The best thing about the Euston Manifesto is that you don't have to agree with the Iraq war
Not too long ago, a group of blokes in a pub and drew up a document. It didn't change the world, or meet with universal approval. It even met with a few sneers. Though the Euston Manifesto is significant, if only for the fact it means you can be a lefty without joining the coalition of Trots and neo-fascists at RESPECT. Which can only be a good thing.
If you haven't had a chance to read the Euston Manifesto, do so. Some of it may leave you wondering what all the fuss is about. Some of it's fundamental tenets - such as democracy and equality - are very sensible.
Nevertheless, the Manifesto has still stirred up a great deal of debate, especially on Comment Is Free. Most of the opposition to the Manifesto, in articles and in the hundreds of comments on the webstite, comes either from those whom the Manifesto fundamentally disagrees with anyway, or those who have misinterpreted the document.
Martin Kettle, for one, seems to have thought the Euston Manifeto was a detailed strategic plan, which would show step by step how bloggers would take over the world by October 9th, 2013. The Manifesto is anything but. It was drafted by a scattered collection of individuals who do not represent a political party, brought together by the internet. It is merely an attempt to see what kind of consensus there is for its basic ideas. Specific policies on the role of markets, the NHS etc can be debated now and hammered out later. With 685 signatories at the time of writing, and a number of similar-thinking blogs, it is clear there is a clear consensus for the forming of a new progessive left.
Of course anti-war protestors disagree with the Euston Manifesto, mainly because of Iraq. Yet the Euston Manifesto cannot be dismissed out of hand just because of the Iraq war. Going into Iraq was a mistake in hindsight, but this does not mean invading a totalitarian regime to bring about democracy is wrong in principle. The spurious reasons about WMD given to justify war, the shambolic planning and chaotic situation in Iraq at the present show that generally Iraq has been a disaster.
Yet why should this get in the way of possibly the best thing to happen to the British left for many years. As pointed out by Will Hutton, now we've started in Iraq, we must stay in IRaq until they have a relatively stable democracy. And then campaign for greater equality both at home and globally.
If you haven't had a chance to read the Euston Manifesto, do so. Some of it may leave you wondering what all the fuss is about. Some of it's fundamental tenets - such as democracy and equality - are very sensible.
Nevertheless, the Manifesto has still stirred up a great deal of debate, especially on Comment Is Free. Most of the opposition to the Manifesto, in articles and in the hundreds of comments on the webstite, comes either from those whom the Manifesto fundamentally disagrees with anyway, or those who have misinterpreted the document.
Martin Kettle, for one, seems to have thought the Euston Manifeto was a detailed strategic plan, which would show step by step how bloggers would take over the world by October 9th, 2013. The Manifesto is anything but. It was drafted by a scattered collection of individuals who do not represent a political party, brought together by the internet. It is merely an attempt to see what kind of consensus there is for its basic ideas. Specific policies on the role of markets, the NHS etc can be debated now and hammered out later. With 685 signatories at the time of writing, and a number of similar-thinking blogs, it is clear there is a clear consensus for the forming of a new progessive left.
Of course anti-war protestors disagree with the Euston Manifesto, mainly because of Iraq. Yet the Euston Manifesto cannot be dismissed out of hand just because of the Iraq war. Going into Iraq was a mistake in hindsight, but this does not mean invading a totalitarian regime to bring about democracy is wrong in principle. The spurious reasons about WMD given to justify war, the shambolic planning and chaotic situation in Iraq at the present show that generally Iraq has been a disaster.
Yet why should this get in the way of possibly the best thing to happen to the British left for many years. As pointed out by Will Hutton, now we've started in Iraq, we must stay in IRaq until they have a relatively stable democracy. And then campaign for greater equality both at home and globally.
Posted by Roy.
Hans Blix made it clear that Iraq had no WMD and needed just a few more months to prove it.
If the Iraq War was about democracy, why does the US administration still support dictatorships and military rule in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan for example?
If the Iraq War was about democracy, why no intervention in Zimbabwe or other African/Asian dictatorships?
If Bush is democratic why are his internal electoral practises so dubious and why are they still interfering in democratic elections in South America and elsewhere, making threatening noises of invasion or support for coups if the people elect the 'wrong people'. Chavez in Venezuala has won nine democratic elections for example and doesn't have political prisoners like the US does. Our media never inform us about the improvements in healthcare and literacy in Venezuala, I wonder why?
The war was about the threat to the petrodollar (Saddam, Iran and Venezuala had/have moved to pricing in Euros) and securing a 'safe supply' of oil. There is no doubt that we all (in the West) benefit from this second point but let's not pretend it was about democracy.
I'm not for US bashing for the sake of it, but neither am I an apologist for the Bush administration like the Eustonites are. (Comment this)
You can be for (and against) the Iraq war for different reasons. Even if, as you say, the Bush administration invaded Iraq purely because of oil, isn't it still possible to support the war on the grounds of anti-fascism. And yes, it is scandalous nothing is being done about regimes like Mugabes, and we should do all we can to encourage the UK and the US to do something about it. It's going to be difficult after the fiasco in Iraq though...
Roy (Comment this)