Courageous Clare Short visits Detroit

by Kim Joy Bergier

The Right Honorable Clare Short has been a British Member of Parliament since 1983 and still is. Ms. Short held a cabinet-level position as Secretary of State for International Development until she resigned this position, on May 12th, in protest over Prime Minister Tony Blair's policy of supporting the Bush Administration's unilateral war with and occupation of Iraq. In her resignation Short criticized Blair's position as "wrong under international law" and "totally dishonorable".

She had threatened to resign earlier in the year as Blair was supporting Bush's war on Iraq but Blair convinced her to stay. He promised her that after the war on Iraq (had ousted Saddam Hussein from power) that United Nations would lead in the reconstruction of Iraq. She felt she would have more power by staying in her position and doing what she could. When Blair breached his promise by diminishing the power of the U.N. in post-war Iraq, she felt compelled to quit her position. Staying in the government is one of the hardest things she has done since she still has to face a lot of opposition from her fellow members and from those she has worked with over the six years she was a cabinet minister.

The position of trust that Ms. Short had built up in helping other countries rise out of poverty was severely compromised by the U.K. going along with the U.S. in unbid-corporate contracts to rebuild Iraq, to make money from the preemptive war, and to undermine U.N. control. The lies and deceptions used to convince the voters of the U.S. and U.K. to support a preemptive war on Iraq further undermined any trust and sympathy from the international community towards the U.S., following 9-11. The international war on terrorism is being undermined by greed to control the Iraqi oil; by not meeting the basic needs of the impoverished Iraqi people; and by not addressing the Israeli Palestinian conflict, which lies at the heart of Islamic bitterness toward the West.

Ms. Short suggests the third world needs to be stabilized, for to ignore the abject poverty of 1 in 5 people on our planet will lead to further bitterness, hatred, anger and terrorism. The U.S. and U.K. need to work with the international community, sign and enforce international laws and treaties, and work together to solve the problems in rebuilding Iraq. To continue in the direction the U.S. and U.K. are currently going will lead to further instability and chaos that will only get worse. The growing resistance could turn into a national Iraqi resistance against the West by becoming a breeding ground for Al Qaeda and other terrorists groups to grow. More U.S. troops, Iraqi citizens and people from other countries, will lose their lives at U.S. taxpayer's expense.

Ms. Short said in her resignation speech: "I believe that it is the duty of all responsible political leaders right across the world-whatever view they took on the launch of the war-to focus on reuniting the international community in order to support the people of Iraq in rebuilding their country, to re-establish the authority of the U.N. and to heal the bitter divisions that preceded the war." With the U.N. Security Council helping during the transition, we need to help develop Iraqi leadership as soon as possible so they have control over their own resources, create their own constitution, have fair elections and enact fair economic reforms. We can use the example of how the U.N. helped in post-war Kosovo and Afghanistan. Working with the international community is doable and is an excellent exit strategy for the U.S. and U.K. to get out of the quagmire we are in Iraq.

Detroit was very honored to have her, especially since we were the only other U.S. city she visited besides Washington D.C.! Clare wanted to visit a main U.S. city out side of the D.C. beltway to get a sense of how mainstream U.S. was thinking and feeling. Fourth Freedom Forum's Vice President Alistair Millar organized her visit to U.S. Through the "Win Without War" coalition, contacts were made for her trip to Detroit, by Susan Shaer, Ex. Dir. of WAND, who recommended Alistair contact WAND Michigan and the Cranbrook Peace Foundation. Within a month some in the peace with justice community of Metro Detroit were able to organize this meaningful visit that surpassed expectations. Approximately 130 people listened intently and asked excellent questions.

Thanks for the great venue (with a simple but elegant lunch and coffee) plus putting out professional press releases go to Marygrove College's President, Dr. Glenda Price, her Executive Assistant, Maryann Kummer, along with Jeremy Eccles (Chair of Marygrove Peace Center) and Renee Prewitt, (Director of Marketing & Communications). Sponsors included: Marygrove Peace Center, Marygrove College Department of Political Science, Fourth Freedom Forum, the Cranbrook Peace Foundation, WAND Michigan, WILPF-Detroit Chapter, Veterans for Peace-Chapter 74, and The Peace and National Priorities Center. Endorsed by Pax Christi Michigan, Metro-Detroit Alliance for Democracy and Pointes for Peace.