We need to learn the lessons of past conflicts
28th July 2006
Alan Whitehead, MP for Southampton Test, spoke out last night, at Southampton's 'Stop the War' meeting, calling for lessons to be learnt from previous hostilities.
Dr Whitehead was initially asked to speak on the subject of Iran; however, in light of the current situation he refocused the speech to look at the current Middle-East conflict and what can be done in an attempt to prevent further hostilities.
Dr Whitehead who is critical of the neo-conservative policy adopted by the Americans, said:
'Now this line of theorising is patently daft and dangerous - for it seems to suggest repeatedly, that if people are subjected to sufficient misery they will figure out why they are miserable and take action accordingly - that is providing they correctly (that is in US eyes) identify who it is that's making them miserable.
More likely they do the opposite and consider that the people seen to be defending them in their misery should be further supported - perhaps why Hamas grew in stature in the first place, why Hizbollah, whether temporarily crippled by Israel is likely to end up stronger from the current conflict, why a narrowly based largely non-Iraqi insurgency is increasingly home grown, and why an attack on Iran would simply give immense strength - and long term strength to the Iranian theocrats and conservatives who presently determine Iranian policy.'
He added:
'It is time to learn the lessons from previous conflicts as it would be a mistake to believe that change is only acceptable if the result is some kind of Swiss democracy, neutral to all, and cosily inward looking. As it won't happen, any more than the Palestinians can be expected only to vote democratically for the parties that are approved by the US and Israel. A two state solution means that each state gets to decide for itself what it wants to do - subject to a prohibition on seeking to blow the other one up.'
Dr Whitehead was also one of 55 MPs who signed a letter to The Guardian, 26th July, which called:
'on the entire international community to press for an immediate ceasefire by all parties; to help secure the release of prisoners held unlawfully, whether by Israel, Hizbollah or by Palestinian militias; and to take even-handed steps to secure the implementation all UN security council resolutions concerning the Middle East, including the realisation of a viable Palestinian state alongside an Israel secure in its lawful borders.'
The Stop the War meeting was entitled War on Terror: Will Iran be next? and was well attended with around 90 people coming to hear Dr Whitehead speak.