| Topic: | Concern About the Invasion of Iraq | |
| Posted by: | David Giles | |
| Date/Time: | 21/05/07 15:37:00 |
| Thank you Richard Jennings for reminding me about what I wrote on this Forum in 2002- 5 years ago. My views then are very similar to the views expressed by Sir Alan Munro in his address to Chiswick Churches Together for Justice and Peace at Christ Church Turnham Green last Wednesday 16th May 2007. However Gordon Brown reiterated his support for the disasterous invasion and occupation of Iraq in Coventry this weekend. Presumably his PPS, our local MP, Ann Keen, shares his views. So far as I know she has always voted for the War in Iraq but she has never defended her position in public in her own constituency. She did not attend last week's excellent public meeting on "Islam and the West's Response". This is what I said nearly 5 years ago: "Topic: Concern about the War Forum Home Posted by: David Giles Date/Time: 06/09/02 14:26:00 I think that there is widespread concern about the prospects of the USA and the UK waging a war against Iraq without the support of the UN,NATO,the EU, the international community and the vast majority of public opinion in the USA and the UK. As stated by Iain Duncan Smith recently, Tony Blair has singularily failed to make the case for the UK to take part in a US-led atack on Iraq. We keep hearing about evidence that Iraq has weapons of mass destruction but so far the the evidence has not been produced by either the US or the British Governments. Having lived and worked in a number of Arab countries, I am very concerned about the reaction of the Arab world and the world's one billion Muslims to an attack on Iraq. The Gulf War arose after Saddam Hussein attacked and invaded Kuwait and threatened Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf States. The Coalition led then by President George Bush had the support of the UN,NATO, the EU and the vast majority of Arab governments. There is no similar Coalition at present. Although Saddam Hussein undoubtably is a murdering tyrant who represents a real threat to many countries, he has not in recent years actually attacked or invaded anyone - except his own people. Consequently, rightly or wrongly, there is a lack of support in the Arab and Muslim worlds for military action against Iraq as it would be seen - not as an attack on a vile dictator who represents a threat to world peace and security - but as an attack on the Arab and Muslim people of Iraq who have suffered for many years as a result of Saddam Hussein's regime. The situation is exacerbated because the Arab and Muslim world sees the USA as the main supporter and guarantor of the State of Israel. Although many Arabs are in general great admirers of the USA and there are now large numbers of people of Arab and Muslim descent living in the USA, the USA's support for Israel is always used by Saddam Hussein and other Arabs who are hostile to the USA whenever they want to stir up anti-US feelings and activities. In my view, an attack against Iraq will lead to a vastly increased risk of terrorist attacks on US and British targets worldwide, a severe deterioration in relationships between the Arab world and the West and will place in jeopardy the lives and security of the hundreds of thousands of US and British citizens who live and work in Arab and Muslim countries from Morocco in the West right through North Africa and the Middle East to Pakistan, Indonesia and Malaysia in South-East Asia. I hope that a peaceful solution can be found before the situation deteriorates further. Let us hope that Saddam Hussein backs down or is deposed in the face of the US/UK threats and that UN weapons inspectors are allowed unrestricted access to Iraq so all chemical, biological or nuclear weapons are found and destroyed. The people of Iraq deserve a better future than the tyranny, constant war, sanctions and suffering they have suffered for so many years under Saddam Hussein. The US and British Governments must do everything, short of war, to weaken and remove Saddam Hussein but they must not risk the fragile relationships and interdependence between the Arab and Muslim countries and the West. In addition to my concern for US, British and other Westerners living in Arab and Muslim countries, I am also concerned about the lives of our servicemen and servicewomen who may be asked to fight and die in the war.The British Armed Forces are now much weaker than they were at the time of the Gulf War and their contribution to the war effort will be very small. In my view the case for an attack on Iraq by the USA and the UK alone, without international support, has not been proven.On the contrary it could be a completely irresponsible misadventure which could lead to the unnecessary loss of huge numbers of Western and Iraqi lives and a poisoning of relationships between the West and the Arab and Muslim worlds for decades to come. " Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis and nearly 150 British servicemen and women have lost their lives since.We have also had 7/7 and numerous terror threats and a great deterioration in relationships between the Arab and Islamic worlds and this country. |