ninety minute nationalist

In an number of posts a long time ago Norm Geras wrote about moving on - the war, as such, was over, time to deal with the reality of Iraq post-Saddam. Unfortunately, however many times he tries to move on, it seems other people, those who disagree with him, won't let him; they will keep perpetuating the "lie" that the overriding stated reason for the war was the desire for self-protection against the perceived threat from the Hussein regime and that any notion of bringing democracy to Iraq was of, at best. secondary importance, if not, downright optional. He re-itirates that view in this post.

As an opponent of the war I don't agree with this rosy-spectacled view of the reasons for it. I prefer to believe what Bush and Blair had to say for themselves -


President George Bush Discusses Iraq in National Press Conference

President Bush Outlines Iraqi Threat

Tony Blair, 18th March 2003.

Nevertheless I have no difficulty in 'moving on'; no difficulty in smiling at the downfall of Saddam and the Ba'athists; no difficulty in supporting and building solidarity initiatives with the labour movement in Iraq; no difficulty condemning the barbaric reactionary forces of the 'resistance'; no difficulty condemning the STWC and its offshoots for the reactionary forces they are. But that doesn't mean I will deny the evidence about the reasons for the war; I won't prettify the reasons Bush and Blair had for doing what they did.

For some reason Norm Geras and the people at Harry's Place seem to feel they must do just that. Every time the idea of the overthrow of Saddam is portrayed as something other than a glorious fight for democracy they feel compelled to shout No!. You might almost think there was an element of insecurity involved - however that would be to indulge in the very same cod-psychoanalysis employed by Mr Geras in the piece linked to below.