- Keir Starmer’s evasiveness towards Donald Trump’s assault on Venezuela is a clarifying example of Britain’s ‘special relationship’ of unthinking submission to the White House’s interests.
In 2003, thousands of us took to the streets to oppose the US-led invasion of Iraq. ‘We shall help Iraq move towards democracy’, Tony Blair told us. Perhaps he shared speech notes with George W. Bush, who promised a better future for the Iraqi people. ‘When the dictator has departed’, the President said, ‘they can set an example to all the Middle East of a vital and peaceful and self-governing nation.’
Ignoring the warnings of ordinary people who could see the catastrophe ahead, and bypassing any approval from the United Nations, the US-led invasion and occupation of Iraq resulted in the deaths of more than a million Iraqis, and set off a spiral of hatred, conflict and misery that is still spinning today.
This was the last time a Labour Prime Minister blindly backed the wishes of the United States and its warmongering President. Twenty-three years later, another Labour Prime Minister is doing his best to cement the UK’s status as a vassal of the United States. On Saturday, the United States launched an unprovoked attack on Venezuela, killing more than 40 people. Our Prime Minister’s response? ‘The UK has long supported a transition of power.’
Unlike Iraq, the UK says it is not involved in the bombing of Venezuela. Like Iraq, however, the UK is proving once again that it has no interest in standing up for international law. It’s really not that complicated: bombing a sovereign nation and abducting its head of state is illegal. It is absolutely staggering that a Prime Minister with a background in law cannot bring himself to say something so obvious.
This was the last time a Labour Prime Minister blindly backed the wishes of the United States and its warmongering President. Twenty-three years later, another Labour Prime Minister is doing his best to cement the UK’s status as a vassal of the United States. On Saturday, the United States launched an unprovoked attack on Venezuela, killing more than 40 people. Our Prime Minister’s response? ‘The UK has long supported a transition of power.’
Unlike Iraq, the UK says it is not involved in the bombing of Venezuela. Like Iraq, however, the UK is proving once again that it has no interest in standing up for international law. It’s really not that complicated: bombing a sovereign nation and abducting its head of state is illegal. It is absolutely staggering that a Prime Minister with a background in law cannot bring himself to say something so obvious.
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