Afghanistan - a just and popular war?

70 years ago today Britain declared war on Germany. Young men flocked to enlist into the armed forces. My grandfather described a sense of anticipation bordering on excitement. The Hun were approaching across Europe and the start of the Second World War was an event that galvanised a nation. Even in the darkest days of 1941 and 1942, when many thought that a full invasion was only weeks away, the war effort was widely supported.

British historians and the British public look back on this war with a sense of pride. As a young boy I used to love listening to the stories my Grandfather told. A war in which thousands of British men, women and children died is widely (and rightly) considered this nation’s finest hour.

It is interesting to compare this with the wars we have fought recently and are fighting currently. Today the sense of national pride described above is absent. While there has been an increase in Army recruitment this is due mainly to the economic situation. Many see the wars in the Middle East as a scar on the British reputation and politicians freely criticise many aspects of the war effort, while troops are in the field.

So why is the war in Afghanistan losing support, and rapidly?

Is it because the public find it hard to separate it from the Iraq war, which many say was a massive misadventure? Is it because of the images from the front line that shows terrifying scenes of close quarter combat with bayonets fixed (images never seen during WWII)? Is it the heart wrenching scenes from Wootton Bassett? Or, is it the sense that we no longer fighting for our own self-interest, with the more real threat now coming from the border regions of Pakistan?

Furthermore, at a time when many nations around the world (Iran, N Korea, Russia…) could be considered a threat to British interests is this aversion to conflict a good or bad thing? Will it increase the possibility of diplomacy or leave Britain open to these threats? What would the situation be now if Britain were attacked? Would a government be able (if necessary) to take this country to war? And, if not what are the ramifications of that?

The morale, emotions and feelings of a nation often dictates domestic policy, this may be the first time in a long time it influences foreign policy.