We must ensure our 179 service personnel did not die in vain

On the day that British troops withdrew from Basra, Liam Fox stressed our “continuing duty” to ensure that those service personnel who died in Iraq did not do so in vain.

The Shadow Defence Secretary said, “The 179 British servicemen and women who gave their lives in this conflict did so in the hope that all the people of Iraq could enjoy the peace and security that we all too often take for granted.”

He explained that while the Army may be returning from Iraq, the Royal Navy still has a strong presence in the Gulf.

And he stressed that it is “our duty” to ensure that all our injured service personnel are looked after “to the best of our country’s ability”:

“Our soldiers may be leaving Iraq but for those who bear the physical and mental scars, Iraq has not left them.”