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Permanent War? Not in my name!

29 November 2017

Permanent War? Not in my name!

Foto: SP

The War on Terror has failed. Yet despite everything, it continues, and with the support of the Netherlands. This must stop.

The War on Terror began in 2001 with the invasion of Afghanistan. There then followed Iraq (2003), Libya (2011), and Iraq once more, together with Syria (2014). Over the same period secret wars have been launched in a number of countries, including Yemen, Pakistan and Somalia.

Contrary to what was promised, these large-scale military attacks have not led to a reduction in terror. Attacks and threats have instead increased. More than a million people have died and millions more have been forced to flee their homes. Tensions between different population groups have intensified.

After more than sixteen years there is still no sign of an end to this failed, counterproductive war. By escalating the War on Terror on all fronts, President Trump is simply throwing oil on the fire. More death and destruction, more refugees and more terrorism will be the results.

The SP believes that this must stop, beginning by ending Dutch military support, and we have been campaigning to that end.

Last week the SP organised a hearing on the large number of civilian victims of the struggle to defeat ISIS in Iraq and Syria. Earlier in the month, defence spokeswoman Sadet Karabulut spoke on national public radio on the prolongation of the military missions in Afghanistan, Mali, Iraq and Syria. On 15th November, she presented a motion in Parliament calling for an independent enquiry into the counterproductive results of the War on Terror. Unfortunately her resolution failed to win majority support.

Karabulut has also placed a number of articles in the Dutch media. In translation, you can read her article from May, 2017, “Stand Up to Trump's War Policies”.

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