The Staggers

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Lessons from the Iraq war

The end of the Iraq war comes at a time when apathy is turning into discontent for students in Britain.

By Usman Ali Published 17 December 2011 11:34

The end of the Iraq war comes at a time when apathy is turning into discontent for students in Britain.

By any stretch of imagination it has been an intense twelve months; the Arab Spring may-well feature as the defining moment of the decade to come, the 'Occupy' movement perseveres and we have seen large scale public sector strikes for the first time in a generation. Yet when we seek to uncover the birth of this current discontentment we need to look further. I believe it started nine years ago - and the Iraq war has in fact shaped the political attitude of my generation. So as Obama marked the end to the failed Iraq war, with at least a million dead, we need to start connecting the dots.

Marching in 2003 against the war, and coming to organise demonstrations in Manchester was certainly a significant moment towards my serving today as Vice-President Higher Education for NUS.

But whilst it was certainly a politicizing moment for many, it is also the case that for a generation constantly asked to participate in mainstream democracy, the system failed us - it simply didn't listen. And today as I travel across the country speaking with young people, the same anecdotes are presented on campus - "things are already decided and you can't do anything about it, so why bother?", "nobody listens in Parliament!" Surprisingly, the war, despite disappearing from public discourse, is rarely far from this conversation. Iraq presented a politicizing moment for some whilst also encouraging feelings of apathy in many others.

We have come to speak of a 'lost generation'. This is often, correctly, expressed as an economic and a social phenomenon - but it is also a real risk politically. My generation have engaged through the political structures - we marched in record numbers against Iraq, students were turned away from polling stations in student-heavy constituencies as they turned out to vote in 2010, and last year 50,000 of us marched against the trebling of tuition fees and tuition fees in the largest student demonstration in a generation. With little tangible to show for this - the war went on, the Liberal Democrats broke their pledge to students and tuition fees were trebled - the political class taught a generation that no matter how strong your argument or how many you are, your political participation is pointless.

As we look ahead, though governments have changed and enquiries have played out in the public eye, lessons do not seem to have been learnt. Barbaric intervention - against the will of a nation - not only killed a million but crippled generation's quality of life (including as we are seeing through the results of nuclear waste). Yet frighteningly, our own government officials have noted that should the US plan to strike at Iran, it would "seek, and receive, UK military help". David Miliband has already warned against "sleepwalking into a war with Iran" - the student movement must be ready to challenge what would be a further monumental miscalculation.

The end of the Iraq war comes at a time when apathy is turning into discontent for students in Britain. We rose strongly against the government's changes reform of higher education funding. The temperature of our global political climate is rising and priorities are changing - Occupy is a very real and new social movement, the Arab spring provides us confidence, and students have featured at the heart of both. Whilst others are powerfully claiming their role in democracy abroad, it is a time like no other for us to think about how to utilize our politicization that is gathering apace - and bring it into the mainstream.

Our student leadership has rightly spearheaded the fight against cuts to higher education, student quality and championed widening participation - and we will continue to do so as a priority. I was reminded that the National Union of Students was formed in 1922 - on the back of World War I, set up to fight for world peace. Ninety years on from then, and nine years on from the Iraq war, we must too reconnect with those striving for justice. In the same way that I shared the hurt of my colleagues at University who cried as members of their families were killed in Iraq, today we must take from the students in Egypt and Tunisia who organised beyond differences; indeed we must move beyond slogans and be pragmatic.

At a Conference I attended on Tuesday on the government's heavily-criticised and anti-dissent Prevent strategy in Leicester, Jesse Jackson rebuked that "radical rejection leads to radical reactions". The lost generation is finding itself again - it found me, not in Tahrir Square, but in Manchester. Let now the radical reaction of students in Britain transform apathy into activism, as the global movement to recapture our democracy comes home.

Usman Ali is the Vice President (Higher Education) of the National Union of Students

Tags: Iraq

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19 comments

Sun, 2011-12-18 12:51 — mike (not verified)

Great article Usman

Student spirit!!

Sun, 2011-12-18 12:54 — samantha (not verified)

So true...
No more death and no more destruction please!!!

