Jonn, I hope you got my reply to your e-mail: something odd happened to my
computer when I tried to send it.


Why should an Iraqi life - not that of a Ba'ath party member, but an
ordinary person, a doctor say - be worth less than that of a British
soldier?


In general I agree, but I was merely pointing out that, as might seem to be the
case, that if the Iraqis don't actually WANT our help to rebuild their country,
then it's not worth risking our soldiers' and charity workers' etc. lives to
force it on them.

The protests during the war did an important job in demonstrating to the
world that, despite how it may sometimes appear, the UK does not risk Arab
lives lightly. They helped ensure that the country did not appear to be a
hawkish monolith to be feared; they reminded the world that British people
can still give a damn about the well-being of other nations.

I rather think the exemplary conduct of Her Majesty's forces did a better job
of showing the Iraqis (and the wider World) that we were not just involved in
Iraq to get something out of it (which seems to be the suggestion about and
criticism of the Americans - which I do not accept, but I do accept H.M. forces
are far better at this sort of activity than the Americans).


The protests next week will do a similar thing in demonstrating to the US
government, and others, that while Blair may be solidly with Bush, the mass
of the British people aren't.

A few thousand, or even 100,000, or even a million demonstrators is by no
stretch of the imagination "the mass of the British people".

If it looked like noone cared, it would make
it easier for terrorist groups to demonize the British people as
bloodthirsty warmongers. Protests can show the world that that's now true.

I rather doubt that the suicide bombers and terrorists of the World will give a
fig about demonstrators in London showing what jolly good chaps the Brits are
and that we therefore ought to be excluded from their next terror campaign.

I agree, but now we've invaded the place it's our duty to rebuild it as
well. You broke it, you bought it, I think the phrase is.


Again, I agree that morally we have a duty to finish what we started, but not
if the cost is many British deaths. Legally, in England, you owe a duty of care
to someone only if you act, i.e. if you see someone drowning, there is no legal
duty to try and save him, and certainly not it will risk drowning you both.

But I don't actually think they do want the soldiers to come home - I
doubt if
they give 2 figs about British, American or Italian soldiers.

I'd be surprised if you were right, but I don't think either of us can speak
authoritatively on that one.

What I meant was, I suspect that the right-thinking people amongst the
demonstrators would take the view that you have expressed: we have a duty to
carry on with what we started, albeit they did not think we should have started
it in the first place.


I think you'll find that peaceful protesting is entirely lawful too

It is lawful, which is why the Police have said it will be allowed - but that
is not to say it is right, and I do not think any demonstration that affects
others' daily lives should be lawful.

At any rate, the
majority of any protesters aren't looking to do anything illegal - but to
protest against a man who has broken international law repeatedly over the
last three years.

It is not illegal, but an impertinence by people who seemingly have nothing
better to do with their time or money than disrupt the lives of those of us who
work and pay taxes to finance those very people.

Although I still think it's a dangerous precedent
to set - to remove an unpleasant government _before_ it can be aggressive.

A few million Jews and others might have been spared if pre-emptive action had
been taken against Hitler.

I omitted to reply to your interesting previous comment about being grateful to
the Americans for World War Two help, but that not meaning they should be
exempt from criticism now. Of course, that is right, but I was simply making
the point, against all the America-haters, that generally speaking America has
been a good ally of this Country and more often than not, a force for good in
the World. Just my opinion.

Marc.