Iraq: Future Strategic Relationship

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence made that clear, as did the hon. Member for Woodspring. Without democracy in Iraq, I cannot see how the middle east can possibly look forward to any stability and any sustainable prosperity. Democracy is enormously important. What I found most dismaying—it did not matter where I went in that region—was that as often as not 50 per cent. of the population were not contributing to the economy in any obvious way. Of course, the women were supporting their men at home, but they were not being liberated—their aspirations were not being allowed to be seized and turned into reality. They do not have a democracy that allows it to happen. Democracy is an incredibly important element. I believe that if we help to argue the case for democracy in the region in whatever way we can, it will happen. I have no doubt that the nations of Iran, Iraq, Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia—and all the other nations in the region—want democracy. People want democracy, but they will have to design their own democracy: it cannot be imposed, as is obvious from what has happened over the last four or five years. They will work out their own models for democracy, but they need to do so very quickly, because they need to be able to tap the potential of all their people. That is how we will bring about peace and prosperity.