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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsA certain minority on this site supported the Iraq war authorization - Jeremy Corbyn did not.
Last edited Sat Jul 2, 2016, 02:00 PM - Edit history (2)
You may remember the U.S. version of the vote to go to war in Iraq had substantial Democratic support, although about half of the Democrats in Congress were against. To an extent this was also reflected on this site, although the majority were against the push to war and remained so in the aftermath.
Quite a few posters on this site (whom I take as indicative of the U.S. liberal-left spectrum) continue to show no problem with a bellicose line that risks new wars in a lot of places. There is a tendency among some to still see Iran as a dangerous enemy, but for some reason Saudi Arabia's even worse outrages and evident danger to "our" interests tend to be ignored.
Not as many, but a not-insignificant number celebrated the brief-lived, CIA-backed, oligarchs' coup d'etat against Chavez in 2002. You may have seen 14 years of daily slag-stories on Venezuela since then, with relatiely far fewer about U.S.-backed death-squad governments killing thousands and displacing millions in Colombia, or killing tens of thousands in Mexico with support of the Bush regime's Merida Initiative. The impeachment coup against Zelaya in Honduras in 2009 also had its backers on the liberal-left spectrum, as did the later destruction of Libyan society.
I didn't notice support for this year's impeachment coup against Dilma, since the government that emerged from that couldn't be more obviously right-wing and illegitimate, but there was plenty of uncritical slinging of the pre-coup propaganda about her supposed corruption. And of course last year's EU strangling of the leftist hopes for relief in Greece had its loud backers too.
These are some of the things I keep in mind as today we see a pretty shocking number of U.S. liberals, including a few here, deliver the UK oligarch and Blairite line in support of the ongoing party leadership coup attempt against Jeremy Corbyn. The long-standing leftist MP and committed antiwar campaigner won last year's election among Labour members overwhelmingly, and has been a big fat target ever since.
Corbyn campaigned against Brexit (but without calling for stricter limits on migration and acceptance of refugees, like many of his opponents in Labour). His constituency produced a higher turnout than in last year's election, with an overwhelming vote for Remain. But now the Brexit win is somehow his fault, say a bunch of well-connected Blairites whose own constituencies in many cases voted for Leave.
The leftovers of a dozen years of Blair and Brown's continuation of Thatcherist politics and the losers of last year's election under Milliband don't like that the Labour Party now has a leader whose power is based not in elite approval but in real popularity with the members. They see the Tories entering a potential melt-down, and yet they choose this moment to tear their own party apart. Such patriots are they.
Don't they to want to win the possible early election? Apparently not if that means a real leftist government will come to power and reverse the neoliberal course of privatizing health care and education, of letting the rich and the big corporations do always as they will.
The front-benchers' showy resignations from the shadow cabinet in the immediate wake of Brexit, and the coup attempt by a non-binding "no confidence" vote that is supposed to trump the members' will, has been in the works for months. But suddenly Hillary Benn and Co. are in a rush. They seem to have realized the Brexit pretext provides the last, best hope for ousting Corbyn before a general election, but he has stood fast so far.
Curiously, none of them seems too enthusiastic about running as the opponent to Corbyn in a new party leadership election, which would be a legitimate way of replacing him. A clear challenger has yet to emerge. Angela Eagle wants to do it, but she'd be crushed. Party deputy Tom Watson is considered a stronger candidate, but he's trying to "compromise" by getting Corbyn to chop off his own head without a vote of the members, which would have the added benefit of putting the "interim" reins of leadership in the hands of... Tom Watson.
Since Corbyn's so terrible, why don't they want to put the question to the members?
If you google Corbyn's name right now, a whole bunch of UK corporate press invective sliming him every which way appears. You can find laughable "throw the kitchen sink" stories about how his supposedly overgrown house garden exemplifies his weak leadership style, and, on the bloodthirsty side, a Daily Mail front page that announces "Labour Must Kill the Vampire Jezza Right Now," which includes a photoshop of Corbyn as Dracula in a coffin. (Interesting headline, given that a British MP was literally assassinated on the street less than two weeks ago.)
But here's the problem:
Jeremy Corbyn would easily defeat likely leadership challengers, poll shows
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/jeremy-corbyn-labour-leadership-election-poll-support-angela-eagle-dan-jarvis-tom-watson-2016-eu-a7113036.html
He's far ahead of all potential challengers with full party members, and that is not yet counting the trade unionists and "3-pound" members who will also get to vote and are even more overwhelmingly for him.
