James O'Brien - The Whole Show Why have Starmer's critics forgotten Iraq?
Mar 3, 2026
Callers and contributors share personal perspectives and anecdotes. Henry Riley, Reform Roundup reporter, outlines Reform UK and local political developments. Simon Marks, Washington correspondent, offers US political dispatches. They discuss memories of Iraq shaping debate on Iran, the risks of hasty intervention, legal and planning requirements for military action, and international and regional escalation concerns.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Public Opinion Opposes Immediate Strikes
- Public polling showed 49% opposed to US strikes on Iran and only 28% in favour.
- O'Brien uses this to underline that a significant portion of Britons reject war without legal justification or planning.
Why Trump's Treatment Of War Dead Matters
- James highlights Donald Trump's repeated insults to US and allied war dead as reason not to trust his foreign policy.
- He cites Trump's comment calling fallen soldiers 'losers and suckers' and the 454 British dead in Afghanistan as context.
Remembering 454 British Dead In Afghanistan
- James recalls the 454 British servicemen and women who died in Afghanistan to illustrate stakes.
- He links that number directly to Trump's insults, making the political and human cost personal and immediate.