The Authoritarian Temptation: The Iraq and Afghan Wars and the Militarisation of British Democracy
When:
—
Venue:
Online
Chair: Prof Eric Kaufmann
Speaker: Prof Paul Dixon
The response to The Chilcot Report (2016) focussed on whether or not Prime Minister Tony Blair had deceived the British public over the war in Iraq. What most observers missed was Chilcot’s conclusions on the military’s role in pressurising the government into maximising Britain’s military role in the invasion of Iraq (2003). As the Iraq war escalated during the post-invasion period the military then pursued a second war in Helmand, Afghanistan. The generals assured the Labour government that they could simultaneously fight a war in Iraq while taking on a ‘peacekeeping’ role in Afghanistan.
The military then escalated the deployment to Helmand (2006) from ‘peacekeeping’ to ‘warfighting’. The head of the British Army, General Sir Richard Dannatt, broke constitutional convention by publicly attacking the Labour government for the consequent overstretch and failing properly to support the military. The ‘Militarisation Offensive’ consisted of a range of initiatives which militarised British politics and society, further increasing the popularity of the military and the military’s power over Afghan policy. The ‘9/11 wars’ had also led to a resurgence of militarism in the US and other NATO states. This, it is argued, reinforced authoritarian populist trends in politics and society.
Contact name:
Zoe Williams