Britain Must Act to Secure Truce in Middle East
We are in danger of witnessing a rapid descent into a widespread war in the Middle East, involving Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria and Iran, unless Britain with other peace allies act swiftly as mediators. Already the loss of innocent lives on all sides in this conflict is mounting hour by hour but the scale of suffering will be immense if the war engulfs the whole region as it now threatens to do.
Following his meeting with George Bush, the Prime Minister seems to be simply following the American line of seeking to blame the current escalation of military action on both Iran and Syria.
Whatever the provocation of having soldiers captured, the Israeli response has been commonly acknowledged as totally disproportionate. In addition the lack of early intervention by the US to seek to restrain the Israeli reaction at the outset leads some to fear that the implication of Iran in the current conflict suits the USA's wider political and military agenda for the Middle East.
Britain could play an important role in preventing the further escalation of this conflict and in laying out the terrain for its resolution.
Israel is only influenced in any meaningful way by the US. Britain must now call upon the US administration to make it patently clear that it does not support the present Israeli military action and that consequences for the Israeli/US relationship would follow if Israel persists in its attacks on Lebanon and Palestine.
Britain, along with its European peace allies, should now seek a mediating role via the UN. First, to negotiate a ceasefire and subsequently the handing over of prisoners from both sides.
There is a possibility that we could assist all parties to this conflict to step back from the brink. But we can only succeed in playing this role if Britain is demonstrably seen to be independent of the Bush administration.
Our role on the international stage is diminished by Britain being viewed as a satellite of the Bush administration.
The Ministry for Peace initiative, which I participated in establishing in the UK three years ago, has demonstrated that around the world conflict has been overcome by some very basic techniques of peace making and conflict prevention.
It is time that we established at the heart of the UK government a Ministry for Peace, so that we are organised and resourced to assist in preventing any future conflicts like the one we are presently witnessing in the Middle East.
You can find out more about the Ministry for Peace at the website.
Following his meeting with George Bush, the Prime Minister seems to be simply following the American line of seeking to blame the current escalation of military action on both Iran and Syria.
Whatever the provocation of having soldiers captured, the Israeli response has been commonly acknowledged as totally disproportionate. In addition the lack of early intervention by the US to seek to restrain the Israeli reaction at the outset leads some to fear that the implication of Iran in the current conflict suits the USA's wider political and military agenda for the Middle East.
Britain could play an important role in preventing the further escalation of this conflict and in laying out the terrain for its resolution.
Israel is only influenced in any meaningful way by the US. Britain must now call upon the US administration to make it patently clear that it does not support the present Israeli military action and that consequences for the Israeli/US relationship would follow if Israel persists in its attacks on Lebanon and Palestine.
Britain, along with its European peace allies, should now seek a mediating role via the UN. First, to negotiate a ceasefire and subsequently the handing over of prisoners from both sides.
There is a possibility that we could assist all parties to this conflict to step back from the brink. But we can only succeed in playing this role if Britain is demonstrably seen to be independent of the Bush administration.
Our role on the international stage is diminished by Britain being viewed as a satellite of the Bush administration.
The Ministry for Peace initiative, which I participated in establishing in the UK three years ago, has demonstrated that around the world conflict has been overcome by some very basic techniques of peace making and conflict prevention.
It is time that we established at the heart of the UK government a Ministry for Peace, so that we are organised and resourced to assist in preventing any future conflicts like the one we are presently witnessing in the Middle East.
You can find out more about the Ministry for Peace at the website.
posted by John at 11:05 PM
6 Comments:
We’re following the debate concerning your campaign with interest and support. Keep up the fight for a socialist labour movement throughout Europe.
//Markus
chairman of Socialdemocratic Youth Malmö, Sweden
British people are suffering from Blair's boring regime hence no swift response to your statement, John, which is is brilliant that even someone from Sweden has paid you a compliment as a Comment. Total agreement with your views about Bush and Blair's 'bungle' in the Middle East and no Peace Plan to restrict heavy-handed Israel!
Keep up the work John. I am a young member of the party (17). I have been a member for over 2 years now, and your announcement is one of the most exciting events that I have witnessed, and has released some much needed energy into the Party.
I admire you for continually emphasising it is not about personalities but about policies. Stick to your guns John and there is little doubt in my mind about the potential amount of support you have out there.
Jerry
Hi Jerry
If your a young member of the party there is a meeting you may be interested in attending on the 24th July (this coming Monday) to set up a LRC youth wing it is at portcullis house at 7pm! We will also be having a youth caucas at the LRC conference on saturday.
Hope to see you there.
It's good you're standing and I look forward to some good policy debates. However, I think that it is unfair just to say: "Whatever the provocation of having soldiers captured, the Israeli response has been commonly acknowledged as totally disproportionate" - whatever the provocation? There's blame on both sides here and it takes two to tango. I hope you will stand independently of someone like George Galloway and that you can promote debate and open-mindedness on these subjects.
Good luck, John - it'd be nice to stick a knife in the heart of New Labour
Any Ministry for Peace must promote climate change and the end of oil. More than ever oil dictates US/UK policy in the Middle East. See The Party's Over, Richard Heinberg. He puts it succinctly: oil is food. Check out the film An Inconvenient Truth. A unionist platform by itself won't cut it, imho. martin deane, hull
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