That is the best way forward but we have to be ready, if peaceful disarmament proves impossible in the face of Saddam’s obstinacy, to take action to secure it.”LORD HOWELL OF GUILDFORDConservative spokesman for foreign affairs in the Lords:”I think for anyone with the slightest sense of history, it is impossible not to appreciate at this particular moment, indeed admire, the tireless determination, the lonely valour, of Tony Blair. The Prime Minister has slightly confusingly swung about in making the case for military action … [but] at least he has not tried to ride the tiger of populism, which is very dangerous and nearly always ends in tears. But it’s right to remind our French and German friends, as well as some political parties nearer home, of that danger. Since 11 September there have already been four absolutely major threats of terrorism against sites in this country, each mercifully and successfully thwarted.”BARONESS RAMSAY OF CARTVALELabour, former Lords spokeswoman on foreign affairs and former deputy head of MI6:”I think the idea that the policy of containment is an answer ignores history Containment has most certainly not been working.

Although it has had its successes in its time, neither the inspectors nor sanctions were inhibiting the pursuit of weapons of mass destruction by this regime. And does anyone doubt that only the credible threat of force has achieved the return of the UN inspectors? “Resolution 1441 demands full co-operation from Iraq and is a final chance which the regime is patently not taking. I really have problems understanding how anyone can have doubts about international law being breached by military action against Iraq. Chapter seven specifically allows the use of force and Saddam has failed to comply with 23 separate obligations and a series of resolutions under chapter seven “The stark choice is Saddam’s: disarm now or be disarmed.

Containment most certainly has not been working and although it has had its successes in its time, neither the inspectors nor inspections were inhibiting the pursuit of weapons of mass destruction by this regime.”LORD BRAMALLCrossbencher, former Chief of the Defence Staff”I do think it is very important that everyone is quite clear what we are likely to be letting ourselves in for if we went down the military path. When land forces are deployed to battle positions, as ours shortly will be, it becomes difficult to reverse the process. And having so openly supported the Americans on the possible need for military action, the Prime Minister can hardly withdraw that support now. Even with all the American military power and high technology, getting into Iraq to implement the political aim was always going to be easier than handling what you did when you got there, and being able to extricate yourself after the battle was over. “Winston Churchill once wrote: ‘Never, never, never believe that any war will be smooth and easy.’ It must be recognised that such largely American military action would constitute, whether intended or not, a massive piece of imperial policing in an area where it is probably less, not more, Western intervention which is needed.

Any satisfactory rearrangement of Iraq is probably going to require a quite lengthy occupation. The Prime Minister and ministers must do more to get the nation’s support It is essential for men and women in the armed forces. “Before going into battle they do need to know the public are behind them. If war cannot be averted, at least military operations will be conducted as quickly and intelligently as possible, and by this I mean 14 days of land battle at the outside Otherwise we are in deep trouble.