Subscribe
Notify of
guest

32 Comments
Most Voted
Newest Oldest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Andrew Dalton
Andrew Dalton
1 year ago

They turned into a bunch of neoliberal, globalists who repeat mantras about the “international rules-based order” while simultaneously, and without irony, worshiping at the shrine of Tony Blair and Bill Clinton.

Warren Trees
Warren Trees
1 year ago
Reply to  Andrew Dalton

It is indeed perplexing why/how the same people who planted “War is not the Answer!” flags in their front yards over the last 20 years are now advocating for the massive transfer of armaments to Ukraine, which can very likely lead to a WWIII.
There must be a reason for this insane escalation over a historically corrupt former territory of the USSR.

Chris Wheatley
Chris Wheatley
1 year ago
Reply to  Warren Trees

Propaganda.

Steve Farrell
Steve Farrell
1 year ago
Reply to  Warren Trees

Presumably because, if Russia does roll over Ukraine, our NATO allies will be next in the firing line?

Chris Wheatley
Chris Wheatley
1 year ago
Reply to  Warren Trees

Propaganda.

Steve Farrell
Steve Farrell
1 year ago
Reply to  Warren Trees

Presumably because, if Russia does roll over Ukraine, our NATO allies will be next in the firing line?

Warren Trees
Warren Trees
1 year ago
Reply to  Andrew Dalton

It is indeed perplexing why/how the same people who planted “War is not the Answer!” flags in their front yards over the last 20 years are now advocating for the massive transfer of armaments to Ukraine, which can very likely lead to a WWIII.
There must be a reason for this insane escalation over a historically corrupt former territory of the USSR.

Andrew Dalton
Andrew Dalton
1 year ago

They turned into a bunch of neoliberal, globalists who repeat mantras about the “international rules-based order” while simultaneously, and without irony, worshiping at the shrine of Tony Blair and Bill Clinton.

Peter B
Peter B
1 year ago

Whilst I disagree with the “anti war” position on Ukraine, I think that the author is correct that it is desirable that the debate is made in public and that MPs who strongly take this position should put their case in the House of Commons as they have always done in the past.
It is statistically certain that some MPs must oppose support for Ukraine.
One of the side effects of not doing so is that this allows those who are against supporting Ukraine to claim that they are not represented and their views are not being heard in public. Which has some justification.
And I think most people actually respect politicians who are prepared to take a principled and unpopular stance (provided it is not complete nonsense). It probably doesn’t serve the standing of politicians well if they always allow their views to be censored. Or democracy in general.

Andrew Dalton
Andrew Dalton
1 year ago
Reply to  Peter B

This has been the trend since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Thinking back to that invasion, there was a significant split of opinion across politics, the media and the public. There was a very obvious public debate on that subject.
Following this war, particularly when its consequences became clear, there was a significant refrain from the media about “doing better in future.” Yet all major events since this date have been met with far less open debate and scrutiny of the state position than that war ever was. Libya, the bank bailout, the Douma attack, Covid and now Ukraine seem to have a specific state position that may not be contested.
It is my belief that the phrase “do better,” was more in reference to allowing an open debate or scrutiny of state policy to occur again. Instead, we get ample coverage of Boris’ garden parties and occasionally Starmer’s curry night.

Andrew Dalton
Andrew Dalton
1 year ago
Reply to  Peter B

This has been the trend since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Thinking back to that invasion, there was a significant split of opinion across politics, the media and the public. There was a very obvious public debate on that subject.
Following this war, particularly when its consequences became clear, there was a significant refrain from the media about “doing better in future.” Yet all major events since this date have been met with far less open debate and scrutiny of the state position than that war ever was. Libya, the bank bailout, the Douma attack, Covid and now Ukraine seem to have a specific state position that may not be contested.
It is my belief that the phrase “do better,” was more in reference to allowing an open debate or scrutiny of state policy to occur again. Instead, we get ample coverage of Boris’ garden parties and occasionally Starmer’s curry night.

