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PeaceMatters June 2016 - revised.qxp_Layout 1 21/07/2016 13:11 Page 1

Number 73 Summer 2016 matters MAGAZINE OF THE

Resisting everyday militarism PeaceMatters June 2016 - revised.qxp_Layout 1 21/07/2016 13:11 Page 2

Sign the Peace Pledge “ is a crime against and build a culture humanity. I renounce of war, and am therefore determined not to support any kind of Join online at www.ppu.org.uk or fill war. I am also deter - in the form below. mined to work for the I/we would like to sign the Peace Pledge (see wording oppo - removal of all causes of site) and join the Peace Pledge Union. war.” Name ______ISSN 1350 – 3006 Address ______Peace Pledge Union Peaceworks ______1 Peace Passage London N7 0BT Email address ______Phone: 020 7424 9444 Email [email protected] Annual subscription: £21, or £10 if you are on a low income, Website: www.ppu.org.uk or £28 for two at the same address. Or you can subscribe to Peace Matters is published by the Peace Peace Matters without joining the PPU for £6. Pledge Union. Material published in Either: I/we enclose a cheque for £____ Peace Matters does not necessarily reflect PPU policy. Or: debit my/our card for £____

Card type ______Editor: Symon Hill, with help from Jan Melichar and Annie Bebington Card number ______Typeset and design: PPU Printing: Lithosphere Expiry date ______Security number _ _ _

The Peace Pledge Union is the oldest To: The Manager: Bank secular pacifist organisation in Britain. Address Through War Resisters’ International it links with similar groups around the world. It is one of the original sponsors Your account number Please pay on / /2016 and on the same day each of the Campaign Against Arms Trade, a MONTH / YEAR (delete as appropriate) member of Liberty and a co-operating To: The Co-operative Bank plc, 60 Kingsway, organisation of Landmine Action. London WC2B 6DS 08-90-61 Peace Pledge Union Main Account no 50504527 the sum of £ ______amount in For information, visit words______www.ppu.org.uk Signature ______Date ______or call 020 7424 9444. PeaceMatters June 2016 - revised.qxp_Layout 1 21/07/2016 13:11 Page 3

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Crossing boundaries Symon Hill A week before the EU mean war and prepara - Militarist values and referendum, a retired tions for war. For all the assumptions are present British general broke ranks talk of security threats, in everyday life in the with his colleagues. armed forces do not UK, from military visits to Charles Guthrie, former address the underlying schools to local events to Chief of the Defence Staff, causes of violence, such mark Armed Forces Day. had been one of twelve for - as global poverty, inequal - The Peace Pledge Union mer senior officers to sign ity and climate change. has decided to step up a letter in February backing In the wake of the Brexit its work challenging EU membership. But he vote, British politics feels everyday militarism. The changed his mind, telling unstable. The future is following pages give the Daily Telegraph that he hard to predict. One thing some examples of every - feared close European co- we can guarantee is that day militarism - and of operation over “defence” militarists will continue to ways to it. because many European push their agenda, whether I recently took up the armies are “hopeless”. in the UK, EU, Russia, the post of PPU Co-ordina - Guthrie, now a director US or elsewhere. tor, succeeding Jan of the arms company Colt As pacifists, we must be Melichar, who has served Defence, said, he would just as determined to stand the PPU for many years. rather co-operate with up to this, building I am honoured to be in countries such as Australia alliances across borders, this position and I look “which has a jolly good making clear that violence forward to working with army and one which is pre - cannot end violence and you in tackling militarism pared to do things”. By that militarism is an assault and promoting a strong “things”, he presumably on human dignity. pacifist alternative. means fighting , which is what armies are for. Both Guthrie and his pro-Remain colleagues share familiar assump - tions. Violence is deemed to be necessary, repeat - edly and on a large scale. The UK establishment is assumed to be worth defending. In the Ministry of Defence (pictured), they talk about “defence” but PeaceMatters June 2016 - revised.qxp_Layout 1 21/07/2016 13:11 Page 4

