Defending civilians - exchange between LFIQ President and Prime Minister, Commons 8th November

Mr. Harry Barnes (North-East Derbyshire) (Lab): Is the Prime Minister aware that I utterly condemn, and wish to see countered, terrorism in Iraq not only against the Black Watch but against Iraqi citizens? Four railway workers were murdered on 27 October between Mosul and Baghdad. What measures have been put in place in Falluja to ensure that such people—innocent people who are held hostage, as the Prime Minister himself put it—are not attacked?

The Prime Minister: My hon. Friend—he was an opponent of the war, but he has taken a very honourable position on these issues all the way through—is right in saying what the dilemma is. The terrorists are trying to cause maximum difficulty, which is why they are taking over places such as hospitals, schools and mosques. That is the reason why the situation in Falluja has not happened before now. I know from my discussions with Prime Minister Allawi and his Government that over the past few months, they have been making every effort to get a peaceful settlement in Falluja. That included making it clear that, provided that Iraqi Government forces came in and took control in Falluja, there would be no need for multinational forces to be in there, and it included ensuring that it was realised that there would be municipal elections in Falluja. The problem that we now have, however, is that unless we take back control of Falluja, ultimately it will be very difficult for ordinary people there to make progress, but we are doing everything that we can to limit civilian casualties in the course of the action that we take, which is why this is being proceeded with in a very careful way. I entirely agree that the important thing is to ensure that the Iraqi people understand that in the end this is not directed at them, but at the people who are preventing them from getting a democratic outcome.