Peter B
Peter B
1 year ago

Whilst I disagree with the “anti war” position on Ukraine, I think that the author is correct that it is desirable that the debate is made in public and that MPs who strongly take this position should put their case in the House of Commons as they have always done in the past.
It is statistically certain that some MPs must oppose support for Ukraine.
One of the side effects of not doing so is that this allows those who are against supporting Ukraine to claim that they are not represented and their views are not being heard in public. Which has some justification.
And I think most people actually respect politicians who are prepared to take a principled and unpopular stance (provided it is not complete nonsense). It probably doesn’t serve the standing of politicians well if they always allow their views to be censored. Or democracy in general.

Brian Villanueva
Brian Villanueva
1 year ago

The anti-war Left all became postmodernists and decided that war was a social construction.
This will work right up until the moment that someone starts dropping smartbombs on Leftists’ houses, when they will discover the truth of an old Philip K. D*ck quote: “Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, does not go away.”
(BTW: I had to put the asterisk in there because Unherd’s automated comment filterer won’t allow the man’s actual name.)

Brian Villanueva
Brian Villanueva
1 year ago

The anti-war Left all became postmodernists and decided that war was a social construction.
This will work right up until the moment that someone starts dropping smartbombs on Leftists’ houses, when they will discover the truth of an old Philip K. D*ck quote: “Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, does not go away.”
(BTW: I had to put the asterisk in there because Unherd’s automated comment filterer won’t allow the man’s actual name.)

chris Barton
chris Barton
1 year ago

The Left is the establishment now. Forgive me for thinking western politicians are using this war as a smoke screen to cover the damage from their Net Zero policy. Like with the Kurds who the US armed to fight ISIS, Ukraine will be dumped when it doesn’t suit the Americans anymore.

Robbie K
Robbie K
1 year ago
Reply to  chris Barton

Forgive me for thinking western politicians are using this war as a smoke screen to cover the damage from their Net Zero policy.

How you reached that theory is utterly baffling.

Stephen Walsh
Stephen Walsh
1 year ago
Reply to  Robbie K

To be fair, the war in Ukraine has frequently been given all the blame for higher inflation, and, in particular, higher energy costs, which had more complex causes, including governments’ energy policies, and Quantitative Easing during lockdown.

Last edited 1 year ago by Stephen Walsh
polidori redux
polidori redux
1 year ago
Reply to  Stephen Walsh

Apologies for pretty much saying what you said.
Read before posting shall be my motto!

polidori redux
polidori redux
1 year ago
Reply to  Stephen Walsh

Apologies for pretty much saying what you said.
Read before posting shall be my motto!

polidori redux
polidori redux
1 year ago
Reply to  Robbie K

To give him some credit, the war has, fortuitiosly, provided some cover for the damage caused by Net Zero.

Stephen Walsh
Stephen Walsh
1 year ago
Reply to  Robbie K

To be fair, the war in Ukraine has frequently been given all the blame for higher inflation, and, in particular, higher energy costs, which had more complex causes, including governments’ energy policies, and Quantitative Easing during lockdown.

Last edited 1 year ago by Stephen Walsh
polidori redux
polidori redux
1 year ago
Reply to  Robbie K

To give him some credit, the war has, fortuitiosly, provided some cover for the damage caused by Net Zero.

martin logan
martin logan
1 year ago
Reply to  chris Barton

I only wish they were as Machiavellian as you claim.
You’ll find that foreign policy is a lot messier–and far more unintended–than you imagine.

Robbie K
Robbie K
1 year ago
Reply to  chris Barton

Forgive me for thinking western politicians are using this war as a smoke screen to cover the damage from their Net Zero policy.

How you reached that theory is utterly baffling.

martin logan
martin logan
1 year ago
Reply to  chris Barton

I only wish they were as Machiavellian as you claim.
You’ll find that foreign policy is a lot messier–and far more unintended–than you imagine.

chris Barton
chris Barton
1 year ago

The Left is the establishment now. Forgive me for thinking western politicians are using this war as a smoke screen to cover the damage from their Net Zero policy. Like with the Kurds who the US armed to fight ISIS, Ukraine will be dumped when it doesn’t suit the Americans anymore.

