Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

What happened over the years in Iraq is a cause for reflection. However, there is now a possibility that the democratically elected government of the Iraqi people is in a position to move out of what has been a terrible period in that country's history. Of course, we should look back to see how things could perhaps have been done better. While there has been significant turmoil in relationships between the US and other parts of the world, there is now a common threat to developing and developed countries given the incredible depths to which terrorists will go to disrupt peace efforts. That is a far bigger threat to any of us who believe in democracy. That is why it is important for all nations of goodwill to work together, within the restrictions of international humanitarian law, to ensure that these people do not have the ability to carry out such dastardly deeds such as those committed in Baghdad on 1 February.

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