The failure of coalition troops to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq shows Britain and the United States have made a "massive blunder", a former SDLP minister claimed today.
Former Stormont finance minister Mr Sean Farren MLA argued that the US and British Governments' justification for invading Iraq was vanishing.
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"Tony Blair and George Bush have made a massive blunder by ordering this invasion," he said. "The claim that weapons of mass destruction were available to Saddam Hussein and that a threat existed to other countries has not been shown to be true.
"No such weapons have been used against the invaders and none have been found. More importantly, the claim that the people of Iraq were just waiting to be liberated is even less true. No general uprising against Saddam has been prompted by the invasion. Even less have the invaders been greeted with any kind of welcome".
Mr Farren today called for an end to all hostilities. He acknowledged the withdrawal of coalition troops from Iraq would be difficult but argued the US and British Governments' top priority should be saving life and preventing further destruction.
"Saddam Hussein is a vicious dictator who does not deserve to be in office a day longer can be allowed," he said.
But he added: "Whatever Saddam Hussein's fate, the invasion is likely to include huge instability in the region - the consequences of which are impossible to predict, much less control.
PA