B Emery
B Emery
1 year ago

Well in Germany Heinrich Bücker, has been sentenced to prison for criticising Germanys war policy, story here:
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2023/02/01/qqln-f01.html

Mentioned here by highly respected former CIA analyst Ray Mcgovern speaking at the UN a few days ago, talks about his disappointment at the arms deals not being renewed, appeals for peace:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Xfiv-kaA24U

Also if anyone is following the nord stream business jeffery sachs spoke before him, both speeches, full session here:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=R_EX-VwKjng
Worth a watch, I wasn’t that impressed with our representative from the UK I have to say.

NO NATO WAR.

martin logan
martin logan
1 year ago
Reply to  B Emery

Nordstream was simply Putin’s information op to frighten the West.
He could still send all the gas he wanted via Yamal and Druzhba.
Sachs has never moved on past Vietnam. He sees every subsequent conflict in terms of that war.

Last edited 1 year ago by martin logan
B Emery
B Emery
1 year ago
Reply to  martin logan

Sorry Mr logan, but I will take Seymour hersh, jeffrey sachs and Ray mcgoverns word for it over yours.

B Emery
B Emery
1 year ago
Reply to  martin logan

Sorry Mr logan, but I will take Seymour hersh, jeffrey sachs and Ray mcgoverns word for it over yours.

martin logan
martin logan
1 year ago
Reply to  B Emery

Nordstream was simply Putin’s information op to frighten the West.
He could still send all the gas he wanted via Yamal and Druzhba.
Sachs has never moved on past Vietnam. He sees every subsequent conflict in terms of that war.

Last edited 1 year ago by martin logan
B Emery
B Emery
1 year ago

Well in Germany Heinrich Bücker, has been sentenced to prison for criticising Germanys war policy, story here:
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2023/02/01/qqln-f01.html

Mentioned here by highly respected former CIA analyst Ray Mcgovern speaking at the UN a few days ago, talks about his disappointment at the arms deals not being renewed, appeals for peace:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Xfiv-kaA24U

Also if anyone is following the nord stream business jeffery sachs spoke before him, both speeches, full session here:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=R_EX-VwKjng
Worth a watch, I wasn’t that impressed with our representative from the UK I have to say.

NO NATO WAR.

David Lindsay
David Lindsay
1 year ago

And so it comes out that successive British Governments turned Manchester into the world centre of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group, to the point of dispatching the Royal Navy as its ferry service. That Group went on to bomb Manchester Arena.

We have been telling you this for years. We were right all along about Libya, just as we were right about Kosovo, about Sierra Leone (where the best that can be said is that British military intervention did no good), about Afghanistan, about Iraq, and about Syria. We shall be proved right about Ukraine, because why would we be wrong this once? Though cowards flinch and traitors sneer.

Last edited 1 year ago by David Lindsay
martin logan
martin logan
1 year ago
Reply to  David Lindsay

Funny how Serbia is about to recognize Kosovo then.
And the point about Syria was that the West didn’t intervene after a “red line” was crossed. That certainly set the stage for Putin’s confidence that no one would oppose him in Ukraine.
Sometimes wars are necessary (Iraq 1991, Bosnia, Kosovo). Sometimes they’re not (Iraq 2002). Embracing or condemning them a priori makes little sense.
But I suppose broken clocks can be right…
But only twice a day.

martin logan
martin logan
1 year ago
Reply to  David Lindsay

Funny how Serbia is about to recognize Kosovo then.
And the point about Syria was that the West didn’t intervene after a “red line” was crossed. That certainly set the stage for Putin’s confidence that no one would oppose him in Ukraine.
Sometimes wars are necessary (Iraq 1991, Bosnia, Kosovo). Sometimes they’re not (Iraq 2002). Embracing or condemning them a priori makes little sense.
But I suppose broken clocks can be right…
But only twice a day.

David Lindsay
David Lindsay
1 year ago

And so it comes out that successive British Governments turned Manchester into the world centre of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group, to the point of dispatching the Royal Navy as its ferry service. That Group went on to bomb Manchester Arena.

