It’s war. Or it will be soon. That’s the message thrown at us almost constantly. In reality, the extent of the wars already taking a terrible toll is substantial, and the danger of them linking up into a third world war is all too real. The British government is inextricably linked to these conflicts and is following a path which is leading directly to further wars.
The two major theatres of war involve Britain directly. In Ukraine, successive governments have poured arms into the country, have declared a ‘coalition of the willing’ to support the country, and have refused any opportunity for a ceasefire which would bring the carnage to an end. Andy Burnham’s first overseas visit was to Kyiv, following in the footsteps of Keir Starmer and giving blueprints to develop weapons to Zelensky. As well as regularly increasing shipments of weapons, Britain has been directly involved in Ukrainian airstrikes inside Russia and on Russian targets, something that means Britain is becoming directly implicated in open warfare with Russia, and to which the latter threatens to respond.
We have long argued that the war in Ukraine is a proxy war between an ever-expanding Nato and Russia. The deep strikes inside Russia could not happen without Nato collaboration. It is this war which is obsessing European leaders, who are focusing their rearming efforts on the war in Ukraine, which they are determined to maintain and continue the proxy war which Nato and Russia are conducting. Emmanuel Macron is closely allied to Britain on the question. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz wants to enforce a longer working week to pay for a new arms economy which centres on war with Russia.
Germany says Russia is responsible for the recent incident of a drone attack on Leipzig airport, which is a logistical centre for Ukrainian supplies and a Ukrainian airline. Maybe. But we were told same about the blowing up of the Nord Stream pipeline between Russia and Germany four years ago, whereas now a Ukrainian national is accused of that.
Meanwhile, the European powers’ complicity over Israel’s genocide and the war Trump and Netanyahu are waging in Iran continues. Threats are increasing. Trump’s stalemate means he is repeatedly having to return to military intervention because he cannot defeat Iran. While even his own military and politicians are divided over Iran, Trump blunders on, unable to go forward or back without dramatic escalation. Israel is urging an even more disastrous land invasion – something whose consequences would put the Vietnam defeat in the shade.
Andy Burnham’s government says it is not involved in this war, but that is a lie. British bases are used by US bombers. Britain shares intelligence in the Middle East. And Britain in directly complicit in arming Israel. The lack of clamour from politicians and the press at clear war crimes has been a feature of the three-year attack on Gaza. It is repeated over Iran as wedding parties, schools and hospitals are attacked.
We have entered a very dangerous phase of conflict worldwide. Both Trump and Netanyahu want to escalate wars of their own creating which they have not won. In Europe, the supposed Russian threat and the drive to arms are linked, and they are also linked to further attacks on us. The Tories this week are trying to demand even more spent on arms while cutting housing benefit and reinstating the two-child cap on benefits which will push hundreds of thousands of children into poverty.
The war in Ukraine has gone on for longer than the First World War. It is not being won by either side but the danger is that either side can decide to escalate for a variety of reasons. That can lead to horrific outcomes, including the widening of the theatre of war, and the involvement of nuclear weapons. Already previous neutral powers such as Finland and Sweden are increasing their military presence, and several states are stationing nukes and have Nato troops on their soil. There is also increasingly a linking up of different theatres of war – in Ukraine, the Middle East and the Pacific.
Working-class people have no interest in supporting these wars or the imperialist powers behind them. The demand by Stop the War and various unions for welfare not warfare is hugely important. But it cuts across pro-Ukraine policies. Labour following Starmer’s policy of rearmament means cuts in our welfare. Unfortunately, unions like Unite and the GMB will not fight that.
How do we respond? It is clear that we need a much stronger anti-war movement, and one which can combat this war drive ideologically and practically. That means getting the politics right. It is 25 years since the events of 9/11, when we formed the Stop the War Coalition to oppose the war on Afghanistan and on Iraq. We were very clear that our main enemy was at home. Those involved in Stop the War opposed the Taliban and Saddam Hussein, but recognised the danger of any intervention against them for regime change. Our opponents on the right accused us of appeasement and much more, and some on the left also argued for denunciation of both sides. I was phoned by one of them the night before tens of thousands gathered to oppose the war in Afghanistan who told me that no one would come because we did not oppose the Taliban.
The 2 million who marched against the Iraq war on 15 February 2003 didn’t have a problem with our main focus of opposition being to US and British imperialism. Only a tiny fraction of the left took a different and, in my view, highly mistaken line. Today, however, this is more widespread, especially on the US left. The open letter to Iranian political prisoners signed by various notables drew an equivalence between the US government and Iran at a time when the latter is subject to illegal and unjustified military attack.
This drew a sharp response and a continued argument. Those who equate US imperialism and Iran’s Islamic Republic decry others as being ‘campists’: supporters of the opposite ‘camp’ to that of US (and British) imperialism. Yet opposing one’s own ruling class does not imply support for its enemies. What it represents is a recognition that the first duty of anti-war activists is to oppose their own government and that the main enemy is at home.
That does not mean we refuse to criticise repression and imprisonment in Iran or anywhere else. But it is to recognise that Western imperialism has repeatedly attacked countries in the developing world, using all manner of justifications about democracy, women’s rights, fighting repression and much else, and that we as citizens of those countries have a duty to fight those war drives. The US movement against what is happening in Iran is very small. Maybe that is to do with a politics of the US left which condemns its own ruling class but condemns its enemies as even worse.
It’s good to see Reform in trouble. Farage looks to me as in a very difficult position over the shady dealings of his party. Excellent. But we know that whatever its problems, we have a big issue with far-right politics. The scenes in Dover on Saturday were chilling. Masked men in uniform blocked roads for several hours in protest at migrants arriving by boat. Not a single one was arrested or in any way hindered in their intimidating actions. Recent years of riots, pogroms and ‘raising the colours’ has helped build the fascists and far right. They are heartened by the vile scapegoating of migrants by media and politicians, and benefit from the real ‘two-tier policing’ which favours them over the left.
The drive to war also helps strengthen their ideas. With financial crisis and unemployment looming, with Burnham already disappointing those who expected improvements, with the increase in nationalism and militarism, the threat is real.
Source: Counterfire