurdish population in the north, as well as both fixed wing aircraft and helicopter gun ships to repress Sh'ia Muslims in the south. Given the extensive history of brutality by Saddam Hussein's regime, there is no reason to believe that he would not resume these tactics were we to cease patrols. Coalition patrols of the no fly zones remain an essential humanitarian task in support of UN Security Council Resolution 688; without our continued presence in the air, he would be free to use his air force to return to an all out assault.