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WSWS : News & Analysis : Europe : Britain

London: Demonstrators express grave concern over Iran

By our reporters
27 February 2007

Use this version to print | Send this link by email | Email the author

Stephen, a 20-year-old student from London, was met on the Saturday demonstration but has been a reader of the World Socialist Web Site for some time.

He said, “I think I don’t agree entirely with positions of CND (Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament), Respect, but it’s important to join with and discuss with people who you agree with. It’s good to be in a movement even if you don’t agree with all the policies.

“The fact is that this movement is orientated towards religious leaders and the trade unions. It’s like the popular front, it’s allying us with people who would not go all the way and end the source of the problem, capitalism.

“Tying in with the way capitalism has developed, it’s not possible to maintain the capitalist system any more without global warming, war, militarism and civil liberties being attacked.

“The more I look at it the more I’m convinced that the workers are the source of wealth. Anything that stops them from receiving it is useless; focusing on particular issues, rather than the wider problem.

“It’s about oil more than anything and colonialism, the way in which the rich nations are dividing the world amongst themselves.

“This war might end but I don’t think this movement will have a great effect on it, because it is focusing on putting different people in power who would continue the same economic policies.

I’ve been reading the World Socialist Web Site for four months. I heard about it through looking at other socialist parties via the web and seeing that they argued well. I agree with a lot of it, particularly its positions on the antiwar movement and globalisation.”

Nick Wacey, a shop worker in London, said, “A lot of people are not being listened to. It’s about control over resources in Iraq. The thing I hate about Iraq is it seems endless. Bush and Blair say they have to finish the job, but war will continue because people are going to disagree with them.

“Considering we live in an advanced nation of supposed peace and democracy, they still hold medieval views that they have to attack people to get land or resources.

“Another thing that strikes me is the rich are getting richer and the gap is getting wider. This personally affected me when I was growing up under Thatcher. Her government hit people very hard.”

Heather, a secretary in London, felt very strongly that a new political party is needed. “The Labour Party and Tories are the same party. We need better representation; we need a party for the people.

“I work as a secretary for the National Health Service and the work is being outsourced in two months. The shocking thing is that all the work in hospitals today is being done by temporary agency staff.

“I have heard that warships are massed up in the Persian Gulf and that war against Iran will start in April. I find this scary. I think it’s amazing that the US political system can push this through against the will of the American people. I find it quite extraordinary that these things are taking place.

“It’s crucial that people are more informed as a lot of people are politically unaware.”

James, a student at the School of Oriental and African Studies who reads the WSWS, said, “The most basic argument behind nuclear weapons is a joke, the end game is militarism. I don’t agree the way the government calculates the cost of military campaigns. The same with the attacks on services, there is always money for nuclear weapons.

“I have been on marches since the invasion of Afghanistan. I’m realizing wars aren’t just countries flexing their muscles. They are going to war for hegemonic reasons. It is a question of connecting the dots. This is the reason why Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran are being invaded.

“How can foreign policy come down to personality traits? They don’t instigate wars on limited things like that. I don’t think people are under any illusion that Gordon Brown will be any different to Blair as a leader. The control of oil is a long-term policy.”

See Also:
Britain: London antiwar demonstration downplays threat of war against Iran
[27 February 2007]