Recently, I’ve wondered why it is that so many ardent anti-fascists so vigorously opposed the war in Iraq, after all, fascists don’t come much bigger, or much uglier than Saddam Hussein. 

My argument is a narrow one. It is confined to those who opposed the Iraq War and are members of organisations such as the Socialist Workers’ Party, or self-proclaimed anti-fascist groups. This is to negate the argument that the war was illegal due to the lack of a UN Security Council Resolution. As while I believe this to be a legitimate reason to oppose the war (although I disagree with it), such are the views of anti-fascists in domestic affairs, in regard to their support for the withdrawl of democratic rights from fascists, I believe it to be hypocritical of them to use this argument as a defence for their opposition to the war.

Anti-fascists in Britain oppose a number of rights being extended to people who are proponents of fascism. Freedom of speech is contested through ‘No Platform’ campaigns. Freedom of expression is opposed. Whenever a far-right group organises a march, a counter-march is set up with the aim of preventing the former. Freedom of Association is opposed. Campaigns are led to prevent members of fascist groups from holding membership of a trade union or from working in certain professions. Some anti-fascist groups go as far to argue that fascists should be banned from standing in elections altogether. So with the use of such tactics domestically, why is it that they opposed the removal of Saddam Hussein?

Firstly, a key component of modern day far-left ideology is anti-colonialist thought. Colonialism was such a great crime that any foreign policy move which bears even the faintest resemblance to colonialism, regardless of its true nature, is to be opposed. This blanket hatred for anything faintly colonialist in nature has its flaws. It has led to an overly-sympathetic outlook towards those countries which were once under colonial rule. Perhaps due to post-colonial guilt there is a hesitancy to be critical, this can lead to obvious problems when the oppressed becomes the oppressor, as was the case in Iraq.

Secondly, the far-left activist is stereotypically overly-critical of people of their own kind (i.e. their government, allies of their government, their country or class’s culture). Fascists are motivated by protection of their own people, or propagation of their cause. Noting this, the anti-fascist believes it wise to be sceptical of their own government’s actions. 

In principle, there is nothing wrong with scrutiny of one’s government. The problem arises when criticism of one’s government becomes an ideology in itself, e.g. every action it takes is immoral or incorrect. This ideology is well known around the world as ‘Anti-Americanism’. It is responsible for a number of reactionary and irrational foreign policy stances amongst the far-left. Support for Iranian nuclear development in order to counter-balance America’s power being one such position. In regard to Iraq, it led to the decision to favour the continuation of an evil regime rather than seeing the country liberated.

The Iraq War was a perfect storm for the anti-fascist. The war was led by America, the modern day symbol of of Western Imperialism. The Cowboy (oppressors of the Native American) President, as the anti-fascist views it, began the war to protect American interests in the Middle East. Iraqis, regardless of their plight under Saddam Hussein, were to be sympathised with, their land was being appropriated by neo-colonialists. The Socialist Worker went so far as to proclaim they wished the war to be an extended one so as to prevent America from launching further missions elsewhere in the world. 

This noxious mix of anti-Americanism and neo-colonialism was too much for the anti-fascist to bear. So strongly embedded were these views, the realisation that there was an opportunity to remove one of the world’s great tyrants was never grasped upon by the far-left. 

The great anti-fascist campaign of our age was opposed by the self-proclaimed anti-fascists.