As the Labour Party conference chugs along at Bournemouth this week a rather atypical speech by Foreign Secretary – David Miliband, is bound to fuel the interests of many commentators on Foreign Policy and security matters.

Atypical in the sense that rather than tick-off the usual checklist of words and phrases expected by the Foreign Secretary this speech actually signalled a potential change in Britain’s relations with Muslims around the world and by extension, Muslims in Britain.

As well as making reference to the current protests in Burma and suggesting that Aung San Suu Kyi should be the next leader, Mr Miliband mentioned the phrase “learn the lessons” on numerous occasions when talking about the unmitigated disasters that are our interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Implicit in the speech was the admission that the current policies had not worked and perhaps a different approach than an armed response would have produced better results.

It is no secret that our interventions in Afghanistan and particularly in Iraq have not only been ineffective they have been hugely counterproductive.  Improving Britain’s vulnerability against the spectre of terrorism was the original reason for the invasion of Iraq then the reason changed when the truth started to trickle out about the lack of the now infamous WMD’s the story changed to one of regime change.  The likelihood of a terror attack against the UK has now increased thanks to our neo-con inspired interventions.

 

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The speech talked about a “second wave” of policy.  This raises obvious questions that need to be answered in the short-term.  How will this second-wave change from the first wave?  What will the United States make of this change if it means a divergence from their foreign policy initiatives?  Will a divergence lead to the UK publicly disagreeing with the US?  What implications are there for the manufactured “crisis” that is Iran’s research programme into nuclear energy?

The Iranian question is particularly interesting.  Here is a Muslim nation that has pledged not to make nuclear weapons, has opened up its research programme to the IAEA and still it is threatened with war.  A perceptible momentum is building up for war particularly in the American and Israeli media.  The problem for the neo-cons though is four fold.  Firstly their previous interventions have been disastrous.  Secondly, we’ve all been here before.  Warnings about Armageddon in the Middle-East ring hollow while the Iraq war lingers on.  The public are sick of war and can see the obvious hypocrisy of a nuclear armed Israel feigning worries about Iran.  Thirdly, the armed forces of both the US and UK are deployed at full stretch there is simply no more capacity for any meaningful campaign.  Last but not least, Iran is not Iraq.  It is justified in equipping itself with nuclear energy and has cooperated with the IAEA to their satisfaction.  Iran will also defend itself tenaciously.

Mr Miliband has signalled a bold change of course in his first conference speech as Foreign Secretary.  Let’s hope he means what he says and this leads to real change in our relations with other countries, in particular Muslim countries.  Only by facing up to the truth of our disastrous misadventures can we hope to improve the international standing of our nation.  Our foreign policy should be just, equitable and in our nation’s best interests – not in the interests of the United States or a war-mongering neo-con-Zionist cabal.  MPACUK cautiously welcome this new initiative and we will closely monitor any signs of real change.  We hope to see them soon.

 

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