TONGE: THE SHAMEFUL WASTE OF WAR

12.00.00am GMT Tue 12th Nov 2002

Richmond Park MP Dr Jenny Tonge attended the service to remember the dead of two World Wars at the War Memorial in Whittaker Avenue, Richmond on Sunday November 10th.

Speaking after the service, Dr Tonge said: "It was particularly moving this year to see so many young people taking part in the service and march past. With the possibility of another war looming I wondered how many of them would have to get involved and thought what a waste of young talent it would be."

"The UN resolution agreed by the Security Council could still mean that the USA, backed by Tony Blair, will wage war on Iraq because the co-operation expected from Iraq is very vague.

"There are so many problems in the world at present like the impending famine in southern Africa and so much unfinished business after the wars in the Balkans and Afghanistan. We should sort these problems out and fight terrorism in a more intelligent way than simply bombing another country."

Dr Tonge said that only 14% of food aid needed has so far gone to Africa and in a reminder to Gordon Brown last week she pointed out that the outstanding debt of the world's poorest (mostly African) countries highlighted by the Jubilee 2000 campaign was $6.8 bn – rather less than the USA spent bombing Afghanistan last year.