The British and the War in Iraq

In the past wars of the 20th century, the British and United States have stood together. In the War in Iraq, however, the British were reluctant to follow the Americans. Although the greater portion of Britain opposed the war, Prime Minister Tony Blair made the unpopular decision to align himself with President Bush.

“Before we make the decision to go to war, the morality of that should weigh heavily on our conscience because innocent people, as well as the guilty, die in a war," explained former British Prime Minister Tony Blair in regards to whether Britain should back the United States in their War on Terrorism. Without the backing of the United Nations or the British public, Tony Blair sent troops to help the United States invade Iraq, describing his decision as a “moral” issue, saying that not acting would result in the death of thousands of Iraqis. Not only was Saddam seen as a threat to Iraq, but in the eyes of Blair, Saddam in power would be a ''life or death issue'' for the British and the world as a whole. Blair heavily relied upon evidence of nuclear weapons and warned of' “another Sept. 11 or worse” should Saddam not be removed from power. Blair received much criticism for his support of America, but never backed down, explaining that ''if it is the threat of the 21st century, Britain should be in there helping confront it, not because we are America's poodle but because dealing with it will make Britain safer''. Even when members of government called for his resignation, Blair said that he did not "seek unpopularity as a badge of honour… but sometimes it is the price of leadership and the cost of conviction”.

In June 2007, Blair’s ten-year reign as prime minister came to an end, being replaced by Gordon Brown. While Brown backed Blair’s decision to help the United States, British troops in Iraq have begun to return home in the past year. Brown explained that the British have accomplished their goal and it is time to give control back to the Iraqis. “We will discharge our obligation to the Iraqi people. The onus is of course on the Iraqi people and the Iraqi forces to prove that they can take responsibility for their own security,” Brown said. The British troops have been stationed in Southern Iraq, but the troops have slowly been removed, with Brown hoping to send the last ones home by the end of 2009.

Although the official position of the British government has been in support of the United States, the opinion of the British citizens has always been overwhelmingly against the War in Iraq. In a poll released in July 2008, it was revealed that 74% of the British want troops to return home immediately, while 66% never wanted England involved in the first place. In February 2003, at the height of the controversy, a large peace rally flooded London to protest England’s role in the Iraqi war. “Police said it was the UK's biggest ever demonstration with at least 750,000 taking part, although organizers put the figure closer to two million.” More protests ensued in November 2003, when President Bush paid a visit to his closest ally. The protestors’ main criticism for Bush came because of his motives for entering the war, which they saw to be related to oil, along with the overall lack of evidence for the weapons of mass destruction.

“I'm angry over all the lies and deceits that have been told by Blair and Bush over weapons of mass destruction,” 52 year-old protestor Sally Sanderson declared. “And I'm angry Bush came. I don't like our prime minister getting as close to Bush as he is.” Blair’s closeness with Bush has been repeatedly criticized by citizens and government officials alike, as many feel he is overly obedient to Washington and merely a puppet in Bush’s game.

Spiritual figures also joined forces to make their dislike of the Iraqi war known. In February 2003, the leader of the Church of England along with the head of the Catholic Church in England questioned Blair’s statement that the “war against Iraq was morally justified,” asserting that his decision “lacked moral legitimacy.”

The opinions of the British people echoed throughout the United Nations, who failed to support the Iraqi invasion. Their support was crucial to both Blair and the English citizens. For Blair, the support would restore the citizens’ confidence in his decision. For the people, even if they did not necessarily agree with the War on Terrorism, support from the United Nations would have provided justification for the invasion along with knowledge that their soldiers had not died in vain. In a 2003 poll wherein a majority of British opposed the war, 75% would be in support had the United Nation’s authorized it.

The top British and American officials have usually supported the other in times of conflict, yet the heads of government in both Britain and America are still new to the job so it will be fun to watch whether the two new guys become friends like Bush and Blair. If history is truly the best indicator of future events, then we can more than likely count on a Brown-Obama coalition, even if the citizens are not always 100% supportive.

Sources:
Blair Puts 'Moral' Case for War
Blair's Stand on Iraq Hurts Him Politically but Seems Unlikely to Topple Him
Blair Is Conciliatory, but Firm on War Stand
Million March Against Iraq War
Brown plans to withdraw troops as he backs Obama over 'war on terror'
Marchers In London Denounce Bush Visit