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Newsletter - 15th February 2016
Stop the War held an important steering committee on Saturday. This year it will be fifteen years since the war on Terror began and the wars started by Britain and the West are still going on in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Syria.
Stop the War predicted that the wars would create humanitarian catastrophes. Unfortunately, our worst fears have been borne out. In all the theatres of war countless thousands have been killed, whole cities raised to rubble and millions displaced in what has become the worst refugee crisis since World War Two. Failed states have resulted, creating the conditions in which Jihadi groups can grow.
Despite the disaster created in these countries and beyond, Britain continues to bomb in Iraq and Syria, still has troops in Afghanistan (where the Taliban now control more territory than at any time since 2001) and looks set to send another 1,000 soldiers to Libya, a country without an effective government.
None of this is being driven by humanitarian concerns or democratic sentiment. This murderous foreign policy - as well as the commitment to renew the Trident weapons of mass destruction - are in fact part of the government's attempt to sustain what US defence Secretary Ash Carter last week called Britain's 'outsized' role in foreign affairs.
Stop the War condemns all bombing and military intervention in Syria. Ceasefire talks over Syria are fraught with problems; they don't involve any Syrian actors and the fighting continues. It is clear that only a political solution can bring about an end to the terrible suffering of the population.
Meanwhile the US and its allies are ramping up their military presence in Eastern Europe, destabilising the region and heightening tensions with Russia.
Time to Act
In these circumstances Stop the War needs to strengthen its campaign against our government's aggressive foreign policy.
Jeremy Corbyn's leadership of Labour is a big step forward in the effort to change British foreign policy. Attacks on his links with Stop the War last year were effectively countered, and Stop the War has seen a big influx of members and supporters.
We now need to expand our operation to increase pressure on the government and support Corbyn's anti-war positions. We need to develop more local groups and activity and increase our impact around the country. We are asking all our supporters to help.
New groups are being organised across the country. If you want to get involved in spreading the anti-war message where you are - please e-mail us on office@stopwar.org.uk or phone 020 7561 4830.
Let us know too if you have any special skills that can help us nationally or locally.
Stop Trident demonstration - 27th February, Central London
The anti-Trident demonstration is only a week away now. It is going to be the largest demonstration against nuclear weapons in a generation and one of the key political events this year.
You can get involved in the following ways:
Stop Scapegoating Muslims: Islamophobia, Prevent and the War on Terror
Public meeting
Tuesday 10 March • 6.30 pmBloomsbury Baptist Church
235 Shaftesbury Avenue
London, WC2H 8EP
Speakers:• Salma Yaqoob
• Lindsey German
• Moazzam Begg
• Kevin Courtney
• Sabby Dhalu
• Mohammed Umar Farooq
Please invite your Facebook friends to this important event. The scapegoating of Muslims leads to prejudice, discrimination and even open violence against Muslims in Britain. It obscures the fact that the spread of fundamentalism, which is the pretext for Islamophobia, is largely the result of Western military interventions. In all of these invasions, occupations and bombing campaigns against Muslim countries, the British establishment has played a central role. It therefore bears a great deal of culpability for up to two million deaths in the "war on terror", as well as for the barbarous torture of thousands of people in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere, including the torture of children.
We are also supporting the Stand up to Racism demonstration against racism on 19th March and the People's Assembly march for health, homes, jobs and education on 16th April.
The warmongers' assault on democracy
The Conservative government is currently planning a battery of serious curtailments of democratic rights and civil liberties. It is pushing ahead with its plans to legalise increasingly more intrusive mass surveillance. It is clamping down on investigations and court cases dealing with UK war crimes. It is preparing to abolish the Human Rights Act. It is planning to greatly water down the Freedom of Information Act and to restrict the cabinet documents going to the National Archive. Additionally, local council are to be forced to invest public money into arms companies under proposed legislation. These plans are complemented by various other efforts, including planned measures to severely restrict trade union activity through the new Trade Union Bill. This authoritarian and militarist agenda requires a resolute response of all progressive and democratic forces. The anti-war movement plays a critical role in the struggle for genuine democracy.
#JC4PM Tour
A stellar line up of musicians, comedians, poets, campaigners and politicians are coming together across the country to perform in support of Jeremy Corbyn.
The #JC4PM Tour is coming to the Tyne Theatre and Opera House, Newcastle on 15th March. Newcastle line up includes Mark Steel, Charlotte Church, Jeremy Hardy, Grace Petrie, Patrick Monaghan and John Rees (Stop the War).
Tickets start from £5 unwaged.
The Edinburgh event on the tour will take place at the Festival Theatre, Edinburgh on 9th March. The Edinburgh line up includes Mark Steel, Sara Pascoe, Charlotte Church, Jeremy Hardy, Neil Findlay MP, Jim Monaghan, Chris Nineham (Stop The War).
