Report
to the People
17th
March 2003
The Hardest Choice
I don’t often comment on reserved issues. It’s normally my view that they should be debated by MPs in the House of Commons and that MSPs in the Scottish Parliament should concentrate on what the Scottish people elected them to do.
But given the main story in the Scottish Parliament last week, I feel I should make an exception.
The debate on the threat of war with Iraq was, on the whole, a good one. While there was, sadly, the odd bit of party political point scoring form some and a degree of playing to the gallery from others, most contributors made their case thoughtfully and sincerely. A number of contributions, although I did not necessarily agree with them, were extremely well-informed and passionately delivered – the SNP’s George Reid and Labour’s Johann Lamont being two examples which spring to mind.
On both sides of this debate there are very strongly held beliefs. Some argue that war is never acceptable, regardless of the circumstances. Others, equally vociferously, maintain that military action should be taken without delay.
Like most people, my own view is somewhere between the two and continues to be shaped as events unfold.
My natural instincts are against using military might to solve disputes. But, as George Washington said, sometimes you have to threaten war to achieve peace. I don’t believe for a minute that the concessions we have wrung out of Saddam Hussein thus far would have been secured without an army being massed on his doorstep.
It would be better if we could secure a second UN Resolution before going to war and the Prime Minister is to be congratulated on his unstinting efforts towards getting one. On the other hand, I am conscious of the fact that we acted without Security Council approval when we liberated the people of Kosovo from the murderous reign of Slobodan Milosevic. And, to be frank, I don’t see why the Iraqi people should continue to live under Saddam Hussein’s brutal rule simply because of the internal politics of the UN.
Of course there are risks in taking action. But do they outweigh the risks, not only to the Iraqi people but to us all, of doing nothing?
These are the issues which must be weighed up and the agonising choices which must be made. Although the Scottish Parliament will not decide whether or not we go to war, many MSPs nevertheless thought long and hard about how to vote on Thursday. Ultimately, like the majority of the Parliament, I voted to back the Prime Minister at this difficult time, recognise the crucial role of the UN and demand that Saddam disarm.
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