the worst part of it is that according to the opinion polls at the time and my own discussions with people, Blair could have actually been brutally honest and said that in 2003, and at least half the UK population would have supported the war. He is actually getting hassle more for lying about the reasons than the war itself.
Its often worth remembering that people like us who are progressive minded tend to surround ourselves with mostly like-minded people – but in the wider world there are plenty who would have just supported a war out of their own self-interest and jingoism…
The tories would have gone to war as they have always supported the military industrial complex and imperialism. The leader of the Lib Dems has actually served in active combat.
Think about the fuel protests of 2000, and the constant whining and moaning about petrol prices… even on SJ people are always whinging about petrol prices (cost of getting to parties) and I’m fairly sure I have seen posts supportive of the war on this angle alone.
That said the economic sums don’t really add up now; they were made on the assumption the Iraqis would welcome their invaders “liberation” of their oil and natural resources…
But as for the widow, realistically the politicians are only half to blame.
If this country still had the draft (apparently the US still has it in some form!) or conscription I would be more sympathetic – but people make their own decision to join HM Forces, as did her husband, and she made the decision to marry a man knowing he was in the Forces and could be a casualty of war.
He also signed up knowing that he could be called on to take others lives at the whim of politicans -but the enemy got there first.
He could just as easily have become a builder or plumber (our country needs them as much as soldiers) and used his physical strength for less violent and destructive means, and had he done so those kids would still have their dad today.
