Britons who are with the war, are influenced by the media, which is mostly pro-war, said Rees.

Additional Reporting By Lamya Tawfik, IOL Cairo Staff

CAIRO, December 21 (IslamOnline) - Speaking to IslamOnline in a live dialogue, John Rees, a British socialist writer and activist and also the founder of the "Stop The War" coalition in the U.K., said that most of the British people are against the looming U.S.-led  war on Iraq.

While in Cairo, Rees also attended the International Campaign Against U.S. Aggression on Iraq (ICCA) conference hosted by Cairo on December 18-19.

When asked whether the British people felt that their government was being pressurized by the United States and that they were being dragged into this war, Rees said: "Yes, there’s a certain degree of that. This is certainly reflected by the press. One of our newspapers last week had a picture on its front page with Bush holding Blair on a dog leash."

However, he added, it is important to note that the people do not like the Blair government for many reasons, mainly domestic.

"There is a growing gap between the government and the people, especially working people, on many issues including the war.

"About health care, education spending, privatization, union rights and other issues, a majority of people oppose government policies... although this is not always expressed in a political movement, as it is on the war," Rees said.

He felt that some of the British people, those who are with the war, are influenced by the media, which is mostly pro-war.

"We are winning the argument... but we are a movement with many supporters but few resources. But like other such movements, (the ANC in South Africa, for instance), we have two key strengths: numbers and organization."

Rees said that his organization, Stop the War, which groups socialists, trade unionists, Muslim organizations and Labor MPs, has an important role in raising awareness and discussing the issue openly.

"Many people think that protestors are mindless. This is not true," he said in an interview with IslamOnline.

He said that he does not see himself as "lobbying" with the government to not engage itself in the war.

"We’re not on a 'bended knee' to the British government. (British Prime Minister Tony) Blair has committed himself to the war and we are committed to stopping it. We’re trying to put conditions for the war such as getting U.N. approval."

He said that a demonstration of 400,000 was held the day before the Labor Party conference.

Because of that demo, Rees argued, the government was forced to say it would go to the U.N. to get any motion of support passed by its own conference .."and still 40% of the conference and a majority of Trade Union delegates voted against any war.

"We are creating the conditions where it is impossible for the government to support the war. This is what happened in Germany, where Chancellor Schroeder has been forced to refuse support for the U.S.."

"There are now 150 MPs opposed to the war...that wouldn't have happened without the movement on the streets. Now we need to step up the pressure," he asserted.

"Ideas are vital to any protest movement but they are not enough. Ideas have to be embodied in organization.

"People have to meet, to demonstrate, to strike, to leaflet...and all this requires organization. This is the power, ideas plus organization, that can defeat even the most determined government," said Rees.

Rees said that he does not feel that war is inevitable because the Bush government is short of allies and in most European countries the majority of the people are against war.

"But if war does start we must redouble our efforts. The Vietnam war was stopped by a combination of U.S. military defeats at the hands of the Vietnamese and protest in America, Europe and other countries.

"We already have a bigger anti-war movement than existed at the start of the Vietnam war," he said.

Rees authored many books including "Socialism and the World" "Marxism and Neo-Imperialism."

He also has many writings including "NATO and the New Imperialism" and is the editor-in-chief of the periodical "Global Socialism."