McGrath said something about how much more difficult it is for Americans who are working for peace than the rest of us, because they are the ones most vulnerable to the 'war-mongers' in their own country.

I wouldn't put it that way. There are "warmongers", but ordinary people who get pulled into falling into line with a consensus (that is perhaps shaped by the warmongers) don't merit the term.

What I meant was that it seems pretty clear that in the States - unless we are being lied to by the media - there is an overwhelming amount of support for the idea that Bush has got it right, and that a war against Iraq is necessary. It's very hard to stand up against a consensus like that, whether you are in Berlin or London in 1914 or in the USA in 2003.

Outside the States it's equally clear that the proportion of people who see it like that is pretty small. in most countries anyway, including the one I live in (and indeed in the whole of Western Europe). That makes it a lot easier for us.

And it means that, if we get dragged into it by the Government - which doesn't need a vote in Partliament to go to war, it being that kind of "Parliamentary Democracy" - we won't have any excuse for not kicking up one hell of a fuss.