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Drones mean RAF Waddington could become a new Greenham Common Drones mean RAF Waddington could become a new Greenham Common
(4 months later)
We pulled up to the peace caravan, Simon and I, his maroon taxi making its diesel noises, which is the only way I can account for the speed with which the police caught up with us. RAF Waddington spreads across the road, its planes sharp-nosed and incongruously aggressive against the Lincolnshire countryside. We didn't see any drones.We pulled up to the peace caravan, Simon and I, his maroon taxi making its diesel noises, which is the only way I can account for the speed with which the police caught up with us. RAF Waddington spreads across the road, its planes sharp-nosed and incongruously aggressive against the Lincolnshire countryside. We didn't see any drones.
"They're just activated from Waddington," pacifist Helen John says. "They could take off from anywhere in the world." The missile-carrying Reaper aircraft have been controlled from here since April. I actually have no idea what a drone looks like."They're just activated from Waddington," pacifist Helen John says. "They could take off from anywhere in the world." The missile-carrying Reaper aircraft have been controlled from here since April. I actually have no idea what a drone looks like.
"I don't have a problem with it, to be honest," Simon remarks. We had parked opposite Helen's caravan, in a field of outrageously optimistic blossoming rapeseed, and were waiting for the police to pull up."I don't have a problem with it, to be honest," Simon remarks. We had parked opposite Helen's caravan, in a field of outrageously optimistic blossoming rapeseed, and were waiting for the police to pull up.
"To me, it's no different to going over in a plane and dropping a bomb. Except it's safer for our people."To me, it's no different to going over in a plane and dropping a bomb. Except it's safer for our people.
"I suppose that's the difference, isn't it? When you kill people without putting yourself in jeopardy, that's a moral difference" (not to mention being a war crime – which point will be argued in open court when the six protesters who were arrested at the start of the week have their pre-trial hearing)."I suppose that's the difference, isn't it? When you kill people without putting yourself in jeopardy, that's a moral difference" (not to mention being a war crime – which point will be argued in open court when the six protesters who were arrested at the start of the week have their pre-trial hearing).
"I like to believe that we're not just going over there and dropping bombs willy-nilly. If we're doing it, we're doing it for a reason.""I like to believe that we're not just going over there and dropping bombs willy-nilly. If we're doing it, we're doing it for a reason."
This, for Susan Clarkson, one of those charged, whom I spoke to over the phone, is the really tragic delusion. "So many people have already died in this war, so many soldiers have died: these drone killings have to happen so that the government can show things are being done before they pull out in 2014. That's why there was all that slaughter in the first world war; they had to keep going, because to say 'We were wrong' would have meant that the people who had already died, died in vain."This, for Susan Clarkson, one of those charged, whom I spoke to over the phone, is the really tragic delusion. "So many people have already died in this war, so many soldiers have died: these drone killings have to happen so that the government can show things are being done before they pull out in 2014. That's why there was all that slaughter in the first world war; they had to keep going, because to say 'We were wrong' would have meant that the people who had already died, died in vain."
So we kill people by remote control to give the war some semblance of impetus, the credibility of a grand plan, and then use the grand plan as a justification for killing people by remote control.So we kill people by remote control to give the war some semblance of impetus, the credibility of a grand plan, and then use the grand plan as a justification for killing people by remote control.
One policeman got out of the car; I got out of the cab. We stood by the peace caravan that was, also, unmanned. "Have you seen the protester?" I asked him. "I couldn't possibly comment," he said, smiling.One policeman got out of the car; I got out of the cab. We stood by the peace caravan that was, also, unmanned. "Have you seen the protester?" I asked him. "I couldn't possibly comment," he said, smiling.
Waddington isn't a new Greenham Common, not yet, anyway. When people have marched against drone attacks, they've ended here, but Helen is the only person who stays. Yet it brings the Greenham atmosphere back to life as powerfully as the smell of hippies and silver sleeping bags.Waddington isn't a new Greenham Common, not yet, anyway. When people have marched against drone attacks, they've ended here, but Helen is the only person who stays. Yet it brings the Greenham atmosphere back to life as powerfully as the smell of hippies and silver sleeping bags.
