Writing exclusively for ePolitix.com, senior Labour MP George Foulkes explains why this is a just war.

We are at war with Iraq to disarm a dangerous dictator, who has twice invaded his neighbours and gassed thousands of his own people.

Our aim is to stop his chemical and biological weapons being used again and to prevent them from getting into the hands of terrorists.

Force has had to be used, as a last resort, because Saddam Hussein, having flouted the will of the UN for 12 years, ignored his final warning contained in resolution 1441.

The policy of containment did not work. The dictator continued to develop weapons of mass destruction and manipulated the sanctions regime to hurt his own people.

In refusing the UN oil for food scheme he wanted his people to starve so opposition to sanctions would grow.

This cunning was also used to divide the international community by offering small, 11th hour concessions to the weapons inspectors, and to string along any allies or doubters in the security council.

This cunning, and the duplicity of the French, scuppered a further resolution of the UN security council.

At least 10 nations were ready to back a further resolution but the French threat to veto any further resolution, whatever its terms, sabotaged that outcome.

Whereas a further UN resolution would have been desirable politically, it is not necessary legally.

The Iraqi breach of the cease fire agreement, coupled with Resolution 1441, is enough to justify the "serious consequences" of military action now being taken.

Our aims now must be first to have a short, successful and relatively bloodless conflict.

This would be achieved more easily if the Iraqi people, who have suffered under Saddam Hussein for so long, desert the dictator and rise up against him.

When the conflict is over we must then commit the resources necessary to deal with the humanitarian and reconstruction work necessary to restore Iraq, and to developing democratic institutions quickly to ensure peace, stability and prosperity are brought to a people who have suffered too long.