John Gerard Hanafin (Fianna Fail)

I call for a debate on the Middle East in light of leaked reports from the United States in which the intelligence community suggests the army in Iraq is not succeeding but is having the opposite effect. Those of us who take an interest in history state that one who does not watch history is condemned to repeat it.

Having started with extremely laudable aims to rid the world of terrorist states, we must now wonder what is the best way to deal with these issues in the future. I suggest it would be helpful for this House to have a debate without rancour or an examination of the issue. Undoubtedly, Afghanistan under the Taliban was a terrorist state. However, the terrorist element has not been completely eliminated. Questions must be asked as to why and what went wrong.

I commend the instigators and organisers of the Ryder Cup, who allowed the country to be portrayed in a positive light.