WILL BROWN reports on the sorry tale of a ‘left wing’ attack on Iraqi trade unionists. As Gary Kent’s article makes clear, support for Iraq’s trade unions has been a contentious issue on the British left. Indeed, it has grabbed media attention and exposed some woeful political judgements by the Stop the War Coalition...
The left, the war and the obligations of the oppressed
In the wake of September 11th, and opposition to the war on terrorism, WILL BROWN calls for the left to re-examine its knee-jerk responses to international conflict. Writing in the left-wing American magazine, Dissent, Michael Walzer has issued a stark indictment of the left’s response to the events of September 11th and the war...
Behind the Stars and Stripes
America is still gripped by patriotism in the wake of the attacks last September on New York and Washington. But behind the bunting, there are fiery arguments on the US left and right about the uses and abuses of American power. GARY KENT reports. Debate on the US left is bitter after 9/11. On...
The battle for democracy in Iraq
GARY KENT urges the British Labour movement to support Iraq’s emerging trade unions and grassroots democrats. All the Iraqis I know were exiled by Saddam Hussein, as were four million other people. They detested Saddam’s murderous regime, which was modelled explicitly on those of Stalin and Hitler. The victims ran into the millions. My...
Heed their voices
Labour MP Harry Barnes the left needs a new approach to Iraq following the elections Given that the Iraqi turnout was the same or even larger than at the last UK election, the left must do some urgent rethinking on Iraq or be morally sidelined while our natural comrades there fight for non-sectarian democracy...