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After
months of nationwide campaigns against war, MPs have voted to back
the government's use of force against Iraq.
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| Sarah
Cooper from Daventry on the London march |
In
February, around a million people marched through London opposing
war. The Cooper-Moorhouse family from Daventry
joined the protest.
Read their
views at the time of the protest and watch
a video of their day.
But
all along, Prime Minister Tony Blair stressed the importance of
putting military pressure on Saddam Hussein to make him disarm.
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| Tony
Clarke MP (Lab, Northampton South) |
In
the House of Commons on the eveing of Tuesday 17th March, two Northamptonshire
MPs voted against their own leadership over war: Tony Clarke (Lab,
Northampton South) and Phil Sawford (Lab, Kettering). The county's
other four MPs voted with the government. Mr
Sawford defended his stance: "There was a lot of soul searching.
A lot of people were digging deep into their consciences. The vote
was democracy in action."
'Wait
a year'
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| Phil
Sawford MP (Lab, Kettering) |
He
believes the weapons inspectors should have been given more time:
"We should have gone further along the route to try and find
a peaceful resolution. Hans Blix [the chief UN weapons inspector]
said he needed more time."
He
believes we should have waited for Iraq to disarm. "Wait six
months...wait a year," Mr Sawford said. "Go as far as
you can to avoid conflict which will inevitably bring civilian casualties.
"I
am by nature a peace maker. All my adult life I've campaigned for
peace. I have no love for Saddam Hussein but I think we should have
gone further. We've failed to convince so many people at the UN
and within the European Union, and I think the majority of the British
public. Under those circumstances, I just couldn't support the government."
Muslim
community
Also
against war is Sarfraz Khan. He's the co-ordinator of the Islamic
Pakistani Community Centre, Northampton.
"The
announcement of war against Iraq has created a difficult situation
for the anti-war people including the Muslims and non-Muslims. Obviously
it affects Muslims more than non-Muslims," he said.
Mr
Khan believes the Labour government has behaved undemocratically:
"Getting votes from the opposition to defeat its own party
has taken away the moral cause of ruling the country on behalf of
that party. The whole democratic process has been shaken because
of the strong lobby groups operating nationally and internationally."
He
thinks going to war without a second UN Security Council resolution
has dangerous repercussions: "Attacking any country without
explicit approval of the UN has made the international security
system ineffective. If the USA can attack one country on any pretext
without the support of the UN, why can't it attack the UK tomorrow
on any other pretext. Similarly, if it has become a tradition, then
why can't a third country attack any other country without UN support
if that country thinks it is in the interest of the country."
Mr
Khan believes that the real reason for going to war is to win control
of Iraq's oil.
'Heroic
efforts'
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| Sally
Keeble MP (Lab, Northampton North) |
But
Labour MP Sally Keeble (Northampton North), disagrees with Mr Khan
and her parliamentary colleague Phil Sawford. She said Tony Blair's
government had made "heroic efforts" to try to secure
consensus with a second United Nations Security Council resolution.
"The
Prime Minister has worked flat out," said Mrs Keeble, "It
was the Prime Minister who ensured the UN route was taken. But he
has always been clear it must be a way of dealing with the issues
not avoiding it.
"It
is very regrettable that the French Government has behaved in the
way it has. Threatening to block a second resolution under all circumstances
ensured that there could never be consensus at the United Nations.
The French must not be allowed to prevent a resolution to this global
threat."
Undermining
British forces
The
political arguments have now given way to support for British servicemen
and women.
Phil
Sawford wanted more time for the weapons inspectors, but what he
now wants to emphasise is his support for the troops: "I accept
the democratic decision [made by Parliament]. Now I want to say
and do nothing that undermines the British forces that are out there
with a job to do.
" I think for the sake of our troops, we now need to say 'OK,
let them get on and do the job they're trained for'. And they will
do it very well."
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