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News of peace and war

Army under pressure evidence of sexual ha - Ministers in the dock over Deepcut rassment and bullying of over Saudi arms vulnerable young people. The British army is strug - Amnesty International There was success for gling to defend its reputa - called for fresh inquests the on tion after the latest into three other mysteri - 30 June, when the High revelations about the ous deaths at the base. Court ordered a judicial deaths of young person - Army boss Nick review into the legality of nel at Deepcut barracks Carter, Chief of the Gen - UK arms sales to Saudi in Surrey. eral Staff, fought a rear - Arabia. Two decades after the guard action at the The legal case was death of 18-year-old Defence Select Commit - brought by the Campaign Cheryl James, a new in - tee, insisting that army Against Arms Trade quest confirmed a verdict “culture” would change. (CAAT), to which the of suicide, to the surprise Even he acknowledged PPU is affiliated. It may of many. But this didn’t that it was “sexualised”. be several months be - let the army off the hook. The Committee sadly fore the issue is debated The coroner made clear failed to ask him how an in court, but there’s al - that evidence had been organisation rooted in vi - ready been an outraged lost due to a lack of olence and hierarchy reaction from arms com - proper investigation. The could ever move away panies and the Saudi inquest heard yet more from bullying and abuse. government.

Arms dealers for peace The Chilcot small print Members of the PPU and Like many peace organisations, the PPU CAAT attended the AGM weclomed the fact that John Chilcot’s recent report of arms giant BAE Sys - recognised the flimsiness of Tony Blair’s argument tems on 4 May. Chair - for invading Iraq. However, Chilcot seemed to shy man Roger Carr became away from questioning the armed forces. rattled by ongoing ques - Buried away in Section 6.1 of the report, tions about arms sales to however, is the revelation that military command - Saudi Arabia, the bomb - ers pressed for a greater UK role in the invasion ing of Yemen and BAE’s during the run-up to war. The PPU insisted that academy school in Cum - commanders as well as politicians must be held to bria. Eventually, he account. claimed that BAE was The problem is war, not just this war. War selling arms to preserve is possible because people do what they’re told. “peace”. PeaceMatters June 2016 - revised.qxp_Layout 1 21/07/2016 13:11 Page 5

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News of peace and war

Taxes for Peace Bill Nonviolent action against nukes Labour MP Ruth Cadbury has presented a bill to While the media were ab - Parliament that would sorbed by Brexit, a nuclear weapons site in Berkshire grant taxpayers the right was coping with a security to choose to have the mil - threat posed by a particu - itary portion of their taxes larly dangerous group of diverted towards expendi - people: pacifists. ture on non-military secu - Throughout June, paci - rity. fists and other peace ac - The bill is backed tivists blockaded entrances by Conscience, the group to the Atomic Weapons Es - campaigning for consci - tablishment at Burghfield entious objection to mili - (next to Aldermaston), tary taxation. While it has where Trident missiles are developed. little chance of becoming A blockade of the main law, it is ensuring that he gate on 6 June continued realities of military expen - overnight and stayed in diture are discussed in place for over a week. Simi - Parliament and the lar actions took place every Welsh activists blockade media. The UK has the day for the rest of the AWE Burghfield. fifth highest military month. Photo: Trident spending in the world. On 27 June, a number of Ploughshares faith groups took part in a day of action under the ban - ner ‘No Faith in Trident’. Support was offered by Muslim, Jewish, Christian, Buddhist and secular fig - ures. There were several ar - rests during the month, in - cluding eight on 27 June, mostly from the Christian pacifist group Put Down the Sword. It’s a reminder that paci - fists are not passive. PeaceMatters June 2016 - revised.qxp_Layout 1 21/07/2016 13:11 Page 6

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Everyday militarism

Militarism is all Armed forces join No Pride in War campaign. around us. If it seems human rights march “Why should the military invisible, it’s only be allowed to walk at the because it’s so deeply London’s LGBT Pride front of the march when embedded in British parade on 25 June featured NHS doctors, who I depend life that it looks like a uniformed soldiers and a on for my medical support natural part of the flypast by the Red Arrows. services, have to walk at landscape. Arms company BAE Sys - the back?” asked Dan As we step up the tems formed a section of Glass from Act Up, one of PPU’s resistance to the parade, declaring sup - the first groups to speak everyday militarism, port for LGBT rights. out. here are some exam - One of BAE’s leading On the day of Pride, ples to remind us of customers is Saudi Arabia, around thirty activists, what we are up where gay, bisexual and including PPU members, against, and how we trans people are routinely handed out leaflets to the can take it on. imprisoned and tortured. thousands of people who The Red Arrows, part of were marching. There was the RAF, state that they aim a positive response from to “assist in recruiting to the many. When the Red armed forces”. Arrows flew over, there LGBT activists joined seemed to be about as with the Peace Pledge much booing as cheering. No Pride in War demon - Union and other grassroots As the BAE section stration (Photo: CAAT) campaigners to launch the marched past, some activis - sts tried to engage BAE staff in conversation, but they refused to talk and some of them resorted to obscene gestures. The chant went up, “BAE out of Pride! There’s no pride in genocide!”

