Month: June 2008

26 June Iraq: Armed Conflict John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the reasons for recent trends in the levels of violence in Iraq; and if he will make a statement. Dr. Howells: The security situation in Iraq varies from province to province. The security situation in Iraq has improved significantly over the course of the second half of 2007 and 2008. In and around Baghdad, violence has reduced to levels not seen since 2005. There are a number of factors that have contributed towards the downturn … Continue reading Commons Questions and Answers on Iraq

Mr. David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress is being made on the mentoring, monitoring and training of Iraqi security forces in southern Iraq. Des Browne: UK forces in southern Iraq continue to make very good progress in mentoring and training the Iraqi Security Forces. Our main focus is on developing the 14th Division of the Iraqi Army until it is fully operational. We have embedded a significant number of our people with that division in order to help achieve this, and our forces continue to provide a range of other support as well. The … Continue reading British help for Iraqi security forces

This letter appears in the Times today You rightly highlight the plight of Iraqi interpreters who have resettled here (report, June 13). We saw for ourselves on a visit to Baghdad last month their invaluable role in building the new Iraqs relations with the outside world. This was our third visit to Iraq in the past two years from which we have come to understand the deep regard in Iraq for Britain, despite 20th-century history. This respect for the UK will be damaged unless we tackle the conditions of these brave interpreters. Dave Anderson, MP Gary Kent Labour Friends of … Continue reading Plight of the Iraqi interpreters

Saad Eskander director of Baghdads national library and a former Kurdish fighter says that without cultural education, we cannot emerge from Saddam Husseins dictatorship properly. Without it, we cannot resist the ideas of religious fundamentalism.

See this