The Forthcoming War and Public Opinion

["Paul Flewers" <hatchet.job@xxxxxxxxxx>]

The forthcoming war against Iraq is the first conflict in recent times where
the tremendous ideological build-up seems to be in inverse proportion to the
popular support for it. In Britain, although most of the press -- all but
two of the big daily papers, and two of the three main weekly journals --
are fully in favour, and of course the Prime Minister and his political
poodles are eager to start the war, public support for the war is lukewarm,
and many people are either vary wary about it or outright against getting
involved.

However, a major problem is that it seems that Tony Blair & Co can go ahead
and give support to President Bush without meeting more than the occasional
demonstration and popular indifference. The Conservative Party tries to be
more pro-US than Blair, the Liberal Democrats (who may take over from the
Tories as Britain's main opposition party) make critical noises and, like
some Labourites who are iffy about the war, want the UN to sort it out,
seemingly oblivious to the fact that Bush and Blair have stitched up the UN.
Blair can ignore public opinion and the big demonstrations we've had against
the war, as he knows that can get away with it.

Political engagement in Britain has declined over the last couple of
decades, and there is a feeling, a very defeatist feeling, that whatever one
does, whoever gets your vote, the government will do what it wants, and
ordinary people's interests will be ignored. This leads to a feeling of
sullen political apathy, a growing estrangement from political thinking. The
forthcoming war will go ahead regardless of public opinion, and, although
this will give the left an opportunity to raise political issues, because we
are weak and able only to approach a relatively small number of people, the
main effect will be to strengthen the sense of political estrangement and
apathy.

Paul F




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