The smear campaign against Corbyn is partly being orchestrated by an agency associated with Alastair Campbell (whom many Americans only know as the character Malcolm Tucker from the great film "In the Loop" , the so-called wizard who also put together the PR for UK entry into the Iraq war coalition. In a few days, Campbell will be among those exposed when the long-awaited official "Chilcot Report" on Iraq is filed.
Chilcot is expected to provide devastating evidence on the Blair government's use of fabrications and fear-mongering to join the Bush-led unpardonable war of aggression against the nation of Iraq, which caused so much suffering, destroyed that society and set up the conditions for the present horrors of the Middle East, including the existence of an "Islamic State" actually holding territory in the ruins. Blair may actually become the first leader to be prosecuted for the associated war crimes -- a move that Corbyn unforgivably said he would support, if the evidence is there.
The potential of seeing the international fugitive Blair in the dock, potentially paying for his crimes -- something you'd think many of us would welcome for its potential that we might one day see the same treatment accorded to Bush and Cheney -- is another piece of the context for why the Labourite front-benchers (almost all of whom voted for the 2003 aggression in Iraq, insofar as they were already in Parliament) are in such a rush to behead Corbyn now, and screw democracy and what the members think.
JackRiddler
(24,979 posts)malaise
(269,307 posts)JackRiddler. Fugg the Blairites. Blair publicly fought against Corbyn's leadership. He must be worried about war crimes charges.
The cockroaches are scattering before Chilcot's details are released.
truebluegreen
(9,033 posts)was pleading with Corbyn to step down for the sake of the nation. It was kind of like expecting Democrats to follow the suggestions of KKKarl Rove, for the sake of their party.
JackRiddler
(24,979 posts)SCantiGOP
(13,878 posts)While I am sure there were a handful if exceptions, I don't recall anyone here supporting the war in Iraq. Opposition to the war was the main theme of DU for several years.
JackRiddler
(24,979 posts)I was here and debating a bunch of'em. That was the last time we had a major pre-war propaganda mobilization (rather than just starting it on the down low and seeing if anyone notices), and you may concede that a lot of Americans generally respond to that shit. And even if Bush is the usurper in chief, that's our CIA and Pentagon backing up those claims and they exist to defend us. You'll probably remember how dramatically war opposition dropped off immediately after the bombing started because now it was real and it's our country and our boys going to war, gosh darn it, sacrificing so that we can have our freedoms and freedom isn't free, etc. etc. etc... Don't tell me you don't hear any of this any more around here. I suppose we could go deep into the search and reconstruct a more precise picture.
SCantiGOP
(13,878 posts)But I don't remember any significant support for the invasion before it happened. I remember a lot of discussion about what everyone was doing in their communities to oppose the war.
emulatorloo
(44,272 posts)I am sure that you may remember things differently, but my memories and the memories of others in the thread contradict yours.
I understand you have some bitterness left over from the primary wars and it may make you feel better to smear lots of DU'ers as pro-Iraq war. And as lovers of the CIA and Pentagon.
That being said this statement is unmitigated bullshit:
The vast majority of DU'ers were against the invasion, and they continued to oppose the war through out the course of it.
People can oppose a war but still support the men and women who are being put in the bad position of fighting that war.
No rational DU'er is going to shit on the men and women who are put out there in harms way by the chickenhawks of the Bush admin.
JackRiddler
(24,979 posts)Some of those statements were about Americans generally, others about Americans as reflected on DU. I should have been clearer.
So:
- I remember plenty on DU (a minority) supporting the war authorization or buying into the WMD nonsense (not the Saddam-did-9/11 nonsense). Supporting the vote if not the attack itself, because who knew if Saddam did not present an imminent threat, after all the CIA and Pentagon were saying so.
- Most on DU were against the whole way and remained against after it started.
- Opposition largely collapsed in U.S. after it started.
- The soldiers are the first resort in confusing the issue. As if the most important issue is that these people are going to be ordered to carry out a war of aggression and acts of mass murder. I sympathize most with the ones who, despite having volunteered for this for whatever reason, end up doing the right thing and resist, go to prison, desert, etc. I also feel sorry for the many who believe they must carry out their illegal orders because they took an oath, or because it's their country and they are "defending" it on orders from a legitimate government. They are well meaning and indeed the ones who pay a high price. It cannot be compared to the civilians being murdered in Iraq, however.