We have been telling you this for years. We were right all along about Libya, just as we were right about Kosovo, about Sierra Leone (where the best that can be said is that British military intervention did no good), about Afghanistan, about Iraq, and about Syria. We shall be proved right about Ukraine, because why would we be wrong this once? Though cowards flinch and traitors sneer.

Last edited 1 year ago by David Lindsay
Will Rolf
Will Rolf
1 year ago

The anti-war left in the US has been replaced by the anti-war right led by Ron and Rand Paul and followed by Donald Trump who has been vocally anti-war. The left can only focus on the minutiae of identity these days and can only blather on about how war ‘disproportionately’ affects some ‘marginalized’ group.

Will Rolf
Will Rolf
1 year ago

The anti-war left in the US has been replaced by the anti-war right led by Ron and Rand Paul and followed by Donald Trump who has been vocally anti-war. The left can only focus on the minutiae of identity these days and can only blather on about how war ‘disproportionately’ affects some ‘marginalized’ group.

Jon Hawksley
Jon Hawksley
1 year ago

Each war is different, though the failures in diplomacy have some similarities. Supporting Ukraine is compatible with regretting Biden giving Putin the green light in saying the US would not intervene, regretting Biden’s recent mocking of Putin that makes diplomacy more difficult, regretting sanctimonious sanctions that could only backfire and regretting the lack of effort to implement the Minsk Agreement. I am not sure the fringes of the political parties can be of any help when they are so dogmatic.

Jon Hawksley
Jon Hawksley
1 year ago

Each war is different, though the failures in diplomacy have some similarities. Supporting Ukraine is compatible with regretting Biden giving Putin the green light in saying the US would not intervene, regretting Biden’s recent mocking of Putin that makes diplomacy more difficult, regretting sanctimonious sanctions that could only backfire and regretting the lack of effort to implement the Minsk Agreement. I am not sure the fringes of the political parties can be of any help when they are so dogmatic.

Dougie Undersub
Dougie Undersub
1 year ago

Sad that, 40 years on, there are still some people who have failed to understand the military purpose and legal status of the Falklands Exclusion Zone.
Hint: it wasn’t created to provide Argentinian forces with a safe haven outside it.

Dougie Undersub
Dougie Undersub
1 year ago

Sad that, 40 years on, there are still some people who have failed to understand the military purpose and legal status of the Falklands Exclusion Zone.
Hint: it wasn’t created to provide Argentinian forces with a safe haven outside it.

Richard Barrett
Richard Barrett
1 year ago

The cowardice of the left, especially in the Labour Party, is disgusting. here in Ireland, the leader of the Labour party has issued a statement opposing peace talks. It is shameful.

Richard Barrett
Richard Barrett
1 year ago

The cowardice of the left, especially in the Labour Party, is disgusting. here in Ireland, the leader of the Labour party has issued a statement opposing peace talks. It is shameful.

Penelope Paris
Penelope Paris
1 year ago

The left in the U.S. is unrecognizable. They are just told what to believe in and they get behind it blindly. If you asked a leftist why we are supporting Ukraine and what is the end game they would go on mute or auto-reply “to defend democracy.” They have no history regarding NATO, The Minsk Agreement, and Russia/Ukrainian history. What about peace talks or negotiations? Too much money to be made. Same thing with the whole CovidCon®-suddenly the government is benevolent, censorship is cool and Big Pharma is a hero. Pfizer wanted in on the cash cow, and now we have an even bigger medical-industrial complex.

Penelope Paris
Penelope Paris
1 year ago

The left in the U.S. is unrecognizable. They are just told what to believe in and they get behind it blindly. If you asked a leftist why we are supporting Ukraine and what is the end game they would go on mute or auto-reply “to defend democracy.” They have no history regarding NATO, The Minsk Agreement, and Russia/Ukrainian history. What about peace talks or negotiations? Too much money to be made. Same thing with the whole CovidCon®-suddenly the government is benevolent, censorship is cool and Big Pharma is a hero. Pfizer wanted in on the cash cow, and now we have an even bigger medical-industrial complex.

