Iraq: Future Strategic Relationship

I beg to move,"That this House has considered the matter of Iraq: future strategic relationship." Our debate this afternoon is rightly focused on Britain's future relationship with Iraq. As right hon. and hon. Members on both sides will be aware, in the past few days we have passed an important milestone. On 1 January, the Government of Iraq assumed full sovereignty for the whole country from the coalition. That is a truly remarkable achievement for a country that, at times, has looked at risk of being sucked under by a wave of terrorist extremism. The termination of the security aspects of the chapter 7 United Nations Security Council resolution is not only confirmation of Iraq's regained sovereignty, but evidence of its re-emergence as a new democracy—one that no longer represents a threat to its regional neighbours or its own people. That we have reached this stage at all is testament to the hard work, commitment and, above all, sacrifice of coalition service personnel and civilians, as well as to the service and sacrifice of the Iraqi security forces themselves.