This week the Scottish Parliament will hold a debate on the war, as we mark the 10th anniversary of the invasion of Iraq.

It does not seem long ago that I, alongside tens of thousands of folk marched from Glasgow Green to the SECC to voice our opposition to the war.

I remember the police having to close off Kingston Bridge, and the resulting mass sit-in at Charing Cross.

The Iraq war marked a turning point for my involvement in politics.

At the time I couldn't believe that the Labour Government would ignore the outcry from hundreds of thousands of people across Scotland and the UK – yet they did.

I did not understand why we had to send our brave sons and daughters into a war that we, as a nation, disagreed with.

I saw independence as a way to stop this ever happening again, and became actively involved in the campaign.

There have been vocal opponents to the war from here in the city of Glasgow.

Someone whose story has stayed with me since the early days of the war is Rose Gentle.

Her son, Gordon, was only 19 when he was killed in Iraq in 2004 by a roadside bomb.

His death could have been prevented if the vehicle he was in had been fitted with protection against improvised explosive devices.

Since her tragic loss, Rose has campaigned tirelessly for better protected vehicles for UK troops, and is a founder member of Military Families Against the War.

The fact that she had to fight so hard for answers about her son's death, and for the truth about the war, means that it is important that we still discuss and debate these issues.

Although we have learnt lessons from the past, there are still questions to be answered about the Iraq War, ten years since it began.

Opposition to the war isn't simply party political opportunism.

I supported the late Robin Cook's ideological stance against the war, and was deeply moved by his speech when resigning from the Labour Government in March 2003.

His resignation showed that the strength of feeling rose above political parties and showed that there were many who favoured a peaceful, non-combative solution.

Debating the Iraq war also gives us a chance to look to the future.

In an independent Scotland, a written constitution would ensure that troops would never be sent into an illegal war.

Independence for Scotland will offer the protection that we needed ten years ago and hopefully debating these issues today will mean our future generations will not be burdened by our mistakes.