Was it worth it?
The end of the UK's military presence in Iraq is imminent. So what have we achieved in six years? And was it worth the cost — both human and financial? That was the topic on today's show.
There's no doubt that Southern Iraq is more peaceful than it was a year ago, but when British forces invaded Iraq as part of the US-led coalition in 2003 few people imagined troops would still be in the country six years later.
There's a sense of relief for many British servicemen and women that their final tour of Iraq is winding down. Some are now serving on their fourth tour, taking them away from home for two years out of the last six.
Defence Secretary John Hutton is in Basra today for a memorial service for the 179 British personnel who have died during the conflict. But let's not forget the hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians who also lost their lives during the conflict.
Now, with the benefit of hindsight, do you think we were right to go to war, after all?
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