This Act of Criminal Folly [1956]

THE ATTACK ON Egypt by the British and French Governments is an act of criminal folly. We have no legally justifiable casus belli. The questions at issue were being considered by the United Nations and should have been left to their jurisdiction. The whole world, except France and some parts of the British Commonwealth, is horrified, and rightly so, by our wanton aggression which is not only wicked, but also insanely unwise. To use our veto against an American proposal on the Security Council is the act of madmen. To have produced unity between America and Russia is surprising, but at the cost of disrupting the Com10 monwealth, unwelcome. To have lost the respect of even our best friends is not likely to increase the security of our position in the world. I hope that opposition to the policy of the Government will become irresistible. Failing that, we must look to the influence of America to bring our rulers to their senses.