John Gerard Hanafin (Fianna Fail)

I feel as Senator Ó Murchú does on the issue of the torture of the Iraqi citizens in Iraq by American soldiers. It is disturbing for somebody like me who accepted the reasoning for the war, that there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and that it was ready to use them in a short period. Words take form and have meaning. As a conscientious Senator, like all Members, I am deeply disturbed that this is becoming a second Vietnam. As somebody who would have supported President Bush, primarily because of his pro-life stance, I do not consider that what is happening in Iraq at present is very pro-life. The only and very clear solution is that the United States should now extricate itself from Iraq and let the Iraqi people get on with the business of ruling their own country. What we saw was deeply disturbing.

With regard to the attacks on the Government from the Opposition benches this morning, it is amazing that the only big news emanating from the Opposition is that the leader of one of the big parties has managed to use an aeroplane to get around Ireland.