[had actually been negotiating, and they knew that…]
Socialist Organiser1982 1982-05-13Read it in the scan (PDF), scan page 4 →
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had actually been negotiating, and they knew that in the business of big-power negotiations armed missionaries are the only ones with a chance of making conversions. Foot wanted the pleasant face of negotiations without the brute realities behind it.
So the fleet proceeded to sink the Belgrano. Did Foot condemn it? Not at all. He said the situation was very serious and there should be a parliamentary debate.
Now the option is being aired of a British invasion of the Falklands. Foot's opinion? Very tricky. "A monstrous gamble". . Perhaps a long blockade would be better.
But invasion is not excluded on principle.
If the British forces actually do invade, we can guarantee Foot will support the accomplished fact - provided it is successful.
It is significant that. on this issue Foot is being dragged along by Peter Shore. Shore - who came out for accepting Thatcher's private talks on the war, and who on TV has denied any significant differences between Labour and the Tories over the war - is not exactly the same as Healey or Hattersley Shore is from the same species as Foot - the jingo Left'. Foot used to have some real left credentials which Shore never had, but more and more those are absorbed by the hard shell of jingoism. Foot becomes more and more like Shore, whose radicalism' consists solely of loud opposition to the EEC.
'Jingo leftism' filters all politics through the established British state institutions.
It wants the privileges and pomp of British imperialism without the sordid brutality • but then settles for the sordid brutality after all. The only question it ever asks is what should Britain do?' • not what should the working class do internationally?' Shore: four-square behind Tories But it is that second question that the labour movement should ask. Point 1 of the answer is: force the withdrawal of the British fleet. Labour trade unions sh paigning for tha for a leaderst fight for it. Parties and ›uld be cam: answer, and ip that will
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socialist Organiser no.84 May 13, 1982 Page 5