Sun, 2011-12-18 13:05 — jessica (not verified)

Ed - The Iraq war cannot be described as anything but "barbaric". Over a million dead civilians? Hardly a heroic achievement to boast about?

Oh and Ed - Muslims have had to needlessly withstand unbelievable insults especially from our media so please just grow up and debate your point free of xenophobic and religious hatred. There's a good boy!

Nice article. Political injustices have always resonated with the thinking students.

Sun, 2011-12-18 13:47 — Hnnnnnnnng (not verified)

Nice to see idiots still using the endlessly-discredited million statistic.

But yeah, you're generally right. Today's mongy Occuturds are the same 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 year olds who got their backs up over Iraq. I was one of them, but my politics turned more pro-Western as the years went by among the whining about Gitmo and Israeli intervention in Lebanon which culminated in 2008 as the media went all out to get Obama elected and started seriously advocating the failed New Deal as a serious economic solution (I figured out that was a load of junk in 2006). God forbid, I could have wound up a New Statesman reader.

Oh yeah: there won't be a strike on Iran. Too risky and too complex. Crippling economic sanctions and covert action will be the only things that will force a policy change among the Mullahs.

But apart from that, the surge worked, the war ended years ago, it was Bush's plan that got the withdrawal happening etc etc. Same old. Gotta move past, lads.

Sun, 2011-12-18 16:38 — AA (not verified)

Glad to see student leaders displaying the intelligence and substance so lacking in modern politics!

Sun, 2011-12-18 16:46 — south pacific

What always amazes me of the people of the West is that they want to change countries which live in different ways and re-create within their image.
The West is even prepared to war for this.

To use an example. the bloke down the road comes to your place and tells you "you must live the way I do".

What will your response be?

Mine will be,go and get stuffed.

If he does not like the answer and gets violent, what will you do?

I will fight back.

Countries act in the same way. No one likes to be told by a bully country how they should live their lives and organise their affairs.

Which Muslim country has attacked the West? Not that I am aware of one.

the attitudes of some of the views expressed here smack of those of the colonial powers of the past, viz.
you lot are barbarians, we bring you civilization, that we rob you blind in the process by occupying your territory is neither here nor there.
Just shut up and do what you are told.

Iran hasn't attacked any other country. It may use aggressive rhetoric but the saying is a dog that barks is not dangerous.

The New York bombing was not done by a country but by a group of people that were pissed of about the way the US treated Muslim countries.

Osama bin Laden, the mouse that roared. It scared the hell out of a so called super power.

It took the super power 10 years to find him. A TV program detective would have done it in a fifth of the time and rather than shooting him would have said "you are nicked."

Sun, 2011-12-18 19:23 — historybuff

The author is full of complaints about the treatment of students and Muslims, but what has he or any other student leader of Muslim politician ever done to help non-Muslims or women or sexual minorities in Muslim countries?
Answer; absolutely nothing!

And as far as the whole so-called 'Arab Spring' is concerned, it is clearly rapidly turning into a nightmare for Christians, womnen and sexual minorities. Previously, there was a degree of toleration in these countries, especially Tunisia and Egypt, even Libya was very god on women's rights, but now we see that the Islamists are the real winners, and everyone else will face much greater persecution than ever before. And as for economic opportunities for young people is concerned, forget it; their economies will suffer and oportunities sharply diminish as the next couple of years unfold.

Frankly, I don't need a Muslim to instruct me on my civil rights or freedom. We have greater traditions of freedom and prosperity in this country, and these can only be threatened, rather than protected, by Islamic students or politicians. Alot of this young Muslim male students are full of themselves and take advantage of the freedoms they are able to enjoy in this country while actually regarding our freedoms with contempt.

Sat, 2011-12-17 13:11 — Bill Anderson (not verified)

Best article on students I've read in AGES - I RARELY see the intellectual side of this connected with a grassroots understanding like this! And finally an NUS member who talks openly about international solidarity and the wars!

I think its unsurprising though that so many people are still concerned about the Iraq war - think about all those ppl that marched - its not gonna be forgotten that easily and I see that on my campus.

Though I must say I've never been a fan of 'international issues' (like Palestine) defining the stuff that students do - and I agree with you a lot here - I think there is a LOT we can learn (be inspired by especially) from students abroad in how we go about our work here whilst also connecting with them. It seems so BORING in the UK sometimes!!!

