The Drums of War Beat Faster

Iran is being prepared for war, many voices accross the web are warning of the impending catastrophe, From Arthur Silber to Empire Burlesque all are echoing the same theme: War is coming, be ready.

For a UK citizen this then asks the question, how if/when such a terrible event occurs will it affect me, living in a small uninteresting island of the unfashionable end of Europe. Although it is terrible to pose the question in such a self centred way, international geopoltics can seem rather abstract to the ordinary man in the street and for the working class day-to-day survival is paramount.

The bombing of Iran would raise oil prices, increase islamist terrorism and make the world an even unsafer place there is no upside even on the crudest and most amoral of utilitarian calculus. Another question for your average British person is would Brown go along with the attack? This is a hard one to call, every British semi-progressive type hopes that Brown will emulate Harold Wilson and refuse to provide logistical support or troops/planes. On the other hand it is perfectly convincing to see Brown's inherent atlanticism getting the better of him and the mysterious alchemy of the 'special relationship' taking it's toll on his political judgement and therefore troops being committed.

Make no mistake the British antiwar movement must lobby hard, counter neo-imperialist propaganda and mobilise the British public against any involvement in a strike on Iran, otherwise the consequences will be lasting, bloody and protracted