In the final parliamentary debate before the Iraq war, a courageous parliamentary maverick, of long standing in the House of Commons, told Blair and Straw that the unjustified attack on Iraq would result in terrorist attacks in Britain.
Further, he told them not to pretend they hadn't been warned when the first attack happened.
That MP was of course Kenneth Clarke, who has now made his anti-war stance a platform in his (probably hopeless) quest to become Tory leader. The possibility that he might win opens up a bizarre sceSTOP WAR
in which both of the traditional parties of British capitalism would line up against the war, with only
New Labour and the BNP offering a pro-war line.
Clarke's warning probably reflected the CUROCIISES among serious politicians of all parties, among many journalists and political analysts, not to mention the police and security services indeed the former Met Commissioner John Stevens warned for a long time that such an attack was "inevitable').
And in the aftermath of the London bombings Blair is more isolated than ever in his dogmatic insistence that Britain's support for the invasion of Iraq had nothing to do with the radicalisation of the British-born bombers - especially since the release of the Al-Qaeda video-tape of one of them specifically explaining his motives.
While the London bombings have ensured that Blair remains mired in the Iraq situation, unable to focus on his domestic agenda beyond the reactionary law and order policies and attacks on civil lib- support for the erties, Hurricane Katrina has also brought the war Iraq had crashing back into nothing to do US politics, under-* with the lining the colossal cost of the occupation in terms of of the Britishcash, resources and personnel.
Overall Iraq is a disaster for Bush and Blair; in particular it is turning into a disaster for the US neocons and threatens to sink their project. A key indicator is the rise of the US antiwar movement, and in particular the
focus on Cindy Sheehan camped outside the president's holiday home. As the mother of a soldier killed in Iraq, and representing the feelings of a growing number of bereaved parents, she is a disaster for the White House. The American right has of necessity been forced into battle with her, but her case and its popularity show the right is losing support in the heartlands of America. If it wasn't Cindy Sheehan it would be another bereaved mother or father. Iraq is a quagmire with no way out for the Bush administration. If they cut and run from Iraq they lose all the political and economic objectives they sought, with immense damage to their interests worldwide. If they stay, they continue to take political flak inside America and worldwide for the ongoing violence and brutality, with Bush's standing steadily Blair is more eroded. For the isolated than moment they have ever in his no option but to
• tough it out. dogmatic That's why the insistence that timing of the
September Britain's
demonstration called by Stop the invasion of War Coalition,
CND and the Muslim Association of Britain is especially apt: on the eve of Labour radicalisation Party conference,
it will focus the born bombers political pressure
on Blair to Bring the Troops Home, while embracing the defence of civil liberties and opposition to the scapegoating of Muslims. We have to do everything possible to make this a major show of strength as our fight against the war goes on.