Iraq: 5 Years On
March 20th, 2008 by Web Team — Videos, Iraq
On the fifth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, the Liberal Democrats’ Shadow Defence Secretary Nick Harvey MP looks at the cost of the war, “one of the most devastating foreign policy blunders and British government has ever made.”
He calls for a public inquiry into the war, and for Labour and the Conservatives to apologise for their lack of judgement in supporting military action.
3 comments ↓
Nick, as a ex-member of the Royal Air Force we need to give our forces the appropriate tools to carry out their role effectively so that their welfare is protected. We need to continually make sure that this is at the forefront of our campaigning so that the government is kept on its toes.
As a ex campaigner working for SSAFA we also need to look after our forces personnel when they have left service. Combat Stress helps our ex service personnel with mental health problems - i think the government should inject more resources to help this area, such as better care for post traumatic stress disorder.
Ian Roome
Iraq should only have been attacked under the umbrella of the U.N. and I support your motives BUT this vague, unfocussed and peripheral initiative will be ignored by the electorate at large and so ultimately useless.
Liberal Democrats already have the core vote of 20% of the voters. These are mainly the civic minded, educated to a high level, fair minded, just, socially active in politics and good causes
members of the population.
We should be using much broader, fundamental, easy to grasp, basic messages to draw in some of the more similarly minded members from the edges of the Tory and Labour Partys to our cause. BASIC RADICAL messages on Tax, Economy, Land Tenure, Housing, Monarchy, Crime and so on.
“Better to die fighting than live as a slave”
J. C.
We can call…but they won’t listen, we can shout and they won’t hear - this is how those in power ‘handle’ the problem of those of us who disagree with the war in Iraq; we are ignored down into insignificance and pointlessness
Marches go endlessly nowhere, under-counted by a compliant media… petitions get signed for no reason, no recognition of their significance and the futility, it eats away at the souls of those who would make a stand.
The internet helps us to feel connected, helps to ever so slightly ease the futility with the warming sensation of connecting with like minds that share hope. But sadly, although the internet has enhanced how we communicate and share our distress at the actions of our governments…it is also an invisible action.
The anti-war/peace movement seems to involve a lot of signing-up to sites, buying merchandise and buying into a whole array of ideas, perhaps beyond that which we are focused on individually.
As an individual who is against the war in Iraq, I don’t believe this is a political stance - it is a moral and sane one. A stance based on the fact that we went to war with lies as intelligence and we know this - so why are we still there? What can justify this continued act that is clearly illegal?
We are splintered by issues unrelated to the reason for our need for activism. Whatever our political allegiance, our religious belief, our colour or our status - we are humans, outraged by inhumane actions.
Becoming ‘active’ is something we as individuals HAVE to consider when faced with acts by our governments - in our names - that we are against. Acts that we fund with our taxes and ALLOW with our in-activism. Nick sets a good example that should be followed, that HAS to be followed if we truly believe there can be change.
In our individual human hearts we have to know that the invasion of Iraq was wrong and continues to be wrong. We have been lied to and robbed, both of our public money and our reputations as rational human beings.
But ‘activism’ is not natural to us and it gets bad press. It seems to involve dressing bad and shouting a lot - spending money buying merchandise and taking time off to travel to marches and events.
But it shouldn’t and doesn’t have to be hard to be active, it shouldn’t and doesn’t have to cost or take time - I am hoping that after reading this that you will consider individual, daily activism that is free, instant and non-political at Arms Against War (www.armsagainstwar.info).
It offers the opportunity for individuals to empower themselves with a simple act of activism that costs nothing, not even time - just a simple, home-made, white fabric armband is all it takes.
This visible symbol is representative of the wearer’s agreement with the statement “I want an end to the war in Iraq” - nothing more, nothing less. Please consider this show of independent voice & unity for all the reasons that the Liberal Democrats dare to highlight as the lone voices on our political horizon.
Let’s get VISIBLE and at least, as individuals, each take one step in the direction in which we want others to follow.
Namaste,
Tina Louise
www.armsagainstwar.info
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2255332302
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Two thousand years ago, a Roman Senator suggested that all slaves wear white armbands to better identify them.
“No,” said a wiser Senator.
“If they see how many of them there are, they may revolt.”
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