War-Monger Promises More War
British warmonger Tony Blair has pledged that his regime will continue to engage in imperialist campaigns and occupations around the world, regardless of the financial or human cost.
Speaking last week aboard the British battle ship ‘Albion’, Blair pledged continuing military interventionism under the guise of the ‘war on terror’. Apparently oblivious to the irony of his position when compared to his recent statements in relation to the conflict in Ireland the British PM said:
“My choice is for armed forces that are prepared to engage in this difficult, tough, challenging campaign, to be war fighters as well as peacekeepers.”
Blair added Britain must be prepared to fight for its ‘values’ and that military spending would have to increase.
The British state currently spends $64 billion per annum on its military and has 201,400 active mercenaries in its pay.
Of that number, a large proportion are still involved in the campaigns against the populations of Iraq and Afghanistan, while more than 7,000 troops continue to occupy six Irish counties.
Éirígí activists at anti-war demonstration
Responding to Blair’s statement, Éirígí spokesperson Daithí Mac An Mhaistír pointed to its obvious hypocrisy given recent British expostulations on Ireland.
“Tony Blair talks about fighting drawn out wars for the purpose of securing oil fields and imposing British ‘values’ while lecturing people in Ireland about the immorality of political violence.
“This statement highlights the fact that Blair is operating to the same imperialist agenda which every other British leader before him. Against this backdrop, it would be naive at best to believe that Tony Blair has any benign or progressive role to play in the affairs of Ireland.
“Tony Blair is a British Prime Minister and will serve the interests of the British state – the interests of the British state are in direct contradiction to those of the people of Ireland. The only progressive role Tony Blair could possibly play in relation to Ireland is to begin the process of withdrawal”
Daithí continued: “Blair’s statement is clearly very worrying for the people of the not only the Arab world but also for people here in Ireland, clearly signalling that Blair’s Imperial ambitions are no different then those of his predecessors. We in Ireland need to continue to build pressure on Britain to get out of Ireland. Such a victory for Irish democracy would be the best form of solidarity that we could show with the people of the Arab world in their fight for self-determination.”