Labour MP: This is worse than Iraq

[muriel_volestrangler]

British Muslims are furious at Blair's failure to stand up for victims of war crimes in Lebanon

As I speak to my constituents in Tooting and people elsewhere in London, of all faiths, races and backgrounds, I hear views that are almost identical: "This is worse than Iraq." It is not easy for Muslims to watch, every night, TV pictures of the destruction that Israel has wreaked in Lebanon. We find it difficult to understand why our government has steadfastly supported the US in giving a green light to Israel, allowing the killing to continue.

I recently took part in a televised appeal for donations to help victims of the attacks. Callers found it difficult to understand why we couldn't avert this man-made humanitarian crisis, and even more difficult to argue against those who bundle Iraq and Lebanon together to denounce British foreign policy in the Middle East. It is also difficult to understand why Tony Blair, who led the way on Africa last year, appears to have lost his way on the Middle East. British foreign policy is not anti-Muslim, but that is, increasingly, a challenging argument to make.
...
On Tuesday, the 14th day of this dreadful conflict, I attended a meeting in the House of Commons with a number of international lawyers. They had no doubt that Israel's attacks, on such a huge scale, were a clear violation of international law. The UN has said the same. They also suggested that the UK's tacit support for Israel's campaign raised painful questions about the legality of Britain's own policy. And we have since learned that Prestwick airport has been used as a stopover for aircraft carrying bombs to Israel.

Since 9/11 British foreign policy has failed to stand up against an increasing trend to brutal, and usually ineffective, counterinsurgency around the world. This is unfortunate because, as in Lebanon, the UK could play a more useful role. Moreover, if it doesn't then Labour could lose more supporters than it lost over the government's decision to go to war in Iraq.
...
Sadiq Khan is the Labour MP for Tooting

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,1832936,00.html

[springhill]

1. Not strong enought condemnation..........

in my view.

[BayCityProgressive]

2. worse than Iraq?

how, we lied about the reasons for starting the war and have killed FAR more people in Iraq...just sayin..

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. But it took a lot longer in Iraq

The rate of killing is probably higher in Lebanon.

I don't buy "rescuing 2 soldiers" as the reasons for hundreds of murdered Lebanese civilians as a reason either.