TAKE ACTION: Sign the petition to Pride organisers: https://you.38degrees.org.u k/petitions. PeaceMatters June 2016 - revised.qxp_Layout 1 21/07/2016 13:11 Page 7

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Everyday militarism

Buy our products - the Promote the army - army likes them! and pay for the privilege

A company is assuring Cardiff councillors customers that one of recently received an invita - their products is “army tion to a reception run by approved”. Is it a gun, a the Army Engagement tank or at least a para - Team - in the councillors’ chute? No, it’s a mobile own building. phone cover. Councillor Ed Bridges The company as - has asked the Council’s serts that the phone case had been “put through leaders who will be paying military-grade drop test - for the event. An answer ing” (see left). It seems will be provided at the next we are supposed to trust Council meeting, but Ed the product - because we isn’t hopeful. In 2013, he are expected to trust the asked how much the army. armed forces paid for their recruitment stalls on Cardiff streets. The Militarist trains answer: nothing at all. That year, Cardiff Coun - Pacifist activist Sam Wal - cil raised £203,000 by ton recently came across charging businesses for a Great Western train public stands - but none of named after the Red Ar - it came from the armed rows and celebrating their “excellence”. Mean - forces. while PPU staff member Ben Copsey found him - TAKE ACTION: You can self on a train covered ask your council whether with red poppies and slo - they allow the armed gans about the “fallen” - forces better deals than sanitised language that other employers wanting to presents war as clean recruit. Please let us know and straightforward and what they say by emailing does nothing to honour [email protected] or calling the dead. 020 7424 9444. PeaceMatters June 2016 - revised.qxp_Layout 1 21/07/2016 13:11 Page 8

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Writing for Peace

Young people from across the UK have been reflect - ing on opposition to war by taking part in the Peace Pledge Union’s Writing for Peace award. They were invited to submit poetry or prose exploring the feelings of a , or another man or woman op - posed to war, during World War One. “The quality of the entries was very high,” said Georgina Melia (right) receives joint first prize from the PPU’s Peter Peter Glasgow, the PPU’s Glasgow as her teacher Jessica Fletcher (left) looks on. Officer. “It was difficult for the read Georgina’s poem, judges - who included a The Toppling Pieces . playwright, who has written Georgina’s joint first Peace in your scripts for Brookside and prize was welcomed by Eastenders - to determine Julie MacIntyre, Director school? the actual winners.” of English at Soham Vil - In the end, two lage College. “We are Are you a teacher, people each won a joint delighted that first prize: Samira Idmes - school student or Georgina's exceptional parent? Would you saoud, from Ratton School writing talent has been in Eastbourne, and recognised nationally,” like the PPU to visit Georgina Melia, from she said. your school? Let us Soham Village College in Our next issue know at peaceedu - Cambridgeshire. will feature Samira’s In a strong third [email protected] entry The Scarlet Price or on 020 7424 place was Holly Thomp - while in the following son, from Ysgol Gyfun issue you will be able to 9444. Gymraeg, LLangynwyd, read Holly’s poem near Bridgend. Protest Against the War . Opposite you can PeaceMatters June 2016 - revised.qxp_Layout 1 21/07/2016 13:11 Page 9

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The Toppling Pieces Georgina Melia

Where are they now?- The children of the military They’re buried deep in the mud, Smiles sweet, flecked with blood

With their uniforms hung loose against their frames And the false cologne of confidence overpowering the fear in their boots. They’re launched onto the fields like fodder For the machine guns to graze upon.

