| QUALIFIERS | Those going through life with US and Iraq in conflict (10) |
| CAREERCRIMINAL | Progress through life with thief perhaps becoming an habitual offender (6,8) |
| REMOTE | One of those going through the proper channels perhaps in the back of beyond (6) |
| ISIS | Jihadist organisation that proclaimed a short-lived caliphate in Syria and Iraq in 2014 (4) |
| MIDDLEAGED | Halfway through life? (6-4) |
| GULF | ? War, 1991 conflict between coalition forces led by the United States and Iraq (4) |
| SADDAMHUSSEIN | Iraqi leader captured by US forces in 2003 and executed in Iraq in 2006 (6,7) |
| SUMERIAN | US marine served in Iraq in former times (8) |
| ATOUCHOFCLASS | 1973 film for which Glenda Jackson won a Best Actress Oscar, and received a telegram from Eric Morecambe reading "Stick with us and we will get you another one" (1,5,2,5) |
| PEGASUS | Gapes, travelling with us and seeing this constellation |
| WUSHU | Chinese art of fighting with us and half of Asiatic people |
| SUBSISTED | It's best Sid has remained with us and has stayed alive (9) |
| DISUSED | Obsolete, so Sidney returned with us and Ed (7) |
| RUSTLE | Run with us and let out a slight soft sound |
| WESTHAMUNITED | Meet with us and get hammered? (4,3,6) |
| ACCUSER | Person who blames a couple of Conservatives with us and the queen (7) |
| ENDUSER | Finish with us and the final right customer (3,4) |
| USO | Kind of tour Robin Williams did in Iraq in 2003: abbr. |
| AUBERGINE | Rue being mixed up with America and Deep Purple? |
| REAGANOMICS | Song intricately connected with America and its earlier policies |
