Martin Mansergh (Fianna Fail)

There was never more truth in the saying attributed to an Irish countryman who was asked by a visitor for directions: "I wouldn't be starting from here". We must reflect on what has led us into this situation, even as we strive to get out of what can only be described as a mess. As time gives more perspective, I have a great deal of respect for President Bush Snr. during the first Iraq war when the objective was to get Iraq out of Kuwait, which it had unjustly invaded. He gave the United Nations full play, was seen to be very reluctant to go into Kuwait until the last possible moment and when he did go in, the troops stopped at a certain point.

The Duke of Wellington once said that the art of life as well as of soldiering was to guess what was on the other side of the hill. In 1991, the Americans were very concerned about what would be on the other side of the hill if they went too far. Post-11 September, there was proper UN sanction for the Afghanistan situation. The Afghan Government was given various ultimatums. It did not abide by them but the international community accepted the justice of what was being done.

Unfortunately, the invasion of Iraq fell into a different category. It was clear to thinking people at the time that, in terms of first principles, there was not an adequate justification for it. The case that Iraq was some imminent threat to the region and the world was faulty and defective, as we can see with complete clarity now. It was taken for reasons of geo-strategic thinking. I was sorry to see that it was invested in by Britain and presented as some kind of moral idealistic crusade. I do not believe there was much morality about it. It was simply a question of sticking with the Americans regardless of what happened.

While the campaign over a few weeks was a complete success in military terms, what has existed since has been extraordinarily messy. That includes the deplorable lapse in standards in terms of treatment and keeping of prisoners, although one has to raise one's eyebrows more than a little that the only people seemingly being prosecuted and convicted of human rights abuse are women soldiers. Most of us would think they were very subordinate instruments, particularly when consideration is given to the Guantanamo Bay situation, which partly related to 11 September. People must follow principles of human rights and international law and not create extra legal zones. There is an attitude in America that if one has power, one should use it but the limitations of that approach have been very clear.

The International Institute of Strategic Studies issued a report yesterday which stated that it will take at least five years before Iraqi forces are strong enough to impose law and order and that they were not even close to matching the insurgency. Our position in terms of principle are clear in that we have subscribed, along with other countries, to Resolution 1546 of the United Nations Security Council of 8 June 2005. Paragraph 15 of that resolution requests member states and international regional organisations to contribute assistance to the multinational force, including military forces, as agreed with the Government of Iraq, to help meet the needs of the Iraqi people for security and stability and humanitarian and reconstruction assistance.

I do not understand the reason there is still an argument about the use of Shannon Airport in the light of that resolution. Whatever the argument prior to June 2004, it is clear that the UN, which is supposed to be our lone star as far as the conduct of international relations are concerned, asked us to give every assistance and we do not have any choice but to do that. We must recognise, however, that because of the intervention, on such dubious grounds, of the Americans and British in particular, any regime established by them, even though democratically elected, will have a difficult job establishing legitimacy, particularly as the Sunnis who were in dictatorial power for so many decades are now in a minority. One of the problems in that and many other parts of the world is that it is very difficult to get communities where there are majorities and minorities to agree to live under the one government. The fear of majority rule is intense.

As far as Ireland is concerned, we have no choice, as the Minister of State outlined, but to play a constructive role through the European Union and the UN in trying to bring about a greater degree of stability. It is unlikely that this will be achieved by purely military means. There is a temptation to think that military power is a solution to all problems. It is not a solution to all problems, indeed it is not a solution to many problems. Long, patient political work is required.

I hope one of the lessons we will learn from the past three years is that the western world does not get itself into this type of situation again. Of course tyrannies are unsatisfactory but if it were just a question of tyranny presumably the Americans would be making preparations to remove the governments in Uzbekistan, Zimbabwe and North Korea, but they are not doing so. The lesson is that the international community must work together. If a country's vital defence and national interest are at stake, as they were for the United States after the attack on 11 September, one can understand it may have to act in self-defence regardless of whether there is international support.

That was not the situation in Iraq. The move into Iraq was discretionary and not essential or indispensable. Arguments are made about international law but it is not an exact science and people will argue until the end of time on whether the intervention was compatible with international law but what can be said with some certainty is that it was extremely dubious.

We must use the little influence we have to ensure this type of approach is not adopted again because it creates a large mess. We must be as constructive as we can in trying to solve it and while I accept positives elements exist in principle, as if one could achieve democracy, stability and prosperity one will eventually attain a better world, I am afraid we are a long way from doing so.