Clwyd on Iraq: 'optimisim'
Updated on 19 March 2008
Was it worth it? Ann Clwyd gives her verdict on the legacy of the Iraq war, as part of our series of viewpoints from social and political voices.
Watch Ann Clwyd give her verdict
Read a transcript of Ann Clwyd's verdict
"I've campaigned against the regime of Saddam Hussein for over 20 years along with Iraqis, who also campaigned to get him removed. I through Indict, the organisation I chaired, gathered evidence on Iraqi war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.
"I witnessed what happened to the Kurds in 1991 when helicopter gunships of Saddam Hussein bombed them in the mountains and thousands died.
"I saw some of the early victims of Halabja when chemical weapons were used against the kurds.
"I've been going to Iraq since 2003, I've been there 16 times altogether, and I've seen the mass graves of thousands of dead Iraqis - men, women and children - who were killed by the regime.
"Not everything has gone right during the last five years but recently there is cause for optimism. There's a feeling amongst ordinary Iraqis that there's a good future ahead of them and I believe that we should continue to help them to build that future."
More voices
To see all the voices - including General Sir Mike Jackson, George Galloway, Peter Oborne and Inayat Bunglawala - give their verdict on the legacy of the Iraq war, click on the image below. Click on the image below