The boy to the right goes down, so does the left The German in front, the Austrian to his right. In their last breaths they all look at each other with a universal sorrow, And they then too join the casualties of war.

Casualties of a war far less personal than it seems; It’s a King’s war and the pawns are falling off the board. They’re falling down fast on both sides and Soon there will be no one else for the Kings to use.

The curve of death will soon enter my hands, And that omen will be in my sights. I’d rather meet with him willingly, Than kill until I die.

So what are all really fighting for? It’s just another man’s war. On that field, I’ll be there, fighting for peace, It will be my duty until my decease.

Georgina Melia, 15, is a student at Soham Village College in Cambridgeshire and co-winner of the Writing for Peace award 2016. PeaceMatters June 2016 - revised.qxp_Layout 1 21/07/2016 13:11 Page 10

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Conscientious Objectors’ Day

Walter Roberts was In the UK, the Peace the first British conscien - Pledge Union joined with tious objector to die in others to insist that con - detention. He died aged scientious objection re - 20 in September 1916, mains relevant despite the killed by the conditions at aboltion of . the Dyce work camp near The PPU called for Aberdeen. “conscientious objection A century later, Wal - in everyday life” to resist ter’s niece Siw Roberts the growing militarisation read from Walter’s final of British society. The letters to a crowd of peo - PPU’s call was reported ple marking International by , Morning Conscientious Objectors’ Star and BBC Ulster. Day (CO Day) on 15 May Events to mark CO Day 2016 in Tavistock were held in British towns Square, London. and cities including Cam - As usual, the day was bridge, Carlisle, Edin - observed around the burgh, Leicester, London, world. In Venezuela, 43 Manchester, Milton people marked the day Keynes, Oxford, Pen - by defying their call-up zance, Rochdale, and decalaring them - Sheffield and York. selves to be conscien - Members of the Euro - tious objectors. pean Bureau for Consci - In Turkey, four consci - entious Objection entious objectors were attended the event in Lon - prevented by police from don, having held their reg - marching and planting ular meeting in the city on trees in Diyark - the previous day. bikir (pictured New memorial stones left). for COs were laid in In South Leicester and Carlisle, but Korea, a cycle in Penzance the local protest de - council refused to allow manded the re - the planting of a tree in lease of more honour of COs in the than 700 people town’s war memorial park. locked up for re - fusing to fight. PeaceMatters June 2016 - revised.qxp_Layout 1 21/07/2016 13:11 Page 11

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Review: The Hammer Blow Virginia Moffatt I have to confess that I base, cutting throught the reviews have a strong personal con - fence and disarming the The Hammer nection with The Hammer plane is both exciting and Blow: How ten Blow as the author, Andrea extremely moving. women disarmed a Needham, is a close friend. This is a gripping story warplane But even if she wasn’t, I and extremely well told, by Andrea Neeham would be highly recom - moving effortlessly be - ( mending this lively and en - tween humour and deep Press, £10) tertaining account of one of emotion as Andrea tells of the most important peace their subsequent arrest, actions of the last thirty imprisonment and trial years. and their hopes and fears. The book, which gives She paints an unsparing Andrea’s perspective on the picture of the difficulties of 1996 ‘Sees of Hope’ being in prison but also Ploughshares action (when demonstrates how the women disarmed a Hawk women prepared for trial, jet bound for Indonesia), ably assisted by their sup - begins with an account of port group on the outside. the author’s path from an The book reaches its ordinary middle class child - denouement with tensions hood to full-time activist. rising in the courtroom as It is when we reach the the women wait for the main event that this book jury to reach their historic really comes to life. From verdict, followed by an the time the group of eruption of joy when the women come together with women are found not an intent to disarm a plane, guilty. every part of the action is Seeds of Hope was a planned carefully; every po - rare moment in campaign tential outcome thought history when activists not through. This leads to hilari - only succeeded in their ous descriptions of Andrea goal but were found not and her fellow activist Jo guilty: a result that cer - Blackman sitting in fields tainly contributed to inter - staking out BAE Warton, national efforts to resolve tyring to identify the Hawk. the situation in East When they finally do, the Timor. account of the group mak - ing its way in the dark to the PeaceMatters June 2016 - revised.qxp_Layout 1 21/07/2016 13:11 Page 12

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Tax resister, not tax dodger

