Contemporary Motion on Iraq at Labour Party Conference

Composite 6: UK Role in Iraq
Mover: Regents Park and Kensington CLP

Conference notes that:

1. Throughout August and September 2004 there has been a series of onslaughts by US forces against Iraqi resistance in Najaf, Diwaniya, Sadr City, FaIIujah and elsewhere, with ever mounting loss of lives both military and civilian;

2. This September has seen the list of US casualties pass 1,000, while the list of Iraqi casualties is conservatively estimated to be at least 10 times as great.

3. Britain and other countries supporting the US invasion and occupation are also continuing to suffer serious losses;

4. On 7 August the US appointed interim government banned Al Jazeera from broadcasting in Iraq;

5. On 8 August the Iraqi government reintroduced the death penalty, not just for murder but for the vague offence of 'endangering national security';

6. The continuing lack of evidence of Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction is now confirmed by the latest Iraq Survey Group report.

This conference now calls on the British Government to recognise that the continuing occupation of Iraq is unjustifiably destructive of both lives and resources and calls on the Prime Minister to name an early date for the withdrawal of British forces.