But in the first Gulf war the United Kingdom was not under any threat from Iraq, and is still less so in the second one. Then there is no justification for obstructing freedom of information, particularly as nations have a right to know what their soldiers are being used for.

Summary

This quote argues that during both the first and second Gulf wars, the United Kingdom was not in danger from Iraq. Therefore, there is no valid reason to suppress freedom of information, especially since it is important for nations to be aware of the purposes behind deploying their soldiers. The quote implies that transparency in military actions is necessary, as citizens have the right to be informed about the actions taken by their governments in their name.