Thoughts this morning are with the people (including a number of friends) going on the Stop The War rally in London. I was going to go, but have too many other things to do for The Project and myself that I need to do (and yes, I know that those reasons pale somewhat against the threat of war) – and I must confess that I feel more than a little guilty that I’m not going. No protest has ever made me feel that way before.
I’m not opposed to war under any circumstances, but I feel that there must be a true justification for it, as there was when liberating Kuwait. I’m also particularly uncomfortable that Mr Bush and Mr Blair see fit to send troops into another country with the purpose of "regime change", even if they do dress it up as disarmament (little evidence of those arms yet, it seems) or even "liberating the people".
Politically, I hope that today’s protest shakes the Government (and the opposition) a little with regard to this issue. It seems to me, at the moment, that Charles Kennedy and the LibDems, as the only mainstream party to be actively questioning the policy of the Government in a reasoned and reasonable way, are most likely to gain from the current situation. Whether that will change if/when military action actually kicks off is another matter, as the British populace is known for supporting the British forces in pretty much whatever they do. I’m not sure if that largesse extends to governments and political parties though.
So, I’m sorry that I’m not marching today. But whilst I may not be marching in body, I shall be there in spirit. Good luck to those who go today, and let’s see what unfolds.
separating the wanted from the unwanted