Again, the whole thing is mainly used as a distraction. Instead of talking policy, it's always, do you support our troops? The idea that by going to Iraq they are sacrificing for the population at large, or that they are "defending our freedoms," is preposterous. Utterly. They may think so, but they need to get over the big lie. To say that is not to "shit on them." Worshipping military service is part of the machinery that makes such crimes possible. The soldiers should be seen in proportion to the big picture.
greatauntoftriplets
(175,774 posts)emulatorloo
(44,272 posts)LeftishBrit
(41,219 posts)And I don't remember one single UK DU-er - even people who may have been right-wing in other ways - being in favour of the war.
iandhr
(6,852 posts)There is a fan club for an antisemite and a supporter of terrorism.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/aug/13/jeremy-corbyn-labour-leadership-foreign-policy-antisemitism
He has called Hamas and Hezbollah agents of long-term peace and social justice and political justice in the whole region, and once invited to Parliament a Palestinian Islamist, Raed Salah, who has suggested Jews were absent from the World Trade Center on 9/11.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/08/opinion/an-anti-semitism-of-the-left.html?_r=0
Jews get to define antisemitism.
People here who defend Corbyn are no different than the white people explaining to African Americans that something is not racist.
AntiBank
(1,339 posts)JI7
(89,289 posts)JackRiddler
(24,979 posts)QFT: "he compared israel top isis"
Drive-by nonsense only works if clever. Oops.
Denzil_DC
(7,288 posts)Read the transcript?
Corbyn referred to "self-proclaimed Islamic states", not "self-proclaimed Islamic State". His point was valid. The fact so many seem to have heard what they wanted to hear is telling.
Response to JI7 (Reply #16)
LeftishBrit This message was self-deleted by its author.
LeftishBrit
(41,219 posts)He said that it's as unfair to blame Jews for everything Netanyahu does as to blame Muslims for everything that an Islamic country or group does - which I would agree with, and would add 'or to blame all British people for what their leaders do', or 'all football fans for the drunken hooliganism of some' (that form of bigoted blame led to Hillsborough so it's not trivial); or - etc., etc.
That is not the same thing as saying that Israel is just like an extremist Islamic group, and certainly not a comparison with ISIS, which he did not even mention!
Whatever you think of Corbyn, don't believe every media lie about him!
iandhr
(6,852 posts)And my definition of an antisemite is someone who supports Hamas and honors people who blame the Jews and Israel from 9/11. I doubt you would explain to an African-American that something is not racist.
AntiBank
(1,339 posts)to say whatever you want about any group related subject.
That's reductionist absurdity.
iandhr
(6,852 posts)Denzil_DC
(7,288 posts)I might listen, but I'd need some persuading.
iandhr
(6,852 posts)I think Bibi is an asshole and think that the growth of West Bank settlements are a threat to Israel's survival.
I am saying supporting an Islamic terrorist origination who calls for the killing of all Jews and associating yourself with people you say "the Jews did 9/11 is antisemtic"
Denzil_DC
(7,288 posts)You've seemed very short of replies.
Here I am in another DU thread where you haven't engaged, where you were insisting on your right to define anti-semitism: http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=1506711
Another poster agreed with my critique of your stance and said "Yeah a lot of people equate anti-Zionism withanti-Semitism and it's NOT the same thing."
I replied:
Anti-semitism has taken a hold again in France, for instance, to the extent that a while back quite a number of Jews were reported to be thinking of leaving. A not insignificant amount of that is to do with old, old anti-Jewish racism - the same sort that fuelled the pogroms. That idiot who spoke to me at the bus stop is typical of that. It's not the only time in my life I've been gobsmacked by casual anti-semitism, and it didn't used to have anything to do with Israel at all.
Repeated horrible headlines about what Israel is doing in the Middle East and on the world stage feed into that nowadays, but they're not necessarily at its core.
Corbyn was addressing similar sentiments among some hotheads in his party and wider society. In those cases, I think it's more likely that current Israeli politics are the main motivator, but I wouldn't be surprised, if you scratched the surface, that the old tropes still live on as well.
He should have been seen as offering unequivocal support for Jewish people against being tarred with the brush of "Zionism" or whatever the latest confusing and misunderstood buzzword is. Instead, some are deliberately capitalizing on it for their own reasons and distracting from and negating the power of his argument - one which too few politicians are making.
Hell, much of Corbyn's political thought is based on important leftist Jewish writers over the last century or so, as he'd probably be the first to acknowledge.