Can we challenge cor - I don't know if David all wanted to pay - but we porate tax-dodging Cameron has ever been could not in conscience do while also opposing the called a soap-dodging so without seeking to en - use of taxes to fund hippy. But if he has, he's fol - sure that the money we war? Pacifist tax lowing in a long-established paid went towards making resister Simon Hey - tradition of controversy over the world a safer place. wood argues that we the subject of taxation. We knew our taxes can and that we Mr Cameron's tax could easily be spent pre - should. affairs came under scrutiny venting wars by fighting in April, following the leak of their causes: poverty, op - the so-called "Panama Pa - pression, misery and injus - pers." Cameron's support - tice - to name but a few. We ers argued it was fine to knew that real peacework avoid tax, because ... well, needed funding - everything who wants to pay tax? Fi - from expert mediation in cri - nancial journalists reminded sis situations, to the slow, readers of the difference patient work of many life - between tax evasion and times in and for communi - tax avoidance - which, if ties in entrenched conflict. you're interested, is that tax We knew these evasion is legal, and tax things had worked before, avoidance isn't. often unnoticed - wars that It's about ten years don't happen don't make since I found myself court - the news. For example ing accusations of tax “War Fails to Break Out in avoidance. It's one of the the Baltic” was never going few things I have in com - to be a big headline - not mon with David Cameron's even in the early 1990s, dad. In one sense my ac - when, thanks to an unobtru - cusers were making a rea - sive round of nail-biting, sonable mistake: I was part last-minute diplomacy, it of a group protesting certainly should have been. against having to pay tax We knew that such meth - for military purposes. ods could work better with That can sound like an at - more public recognition and Simon Heywood is a tempt to dodge the tax alto - better funding. We knew Quaker writer, composer and storyteller and a gether. But it isn't. Unlike that they were a more cer - member of the PPU. David Cameron's dad, we tain means of self-defence, PeaceMatters June 2016 - revised.qxp_Layout 1 21/07/2016 13:11 Page 13

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in the long run, than group - the Peace Tax binges on more military Seven - to bring a legal hardware. A team of ex - challenge in the High pert mediators could be Court. kept in business, literally For us, bringing for centuries, for the cost the case involved of a single hi-tech (among other things) a bomber plane which crash course in the com - could be turned to use - ments threads in the rea - less wreckage in a mo - sons why we were ment. wrong. We were told that We knew, too, tax couldn't be hypothe - that this was more than cated - that is, earmarked just a matter of policy. at source for specific pur - War never is. It was, and poses. We'd paid enough is, a life-and-death issue National Insurance and which engaged individual TV licence fees to feel conscience, just like con - confident that it could. scription - and conscrip - And, of course, tion demands the right to we were told we were conscientious objection. soap-dodging . We knew that paying to The irony is that we did kill is killing, and, in ef - all this in an attempt, not fect, we were being to avoid tax - still less to drafted to kill through our evade it - but to pay it. taxes, just as if we had We kept the withheld tax been forced to pay a to one side in readiness. hired assassin for a con - The case ended tract killing, thousands of with a ruling in the Trea - times over. We knew all sury's favour. But the in - these things. But the law tervening ten years have didn't. made the basic issues all So we chal - the more current. The lenged the law, withhold - causes of war remain, ing a percentage of and the alternatives self-assessed tax (be - seem to be receding in cause we could - an op - an ever more troubled portunity denied to world. There are evils the anyone who pays tax world needs to avoid solely through PAYE) and more than anyone needs coming together as a to avoid paying tax. PeaceMatters June 2016 - revised.qxp_Layout 1 21/07/2016 13:11 Page 14

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War toys in the midst of conflict