Iris C
Iris C
1 year ago

We have the Labour government to thank when they voted against supporting the USA’s invasion of Vietnam in 1964 and the coalition (Lib/Lab pact) voted against going into Syria in 2013 but as soon as the Tories got a majority in the 2016 General Election, we were at war,. And once we joined the Americans, Russia joined Syria.
It is a sorry state of affairs nowadays when there is nothing to choose between the two main parties, neither in political policies nor the morality of preserving God-given life.

Iris C
Iris C
1 year ago

We have the Labour government to thank when they voted against supporting the USA’s invasion of Vietnam in 1964 and the coalition (Lib/Lab pact) voted against going into Syria in 2013 but as soon as the Tories got a majority in the 2016 General Election, we were at war,. And once we joined the Americans, Russia joined Syria.
It is a sorry state of affairs nowadays when there is nothing to choose between the two main parties, neither in political policies nor the morality of preserving God-given life.

Mike Doyle
Mike Doyle
1 year ago

At least the Stop the West Coalition are still in business, ho hum…

Mike Doyle
Mike Doyle
1 year ago

At least the Stop the West Coalition are still in business, ho hum…

Richard Craven
Richard Craven
1 year ago

It’s because wanting to prevent the Ukrainians from defending themselves is too viscerally disgusting even for the chutzpah of the communist-fascists.

Richard Craven
Richard Craven
1 year ago

It’s because wanting to prevent the Ukrainians from defending themselves is too viscerally disgusting even for the chutzpah of the communist-fascists.

Lillian Fry
Lillian Fry
1 year ago

In the US the security state/war machine has given the left the power to run wild in the cultural sphere. That, I think is the price for the support of the likes of Sanders and Ocazio-Cortez.

Lillian Fry
Lillian Fry
1 year ago

In the US the security state/war machine has given the left the power to run wild in the cultural sphere. That, I think is the price for the support of the likes of Sanders and Ocazio-Cortez.

michael stanwick
michael stanwick
1 year ago

“As labour prepares for government…”. Surely hubris is also a position held across the political spectrum and so includes labour?
The anti war position has swapped the foreign-political for the domestic-cultural.

Last edited 1 year ago by michael stanwick
Christopher Barclay
Christopher Barclay
1 year ago

They are worried about being deselected.

martin logan
martin logan
1 year ago

How interesting!
Non-generals not fighting the last war…

martin logan
martin logan
1 year ago

How interesting!
Non-generals not fighting the last war…

J. Edmunds
J. Edmunds
1 year ago

Putin is a National Populist.
He is President Trump’s best buddy. They met face to face, and President Trump says Putin is a genius.
Russian power (over computer technology developed by the West and Japan) caused Brexit and many other electoral upsets to happen.
Russia is still a mighty military power.
They have the world’s largest arsenal of nuclear weapons, and many of the same people still in charge of them as when the Berlin Wall fell.
They have hyperbaric missiles, which we do not.
They have thermosonic missiles, which we do not.
They have tsunami bombs, which we do not.
And an all-powerful propaganda machine that can command the support of over 80% of living Russians.
That threatens the demands of the left today.
Which are to travel across borders. Which you couldn’t do when the Iron Curtain existed.

Aidan Trimble
Aidan Trimble
1 year ago
Reply to  J. Edmunds

Factually, Trump said Putin’s tactics were genius, not the man himself.

Aidan Trimble
Aidan Trimble
1 year ago
Reply to  J. Edmunds

Factually, Trump said Putin’s tactics were genius, not the man himself.

J. Edmunds
J. Edmunds
1 year ago

Putin is a National Populist.
He is President Trump’s best buddy. They met face to face, and President Trump says Putin is a genius.
Russian power (over computer technology developed by the West and Japan) caused Brexit and many other electoral upsets to happen.
Russia is still a mighty military power.
They have the world’s largest arsenal of nuclear weapons, and many of the same people still in charge of them as when the Berlin Wall fell.
They have hyperbaric missiles, which we do not.
They have thermosonic missiles, which we do not.
They have tsunami bombs, which we do not.
And an all-powerful propaganda machine that can command the support of over 80% of living Russians.
That threatens the demands of the left today.
Which are to travel across borders. Which you couldn’t do when the Iron Curtain existed.