The fact Corbyn has shared a stage with some unsavoury figures puts him in the same situation as many of our leaders. Translating that into "support of an Islamic terrorist origination" (organization?) and claiming that means he agrees with everything those figures have ever said is ridiculous and flies in the face of the not uncritical experience of those of us who've known of Corbyn (in my case, sat in a CND conference forum with him in the chair back in 1983, IIRC) for the last forty years, not just discovered him. Corbyn's not a 9/11 truther. And he most definitely is not a racist or "anti-semite", not matter how often you type it.
Sorry, you're sounding like a one-trick pony. I don't think your argument is persuasive to anyone who doesn't already agree with you.
Denzil_DC
(7,288 posts)I believe the Israeli ambassador to the UK is Jewish.
Maybe you can explain why your definition of anti-semitism is more valid than his?
iandhr
(6,852 posts)You can parse that a million ways.
I was referring to his statements calling Hamas agents for peace and social justice.
If he never expressed support for a terror groups more people might be prepared to give him the benefit of doubt. He associates with extremely bad people.
Corbyn seems very different than Sadiq Khan. I am willing to give him a chance. So far he has impressed me.
Denzil_DC
(7,288 posts)malaise
(269,307 posts)Semites on the planet? I see some folks claiming they get to define holocaust despite the glaring reality that there have been several holocausts in human history.
vlakitti
(401 posts)Of course it was a Blairite sabotage act.
JackRiddler
(24,979 posts)Last edited Sat Jul 2, 2016, 01:40 PM - Edit history (1)
And I think this one's not just another Fitzmas dud.
(Edit: one t in Chilcot)
Denzil_DC
(7,288 posts)It's Chilcot, not Chilcott.
It doesn't matter much in the grand scheme of things, but it jars each time I see it, and might matter marginally for Google/site searches eventually!
(Fellow editor/wordminer her; please forgive me.)
JackRiddler
(24,979 posts)Also Editor here - ha, you did one too - but there are certain words or names that get me. Chilcot without second t is one. I'll just try to think of him as French. Sheel-coh.
Denzil_DC
(7,288 posts)(though I've been hearing rumours it's going to be some sort of whitewash, pointing the finger more at the military, which I'm sure will go down well ...), I'm sure we'll be seeing that name a fair bit. Once folks see it spelt a certain way, it sticks yayayada you know how it goes.
Cheers, fellow wordfacer.
captainarizona
(363 posts)for voting for aggressive war against another nation?
JackRiddler
(24,979 posts)yurbud
(39,405 posts)Which will quickly show it's a handful who know how to make an outsized impression.
JackRiddler
(24,979 posts)We cannot find it out any more for 2003, however. Big membership shifts and not everyone will admit. I remember a big old chunk of DUers were either for it or urging that we take the self-deconstructing lying bullshit dished out by the Bush regime seriously.
Laura PourMeADrink
(42,770 posts)Seriously. So few would read all that
JackRiddler
(24,979 posts)pampango
(24,692 posts)acceptance of refugees ..."
Thanks. I knew he campaigned against Brexit but I did not know that he did not pander to the anti-immigration crowd like so many in Labour did.
Helpful post. Thanks, JackRiddler.
JackRiddler
(24,979 posts)JackRiddler
(24,979 posts)Why don't the Blairites unite and run a candidate in a new leadership election?
Bastards and cowards, is all one can say of this tiny minority whose contempt for democracy is evident and whose influence is on the wane.
JackRiddler
(24,979 posts)Corbyn has stood fast against the neoliberal/Blairite coup attempt. No one from the parliamentary faction has emerged to actually challenge him for leadership, because what the outcome would be is obvious.
Chilcot is just three days away. Here's how that coverage is shaping up:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10141507739
Tony Blair may face impeachment on release of Chilcot report
Source: The Guardian
Salmond, the former Scottish first minister, said there has to be a judicial or political reckoning for Blairs role in the Iraq conflict. He seemed puzzled as to why Jeremy Corbyn thinks he is a war criminal, why people dont like him, he told Sky News.
The reason is 179 British war dead, 150,000 immediate dead from the Iraq conflict, the Middle East in flames, the world faced with an existential crisis on terrorism these are just some of the reasons perhaps he should understand why people dont hold him in the highest regard...
believe you cannot have a situation where this country blunders into an illegal war with the appalling consequences and at the end of the day there isnt a reckoning. There has to be a judicial or political reckoning for that.
John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, did not disagree with the suggestion that he and Corbyn were going to crucify the former leader for being a war criminal.
Read more:
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jul/03/tony-blair-may-face-impeachment-on-release-of-chilcot-report 23 Tweet