Menzies Campbell: Consequences of Iraq invasion must not be forgotten

Commenting on the end of US military operations in Iraq, Former Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Sir Menzies Campbell said: "Although Iraq has slipped down the British political agenda it should never be forgotten that the cost of the disastrous decision to join the United States in military action against Iraq was and remains enormous.

"Unjustified optimism based on inadequate intelligence and unthinking determination to remain close to the Bush administration led the United Kingdom into one of the most ill-advised foreign affairs decisions in living memory.

"The only hope is that we have learned lessons from a badly judged venture. The implications of the Iraq decision should inform every policy decision to commit British troops in the future."