Mr Brown praised the progress made in Iraq

Mr Cable told MPs 40 women had been executed for "personal immorality".

He asked if 173 UK troops had died to shift power from "the fascist regime of Saddam Hussein to the terror of the fascist militias" on Basra's streets.

Mr Brown hailed progress in Iraq, saying it had democratic government and violence was down 90% in recent months.

The British military will transfer security control in Basra to Iraqi forces on 16 December, the Iraqi government has said.

'Democracy'

During the final prime minister's questions before Christmas, Mr Cable asked Mr Brown: "Isn't the real disaster, for which the prime minister has personal responsibility, the continuing tragedy in Iraq?

"When he was in Basra this week was he told that 40 women, at least, have been executed for personal immorality.

I would have thought even with the differences over the war he would have welcomed the progress that's being made Gordon Brown Prime minister PMQ sketch: Cable killer blow

"And is this why 173 British troops have died? Transferring power from the fascist regime of Saddam Hussein to the terror of the fascist militia who run the streets of Basra."

Mr Brown replied that Iraq was now a democracy and Basra had been handed over to Iraqi control so British forces would instead be focusing on a training role, rather than combat.

"I would have thought even with the differences over the war he would have welcomed the progress that's being made," Mr Brown said.

Military covenant

The session in the Commons was Mr Cable's last as acting leader of the Liberal Democrats, who opposed the Iraq war in 2003.

Later the government was again attacked in a Commons debate on the "military covenant".

Lib Dem spokesman Nick Harvey said the armed forces had been left overstretched by Iraq and Afghanistan and troops were being deployed for too long while their families were housed in poor accommodation.

We will look to see what more we can do across the whole of government to check our priorities, to see that we are supporting our armed forces in a way that is appropriate Bob Ainsworth Defence minister

He described the military covenant as "the implicit two-way trust and bond" between forces personnel and the nation which owes them a duty to look after them and their families while they "risk everything for the nation".

"In that sense, it is perfectly clear that more remains to be done," he said.

For the Conservatives, Dr Andrew Murrison said "overstretch" appeared to be a common factor among officers leaving the Army and said he had been "appalled" by the "squalor" of forces' housing in his constituency.

Defence Minister Bob Ainsworth said the government had achieved a good deal for troops - with a 9.2% pay rise for the most junior ranks, a tax-free operational allowance and council tax rebates for those serving abroad.

He also said there had been a "significant investment" in equipment to front line troops and said the government was "moving fast" to put right decades of under-investment in defence accommodation.