This is both a representation of Green Party policies and also of John Marjoram’s experience of being involved with the International anti war movement for the last 55 years.
The Green Party has policies which focus on defence rather than war and attacking other countries. These policies are unequivocal. “Defence” means just that; protecting this country against military attack. Defending the country does not justify pre-emptive strikes against other nations or organisations. The last time we were under attack was in 1939 and in all the subsequent wars we have been the attackers.
Consequently, from a policy and a morality stance, we are totally opposed to bombing Syria; as we were against military action in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya. These attacks have destabilised most of the Middle East. Many would argue that, had there been no deliberately “contrived” wars on our part, then Isis wouldn’t exist.
Our tragedy is that we never seem to remember the implications of war. Right from the lessons once learnt, but soon forgotten, of the “never again” carnage of the First World War (basically an Imperial power struggle to get control of oil from the Middle East). We repeat our pattern time after time. Lacking the capacity to move on we invent ever more lethal weapons, nearing ourselves to world annihilation with Nuclear weapons. There is a saying – “Peace takes courage, War takes lives.”
The Green’s view both here and internationally, is that it is naïve to believe you can defeat terrorism by bombing: all you do in these situations is create further misery, hatefulness and a desire for revenge. Exactly what Isis and other terrorist organisations breed on.
If we want to defeat terrorists, we have to “follow the money”. We have to stop their sources of finance as well as their access to the arms trade. Sadly this is a trade which flourishes in this Country.
Finally, I find repulsive the fact that we can always find enough money to fund a Blair or Cameron type war. The government is quick to commit £12bn extra, while people are sleeping rough in this country. Many of the homeless are ex-soldiers including, I am told, two here in Stroud!