Dundee Liberal Democrats welcome "A New Strategy for Iraq"
Dundee Liberal Democrats today (Wednesday 5th July) welcomed the Party's 'New Strategy for Iraq'.
"Only a UN-led peace process can halt the Iraq catastrophe," Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell said at the launch.
Sir Menzies said the process would prioritise national reconciliation and the internationalisation of support for Iraq. It would work towards the agreement an international 'compact' setting out a comprehensive security and reconstruction strategy, and would seek to enhance the legitimacy and effectiveness of the Iraqi government, improve the delivery of essential services and strengthen the rule of law and human rights.
Writing in today's Guardian, he said that unless the British Government showed that it "has learned from its failures and is ready to look afresh at the way out of the Iraqi quagmire, it will be impossible to justify the continuing presence of British forces in Iraq."
Here in Dundee, Liberal Democrat council group leader Cllr Fraser Macpherson said, " The Labour Government's support for the Iraq war has been disastrous. Sir Menzies' approach gives the opportunity for desperately needed national reconciliation in Iraq."