Sat, 2011-12-17 14:17 — Ian5

I firmly supported , and still do the removal of Saddam Hussein, for me it was the reports of what happened in Halabja. This however does not excuse what happened, the use of spurious reasons to invade, the continued occupation. What I cannot understand is why the UN is not intervening far sooner and initially at least far more often. Our response in Bosnia was a disgrace, Darfur unbelievable, does the international community have any minimum standards? Is there no line that cannot be crossed by despots.

I hope you do not term all interventions barbaric, because its "against the will of the nation",that surely can only lead to a new generation of despots and attempts at some form of genocide.

Iraq for me is a case of right war, wrong reasons.

Sat, 2011-12-17 17:01 — ed (not verified)

immature article from a leader of children.

Your writing style is similar to that of Laurie Penny, the NS's resident spoilt little baby.

Oh, and I don't like the barbarian tag you've used. It's insulting as you well know. Would'nt like muslims to be referred to as, oh I don't know, let's say 'agressively autistic', would you? Start throwing insults and you can expect some back.

Tue, 2011-12-20 21:59 — Andrew Mc. (not verified)

Apathy turning into discontent? The summer riots are a clear example of this.

A very good article- hope the students keep the focus on widening participation just when this coalition Government is trying to do the exact opposite.

Sat, 2011-12-17 19:06 — willoyen

Good to see students reminding us of the horrors of the Iraq war in the very week that Obama had the cheek to claim the US were leaving a country now ‘sovereign, stable and self-reliant’! If it really were sovereign and self-reliant, they wouldn’t be leaving. Cynical lies continue to manage public opinion about this and other wars and their aftermath; I remember as early as 2004 the BBC were playing the line that we have ‘to move on’, the war was over etc. It was a barbarous war, and has left Iraq devastated. It was not fought for justice, but for western interests alone. Western governments should be held responsible for reparations, not indulge in lying self adulation and applause. Students are right to feel cheated of their belief in democracy and truth, and right to organize protest. An example to the wider society.

Mon, 2011-12-19 01:12 — John Cheese (not verified)

The gassed Kurds & other Iraqis are glad the West took out Hussein & his rape rooms & acid "baths". Shouldn't many countries now step up & help with the longer term system admin? Now about Keystone pipeline, hmmm...

Sun, 2011-12-18 00:16 — Flashbuck (not verified)

Iran needs to whacked big time asap. The whole nutjob regime has to be decapitated, and the UK with Israel and the USA are the players in town with the balls for the job. Fact. Let's roll!

Sun, 2011-12-18 00:59 — Damien Shannon (not verified)

Nice one Usman!

Sun, 2011-12-18 01:50 — Dickie1

@ed

"Start throwing insults and you can expect some back."

I hear there is some excellent wanking to be had on the internet, just right for a person like you.

Mon, 2011-12-19 16:23 — Ian5

Arab spring, uum heard it before, seem to remember a Prague Spring..

John Cheese, totally agree, if I'm truly ashamed of anything is that the international community let so much happen there and Bosnia etc, and did nothing..

South Pacific, bit hypercritical don't you think, Yanks go home, but fine for a group pissed off with the US to undertake 9/11? If the Taliban had given up Al-Qaeda no need for Afgan War...

and you state "What always amazes me of the people of the West is that they want to change countries which live in different ways and re-create within their image"
Would you allow a child to be raped, oh sorry married at 12 in front of you? Your sister is raped , so you'll happily sit and watch her get either raped again or better still stoned for adultery and not lift a finger? Of course they don't need civilising.

Strange thing those Muslims you talk of also want to being that vile crap to he west... Oh they are not real Muslims, thats not a true face of Islam,,,no its!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sharia Law.

Always being told "when in Rome", well when in the West, your free to question things including God. don't like it, leave.

Mon, 2011-12-19 20:26 — jankaas (not verified)

"Iran needs to whacked big time asap. The whole nutjob regime has to be decapitated, and the UK with Israel and the USA are the players in town with the balls for the job. Fact. Let's roll!"

you are sooooooo sexy when you write this tough stuff. you must be a real stud muffin. grrrrr.....my nipples are like corks.