Protesting against terror
It seems now the prevailing view among the pro-war right and left is that it is illegitimate to protest against Bush/Blair's policy in Iraq unless you also protest against Al Qaeda terrorism.Now this has been dealt with far more interestingly that I could on (among others) Crooked Timber and Virtual Stoa.
A further concern I have is to protest against Al Qaeda terrorism would be monumentally weird. Osama Bin Laden doestn't look at British public opinion before planning his next outrage, and if he did presumably seeing how much it annoyed us would spur him on. So to whom would the protest be aimed?
Nevertheless I can see an argument for an anti-terrorism protest. First, it could make sure everyone knows that we don't like terrorism. Second, it could be aimed at the 'SaddamFirst' policies of Bush/Blair and their supporters who believed in March 2003 that the primary focus of our foreign/defence policy, and main use of our limited resources should have been to oust Saddam, not to fight Al Qaeda.
Thus to allow me to continue to protest against the Bush administration, to make sure Osama knows how much I dislike Al Qaeda terrorism, and to get it over to Bush/Blair that their policy of half-heartedly pursuing the war on Al Qaeda is wrong, next Saturday I will march on Downing Street from Trafalgar Square to tell them. You are welcome to join me.
* What shall my banner say? I thought 'Terrorism is Evil' on one side, or 'Osama -- Not in my Name'. And on the other 'We should have fought Al Qaeda, before Saddam, who was being contained by UN policies, which required a bit of tinkering with'.
posted by Matthew @ 11/23/2003 10:28:00 AM
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