WHATEVER the arguments over the decision to go to war with Iraq, Tony Blair is right to tell British troops that their continuing presence in the country is of huge importance.

The war happened and the debate over its justification will go on. But our forces which remain in Iraq are performing a critical role which must not be cut short.

It is work that is both highly dangerous and some way from being complete. But, despite the ongoing atrocities, there is progress, underlined by the fact that ten million Iraqi people have just voted in democratic elections.

It was encouraging to hear the Prime Minister talk during his visit to Basra yesterday about the prospect of British troops being withdrawn.

But no timetable was set and that is right. The homecoming cannot, and should not, happen until the job is finished and Iraq is in a position where stability can be maintained by its own people.

So, with Christmas approaching, our thoughts are with the 8,500 British servicemen and women who are stationed in Iraq, striving to establish stability and democracy amid such uncertainty.

Some of them from our region send messages back to their loved ones in The Northern Echo today.

They should indeed be proud of the important job they are doing and we must all hope that the end result will be a safer world.

Because that would make the decision to attack Iraq, with the terrible loss of life, much easier to justify.