The ‘The BNP Was The First To Oppose The War In Iraq’ Myth

The Myth

“The media just ignores the fact that both Labour and Tory parties plunged us into a horrific unjust and illegal war in the Middle East, on the basis of a proven pack of lies. They ignore the fact that the BNP alone was the first to point out the lies, and oppose the war in Iraq.” Nick Griffin.

The Truth

The Green Party was opposing moves towards war from at least as early as 1998.

Green Party opposes war with Iraq

From: Seb Wills <saw27@DELETETHIScam.ac.uk>
Subject: Green Party opposes war with Iraq
Date: Thu, 12 Feb 1998 14:42:36 +0000 (GMT)

NEWS from the Green Party Date: 10 February 1998

IMMEDIATE
Greens condemn Government’s determination to incite war with Iraq
and hollow pretence at seeking a diplomatic solution

The Green Party broke the political consensus today. The Executive
unequivocally condemned the government’s dangerous and foolhardy
handling of the Iraqi crisis, making the Green Party the only
national party opposed to government policy. Even while countries
like France and Russia are sending officials to Bagdad to seek a
diplomatic solution, the British Government’s position is to
refuse any dialogue with Iraq, declaring that there is nothing to
negotiate, and that the only options are an unconditional
climbdown by Saddam, or military action. Whilst insisting that it
is seeking a peaceful solution, the Government is actively
preparing itself, and the public, for war. Along with the US, it
is apparently attempting to incite conflict by issuing a
continuous stream of invective against Iraq, building up military
forces in the region, whilst flatly refusing to send anyone to
Bagdad to talk. Whilst holding the presidency of the European
Union, it is appalling that Britain is siding with America rather
than representing the wishes of its 14 European partners, who
oppose the warmongering stance of the former. Military action
against Iraq will be disastrous for everybody, except, possibly,
Saddam Hussein. It will inflict further suffering on the already
devastated people of Iraq, and create serious international
tensions, between Arab states and the West, and between the
US/Britain and Europe, Russia & most of the rest of the world.

Green Party Principal Speaker Mike Woodin said: “Blair and
Clinton are playing into Saddam’s hands. The dictator will be
relishing the divisions that this crisis is creating, and a
military strike against him could actually result in strengthening
his position. The ‘nothing to negotiate’ position will inevitably
lead to war, like cornering a rat. Of course we wish to see Iraq
stripped of all biological, chemical and nuclear capabilities.
(Likewise every other nation on earth). But it’s also time the
widespread deprivation and squalor in Iraq caused by the sanctions
ended. And therein lies the basis for a peaceful settlement.”

Further Peter Barnett – Press Officer
Tel/fax 01252 330506 information Mike Woodin -
Principal Speaker Tel 01865 271334/248073
Fax 01865 310447
Mobile 07050 116865
E-Mail <mike.woodin@psy.ox.ac.uk>

So the Greens were opposing any war with Iraq FIVE YEARS before the current one started.

The BNP were also accused of trying to make political mileage out of the war: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/revealed-how-bnp-is-exploiting-war-for-political-gain-592730.html

Revealed: How BNP is exploiting war for political gain
By Robert Verkaik Legal Affairs Correspondent
Saturday, 29 March 2003

The British National Party is exploiting the war with Iraq by campaigning in areas that are home to families of the first British casualties of the fighting.

By playing on local feelings of patriotism and nationalism the BNP hopes to capitalise on the conflict at May’s local elections, in which they plan to field 200 candidates.

One of the party’s key targets is Bradford, West Yorkshire, where race relations are still sensitive after the violent street riots of two years ago. It is also the home of the first British soldier killed in combat in Iraq. Sgt Steven Roberts was shot on Sunday while trying to calm civilian rioting near the city of Basra.

BNP campaigners have been out in force in Bradford districts where there are high proportions of white residents living close to Asian communities. Two areas being focused on by the far-right party are the Bradford districts of Queensbury and Shipley, which are expected to feature on a list of council wards to be contested by the BNP published on Tuesday.

The longer the war goes on the more concerned local Asians are that white extremists will use it to exploit racial tensions. Nasreen Karim, a 30-year-old solicitor from Bradford, said the BNP was using “more subtle tactics” this time by urging people to “support our troops. They are boosted by recent successes in the Halifax area and hope to repeat this nearer Bradford. But I don’t think anyone wants them here.”

The BNP is opposed to the war, which it says does not serve British interests and will lead to more terrorism.

But in a statement last week its leaders said many members were in the armed forces and would have played a significant role in the May elections had they not been called up or out on stand-by.

The party’s campaign literature plays heavily on the war and defence issues. In one reference the statement says: “… morale is high despite the criminal failings in kit and equipment. Our troops are being sent into the heat of battle by the same former mealy mouthed pacifists who have imposed the cutbacks that have left them depending on boots that melt, in the wrong camouflage, with rifles that jam, radios that don’t work and tanks that break down.”

Race relations in Bradford have improved greatly since the riots of two years ago.

The police and community representatives have been meeting for the past few months to deal with increased tensions leading up to the war.

Chief Superintendent Phil Read, commander of one of the Bradford police districts that was at the centre of the 2001 riots, says there is a great deal of sensitivity over the war. “West Yorkshire Police recognises that tensions have increased for everybody and we also recognise that the first Allied deaths are soldiers who come from Shipley and Skipton.” He confirmed that BNP canvassers were working in the community but declined to comment on the impact this had had because it is a political, and not a police issue. West Yorkshire Police has been working closely with organisers of peace protests.

He said: “Before the forthcoming crisis we have been working with the Muslim community and the Council of Mosques so that when the hostilities broke out we had a key plan with key people in the communities with a view to monitoring the situation.”

At the heart of his beat is the Manningham area of Bradford, scene of the worst rioting. Here, opinion is overwhelmingly opposed to the war.

Semima Abbas, 21, a student at Bradford University, is a British Muslim whose parents fled Saddam Hussein’s Iraq 20 years ago. Some of her family are in Karbala, Iraq, where there has been fierce fighting.

“We spoke to my uncle and auntie on the telephone last night and they are very scared. They just asked us to pray for them because they are caught between the fires of Saddam and the American bombs. They are in an impossible position.”

Danyl Naqvi, 30, has become sickened by the pictures of Iraqi civilians being killed. “This is not a war about Saddam – it’s a war about capitalism and creating a new world order of the West. North Korea is much more of a threat to world peace. Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction are made-up propaganda.”

A mile away in Shipley, which has a proportionately higher white population and was the home of Sgt Roberts, the overwhelming view is supportive of the war. Michael Smith, 47, a florist, believes “we have to finish the job so it doesn’t ever happen again”.

Down the road, Taimoor Mian, 30, a newsagent, takes a different view. “Without a second United Nations resolution this war is wrong and we should not be following the United States.”

A spokesman for the BNP said yesterday: “It’s pure coincidence that our candidates happen to be standing in wards in which British servicemen have died.

“We are not cynically exploiting the war. If anything it is the white ethnic people who are being exploited for their views about sending asylum-seekers home.”

So they were using it to play the race card as usual.

© One Million United, 2009