The PPU’s Peace Educa - o war toys create a that support a child’s tion Officer, Peter Glas - sub-conscious accept - healthy mental develop - gow, spoke to parents of Dance of the inevitability of ment. Certain toys are young children to find out war? Do they provide sub - obviously incapable of their views on war games. liminal encouragement of a having a positive creative He found the parents view that the armed forces influence, The M16 already putting peace prin - are ever-present agents of Camo Dart Gun in con - ciples into practice. good in a dangerous and junction with the Full evil world? Camo Set-ACU Digital The PPU has long Camouflage soldier’s campaigned against the outfit is a case in point! pernicious influence that So what happens war toys can exercise. when you explore the nu - That said, when it comes ances of this issue down to considering indi - through discussion? Is it vidual toys and games possible to identify what things are not always is and is not harmful? clear-cut. There appears to A few months be a lack of definitive evi - ago, I found myself run - dence to suggest that, on ning a session with a di - their own, individual toys or verse group of parents games make children more about the impact of war aggressive or belligerent. toys. They had ap - However, proached the PPU and what is clear is that they asked us to organise this constitute elements of that discussion. It quickly be - “drip-drip feed” that makes came clear that the par - the unacceptability of vio - ents were hoping for lence acceptable. some guidance on the In my work, it has sort of toys that they become apparent that the should be buying or not important thing is that par - buying for their children. ents should be thinking We commenced about whether or not toys with a questionnaire that and games are flexible allowed the parents to enough to provide children focus on and discuss the with opportunities for cre - relevant issues. Case ative play - the sort of play studies were considered PeaceMatters June 2016 - revised.qxp_Layout 1 21/07/2016 13:11 Page 15

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in pairs and used to com - west Beirut and sub - Don’t join the army! pare the usefulness and jected it to heavy bom - value of different types of bardment. The latest army recruit - play and toys. The ses - It seems that ment campaign aimed at sion included a Guiding there must be some com - young people makes Play Checklist that could fort to be drawn from the ironic use of the expres - subsequently be used to discussion of these two sion “Don’t join the support parents’ future mothers. They had purchases of toys and youthful experiences of army”, implying that it’s a games. being on opposite sides phrase young people I asked the par - during a brutal war. This might hear from relatives ents if they had played was in an area of the and friends. war games when they world where the ubiquity The posters fea - were young. One of violent conflict seems turing the saying con - woman responded imme - endemic. Yet they were tinue in ironic tones to diately, saying her own now able to participate say “Don’t learn new experience of war as a together in considering skills”, implying that child went beyond toys. the adverse potential that there are in fact many As a child in 1982, she war games and toys benefits to signing up. had lived in Beirut and might have upon the was aware that a full- healthy mental develop - The army’s at - scale war was going on ment of their respective tempt to parody anti- around her and her fam - children. army comments suggest ily. It also says a lot that they know such She had barely about the brilliant work, views are common. They finished speaking when undertaken by the man - may also have backfired. another woman ex - agers, teachers and The group Veter - claimed, “I remember other staff in our inner ans for Peace have now that, I was just on the city state schools. At their parodied the parody, other side of the border, best, they create and producing their own in Israel”. maintain oases of peace website, www.dontjoint - They acknowl - in what otherwise seems edged each other, with - to be a very troubled and hearmy.co.uk . It gives out rancour, and we violent world. evidence of the realities continued our discus - of army life, with head - sions. They were, of ings such as “Don’t be - course, speaking about lieve the hype”, “Don’t the 1982 Lebanon War, lost your rights”, “Don’t when the Israeli Defence follow orders” and “Don’t Force invaded southern become a killer”. Lebanon, surrounded PeaceMatters June 2016 - revised.qxp_Layout 1 21/07/2016 13:11 Page 16

16 A handy guide to militarist euphemisms

The way we think about violence is af - fected by the words we use. Militarist attitudes infect our language and subtly twist our conversations. This is one of the most consistent examples of every - day militarism.

To remind ourselves what’s being talked about, here are some quick defi - nitions. Intervention : Military intervention, i.e. going to war Defence : War and preparations for war Doing nothing : Doing something other Security : War and preparations for war than going to war

Defence spending : Money for war Bombing ISIS (or the Taliban, or the Nazis) : Bombing areas controlled by Defence industry : Arms industry ISIS (or the Taliban, or the Nazis), full of innocent civilians Security measures : Restrictions on civil liberties Deterrent : Weapon of mass destruction owned by the UK government The national interest : The interests of the UK establishment Terrorists : Vicious killers who the UK establishment does not like (e.g. ISIS)

Allies and trading partners : Vicious killers who the UK establishment does like (e.g. Saudi Arabian regime)

If truth is the first casualty of war, per - haps language is the second.

Even pacifists can slip into militarist lan - guage! Let’s speak out when we see language misused to promote warfare.