UK/Foreign policy/Deaths

Work in progress. Lots of references to be added

The bulk of this page is paraphrased from the book "Unpeople" by Mark Curtis

Deaths from British Interventions

Millions of people have died as a direct result of Britain's post WWII foreign policy; people whose lives are seen as expendable in pursuit foreign policy goals largely dictated by corporate interests.

The following two tables provide figures for the estimated number of deaths resulting from deliberate government actions since World War II, for which Britain bears significant responsibility. There are two tables:

1. Direct responsibility - Where British military and/or covert forces have played a direct role.
2. Indirect responsibility - Where Britain has provided strong support (through trade, arms exports, aid and/or diplomatic support) for allies engaged in aggression or killing.

Were cases of 'active inaction' or simply 'turning a blind eye' to be included the figures would be significantly greater.

The figures quoted are from commonly cited estimates and represent either broad consensus or, where there is a wide diversity of estimates, the upper and lower figures. They do NOT include the extra-judicial killings common to many of the repressive regimes supported by Britain as a matter of course throughout the post-war period - for example Saudi Arabia, The Gulf States, Uzbekistan and many others. Neither do the figures include the millions of easily preventable deaths from disease and other consequences of abject poverty throughout the so-called 'Third World'. The figures also generally refer to the number of 'enemy' deaths rather than total deaths.

Whilst not claiming to be a thorough scientific analysis, the tables provide a reasonably accurate reflection of British responsibility for a very large number of deaths throughout the world during the the post-WWII period.

Direct Responsibility

Year	Conflict	Estimated deaths	Britain's role
2003	Invasion and occupation of Iraq	100,000 - 1,000,000	British forces played secondary role to US in military operations. Full British Government support throughout
2001	Bombing, invasion and occupation of Afghanistan	20,000 - 40,000	Same as for the Iraq invasion
1999	Bombing of Yugoslavia	1,000	British forces played secondary role to US in military operations as part of wider NATO campaign
1998	Bombing of Iraq	600 - 1,600	British forces played secondary role to US in military operations
1991	Gulf war	100,000 - 150,000	Ditto
1982	Falklands war	655	British military campaign to regain the Falkland Islands from Argentina
1961-1973	Vietnam - SE Asia wars	2,500,000 - 3,000,000	Britain privately backed the US strongly, regularly supported it publicly but also played several direct roles; providing military and 'counter-insurgency' advice to South Vietnam. British covert forces took part in the war; intelligence was passed to US military. The British role was therefore more direct than indirect
1962-1970	War in Yemen	150,000 - 200,000	Secret British operations involving covert action and arms supplies
1962-1970	Suppression of revolts in Aden	300 - 900	British 'colonial' government forces responsible
1965-1966	Indonesian army slaughters	500,000 - 1,000,000	Britain provided Indonesian generals with variety of direct, covert support, including 'information' operations
1952-1960	War in Kenya	150,000	British colonial war and 'resettlement' operations
1948-1960	War in Malaya	10,000 - 13,000	Ditto
1957-1958	Rebellion against Indonesian central government	5,000	Covert operation with US to support the rebellion, including arms supplies
1956	British invasion of Egypt	1,600 - 3,000	Military intervention with France and Israel to control the Suez canal
1948-1955	Uprising in Baltic states of the USSR	75,000	British covert operation to fund and support uprisings
1953	Coup in Iran	300	British covert operation with the CIA to overthrow the government of Mohammed Mossadeq
1950-1953	Korean war	1,000,000 - 2,000,000	British military played key role, technically as part of UN force, in reality led by US
1944-1949	Greek civil war	65,000 - 80,000	British military/covert operations in support of Greek government
1945-1949	War for Indonesian independence	5,000 - 80,000	Military involvement to suppress independence movement

	Low	High
Sub-Totals	4,834,455	7,800,455

Indirect Responsibility

Year	Conflict	Estimated deaths	Britain's role
2000-present	Israeli killings in occupied territories	4,100	The British government is a strong supporter of Israeli policies in many ways.
1999-present	Killings in Nigeria	12,000	The British government is strong a supporter of Nigerian policies in many ways.
1999-present	Second Russian invasion of Chechnya	15,000 - 25,000	The British government is a strong supporter of Russian policies in many ways.
1996-present	Nepal civil war	3,700	The British Government provides military and diplomatic support to the government of Nepal
1990-present	Columbia State killings	25,000 - 45,000	The British government is strong a supporter of Columbian policies in many ways.
1976-present	Indonesian attacks in Aceh province	20,000	The British government is a strong supporter of Indonesian policies in many ways.
1969-present	Indonesian attacks in West Papua province	100,000	Ditto
1991-2003	Sanctions against Iraq	500,000 - 1,000,000	Technically maintained by the UN; in reality supported virtually solely by Britain and US
1999	Indonesian attacks in East Timor	5,000	British Government continued to support, and arm, Indonesia, throughout the violence
1984-1999	Turkey's campaign against Kurds	30,000	British governments were strong supporters of Turkey's policies, in various ways
1998	US bombing of Sudan	15,000 - 30,000	Britain strongly supported US attack that destroyed pharmaceutical factory producing most of Sudan's life-saving drugs
1994-1996	Russian invasion of Chechnya	60,000 - 100,000	British Government provided strong support to Russia, in various ways
1948-1994	Apartheid South Africa state killings	10,000 - 20,000	British governments consistently backed South African regimes, in various ways
1989	US invasion of Panama	350 - 3,000	Britain provided strong diplomatic support
1980-1988	Iran–Iraq war	1,000,000	Thatcher government effectively supported Iraq's attack on Iran, supplying it with military equipment and financial aid
1987-1988	Iraq's campaign against Kurds	100,000	Ditto
1984-1985	Ugandan civil war	100,000 - 300,000	Britain provided strong support to the Ugandan government and maintained military training programme
1984-1985	Indonesian state killings	5,000	Thatcher government was strong supporter of Indonesia, in various ways
Early 1980's	El Salvador civil war	75,000 - 80-000	Thatcher government provided strong diplomatic backing to US strategy supporting Salvadoran regime
1980's	US aggression against Nicaragua	30,000	Thatcher government provided strong diplomatic and other backing, including covert support, to US strategy
1953-1979	Shah's regime in Iran	10,000	British governments provided strong support to Shah's regime, in various ways
1975	Indonesian invasion of East Timor	200,000	Wilson/Callaghan governments provided strong backing to Indonesia, in various ways
1973	Coup in Chile	3,000-5000	Heath government welcomed coup and backed Pinochet regime, as did subsequent British governments
1967-1970	Nigeria/Biafra civil war	1,000,000 - 3,000,000	Wilson government gave strong backing to Nigeria, in various ways
1963	Iraq killings	5,000	Macmillan government in effect supported massacres and welcomed new military government
1960's	Iraq campaigns against Kurds	12,000 - 100,000	British governments gave strong backing to Iraq in various ways

	Low	High
Sub-totals	3,340,150	6,302,800

	Low	High
Grand totals	8,174,605	14,103,255