You decide: a question for the servicemen and women of my country

Stephen Hewitt, 13 March 2003

To those of you who are being asked to go to the Middle East,

First, let's review some inescapable facts, which no amount of talk and deceitful nonsense from the politicians can quite succeed in hiding. (If there are any mistakes in these facts, or anywhere else, please let me know. The contact page is here .)

Iraq is a sparsley populated, undeveloped country thousands of miles away. It has not attacked Great Britain. It has not threatened to attack Britain. If left in peace, it would have little conceivable reason to attack Britain.

So the facts are these:

This would be a war of aggression which has nothing to do with the defence of Britain. It would also likely employ murderous tactics against the citizens of Iraq. For example the attack might start by raining down radioactive uranium bombs on the people and the ancient city of Baghdad.
The people of Britain will not be with you. On 15 February 2003, two million of them took the time and trouble and expense to go to London to demonstrate their disapproval.
You can see what might happen to you personally by studying what happened to the veterans of the last war against Iraq.

Since it is not your decision, it may well be that nothing you do will make any difference to whether this attack proceeds. But only you can decide whether to have innocent blood on your own hands.

What is your reason for serving in the armed forces? Is it to defend your country against attack, or is it to be a hired prostitute, ready to do anything your paymaster asks because that is your job? You decide.