I went as a kid, and remember the depth of the divide, between protesters and everybody else. There wasn't always hostility. (Although I do recall a woman glaring on a bus. She was wearing a badge that said "RAGE", which turned out to stand for Residents Against Greenham Extremists. "I hate stupid peace," said her angry eyes, "and I'm going to face down this eight-year-old until she hates it too.")I went as a kid, and remember the depth of the divide, between protesters and everybody else. There wasn't always hostility. (Although I do recall a woman glaring on a bus. She was wearing a badge that said "RAGE", which turned out to stand for Residents Against Greenham Extremists. "I hate stupid peace," said her angry eyes, "and I'm going to face down this eight-year-old until she hates it too.")
But there is always a feeling that you step out of society when you protest against a war. You are no longer a shopper or a leisure centre user, or a neighbour or a person who goes to a pub. You no longer have a constellation of interests. All you are is your (your mum's) cranky worldview. It's like being naked.But there is always a feeling that you step out of society when you protest against a war. You are no longer a shopper or a leisure centre user, or a neighbour or a person who goes to a pub. You no longer have a constellation of interests. All you are is your (your mum's) cranky worldview. It's like being naked.
So whether the police smile at you or not, your sense of vulnerability is keen. It's a bit different when you've just arrived in a taxi to have a look, mind.So whether the police smile at you or not, your sense of vulnerability is keen. It's a bit different when you've just arrived in a taxi to have a look, mind.
Helen John was, it pleases but doesn't surprise me to learn, the first person to stay overnight at Greenham in September 1981. "We'd been chained to the railings all day, and the policeman came out and said, 'It's Saturday. Soon the Jack Daniels will be flowing, young women will be bussed into the base …'Helen John was, it pleases but doesn't surprise me to learn, the first person to stay overnight at Greenham in September 1981. "We'd been chained to the railings all day, and the policeman came out and said, 'It's Saturday. Soon the Jack Daniels will be flowing, young women will be bussed into the base …'
"Basically, he said they couldn't guarantee that we wouldn't be raped. I fell about laughing. The others were cross with me because they thought I found rape funny. But I could just see the headlines: this great military base, unable to protect four women.""Basically, he said they couldn't guarantee that we wouldn't be raped. I fell about laughing. The others were cross with me because they thought I found rape funny. But I could just see the headlines: this great military base, unable to protect four women."
Two discrete actions have taken place at Waddington: while Helen John has been occupying the caravan, Penny Walker, Martin Newell, Susan Clarkson, Keith Hebden, Chris Cole and Henrietta Cullinan entered the base, with bolt cutters, to plant a peace garden.Two discrete actions have taken place at Waddington: while Helen John has been occupying the caravan, Penny Walker, Martin Newell, Susan Clarkson, Keith Hebden, Chris Cole and Henrietta Cullinan entered the base, with bolt cutters, to plant a peace garden.
"There was no intention for us to stay there," Keith said. "It was inside the grounds. Two of us made the peace garden, and the other four went within the site and had a look around. We never got into the room where the drones are being operated. That would have been really helpful, just to bear witness. To say, 'This is where it happens.'""There was no intention for us to stay there," Keith said. "It was inside the grounds. Two of us made the peace garden, and the other four went within the site and had a look around. We never got into the room where the drones are being operated. That would have been really helpful, just to bear witness. To say, 'This is where it happens.'"
The police, unaccustomed to such activities, pressed charges against the six, and took their garden and banners as evidence. "We planted a vine and a fig tree, in the tradition of the prophets," said Keith, who is an Anglican priest. "Most of the garden has been removed, but one of the RAF officers offered to take the vine and plant it somewhere else."The police, unaccustomed to such activities, pressed charges against the six, and took their garden and banners as evidence. "We planted a vine and a fig tree, in the tradition of the prophets," said Keith, who is an Anglican priest. "Most of the garden has been removed, but one of the RAF officers offered to take the vine and plant it somewhere else."
He's not enthused at all by the idea of a peace camp springing up here. "I'd much prefer it to become a place where there weren't any drones being operated." He added, ruefully: "Recently, we celebrated 60 years of CND. It seemed such an awful thing to be celebrating."He's not enthused at all by the idea of a peace camp springing up here. "I'd much prefer it to become a place where there weren't any drones being operated." He added, ruefully: "Recently, we celebrated 60 years of CND. It seemed such an awful thing to be celebrating."
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