Tickets start from £5 unwaged.
The #JC4PM Tour will also be coming to Colston Hall, Bristol on 23rd Feb.
Bristol line up includes Billy Bragg, Jeremy Hardy, Grace Petrie, Francesca Martinez, Mark Serwotka (PCS) and John Rees (Stop The War).
Tickets only £15 standard and £10 conc.
Next up, the tour hits Croydon, Cambridge and Manchester, with more dates to be added soon.
FOR MORE INFO: www.jc4pmtour.com
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/
Stop the War predicted that the wars would create humanitarian catastrophes. Unfortunately, our worst fears have been borne out. In all the theatres of war countless thousands have been killed, whole cities raised to rubble and millions displaced in what has become the worst refugee crisis since World War Two. Failed states have resulted, creating the conditions in which Jihadi groups can grow.
Despite the disaster created in these countries and beyond, Britain continues to bomb in Iraq and Syria, still has troops in Afghanistan (where the Taliban now control more territory than at any time since 2001) and looks set to send another 1,000 soldiers to Libya, a country without an effective government.
None of this is being driven by humanitarian concerns or democratic sentiment. This murderous foreign policy - as well as the commitment to renew the Trident weapons of mass destruction - are in fact part of the government's attempt to sustain what US defence Secretary Ash Carter last week called Britain's 'outsized' role in foreign affairs.
Stop the War condemns all bombing and military intervention in Syria. Ceasefire talks over Syria are fraught with problems; they don't involve any Syrian actors and the fighting continues. It is clear that only a political solution can bring about an end to the terrible suffering of the population.
Meanwhile the US and its allies are ramping up their military presence in Eastern Europe, destabilising the region and heightening tensions with Russia.
Time to Act
In these circumstances Stop the War needs to strengthen its campaign against our government's aggressive foreign policy.
Jeremy Corbyn's leadership of Labour is a big step forward in the effort to change British foreign policy. Attacks on his links with Stop the War last year were effectively countered, and Stop the War has seen a big influx of members and supporters.
We now need to expand our operation to increase pressure on the government and support Corbyn's anti-war positions. We need to develop more local groups and activity and increase our impact around the country. We are asking all our supporters to help.
New groups are being organised across the country. If you want to get involved in spreading the anti-war message where you are - please e-mail us on office@stopwar.org.uk or phone 020 7561 4830.
Let us know too if you have any special skills that can help us nationally or locally.
Stop Trident demonstration - 27th February, Central London
The anti-Trident demonstration is only a week away now. It is going to be the largest demonstration against nuclear weapons in a generation and one of the key political events this year.
You can get involved in the following ways:
- Check the transport map to see if a coach has been booked from your area. If not, how about arranging one yourself?
- Arrange a leafletting session
- Contact your local media to promote the event
- Check local meetings
- Attend the London Stop Trident rally on 19 February - invite your friends (Speakers: Tariq Ali • Kate Hudson CND general secretary • Richard Norton Taylor The Guardian • Lindsey German Stop the War •Brian Eno • Shelly Asquith NUS • Bruce Kent CND vice president)
Stop Scapegoating Muslims: Islamophobia, Prevent and the War on Terror
Public meeting
Tuesday 10 March • 6.30 pmBloomsbury Baptist Church
235 Shaftesbury Avenue
London, WC2H 8EP
Speakers:• Salma Yaqoob
• Lindsey German
• Moazzam Begg
• Kevin Courtney
• Sabby Dhalu
• Mohammed Umar Farooq
Please invite your Facebook friends to this important event. The scapegoating of Muslims leads to prejudice, discrimination and even open violence against Muslims in Britain. It obscures the fact that the spread of fundamentalism, which is the pretext for Islamophobia, is largely the result of Western military interventions. In all of these invasions, occupations and bombing campaigns against Muslim countries, the British establishment has played a central role. It therefore bears a great deal of culpability for up to two million deaths in the "war on terror", as well as for the barbarous torture of thousands of people in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere, including the torture of children.
We are also supporting the Stand up to Racism demonstration against racism on 19th March and the People's Assembly march for health, homes, jobs and education on 16th April.
The warmongers' assault on democracy
The Conservative government is currently planning a battery of serious curtailments of democratic rights and civil liberties. It is pushing ahead with its plans to legalise increasingly more intrusive mass surveillance. It is clamping down on investigations and court cases dealing with UK war crimes. It is preparing to abolish the Human Rights Act. It is planning to greatly water down the Freedom of Information Act and to restrict the cabinet documents going to the National Archive. Additionally, local council are to be forced to invest public money into arms companies under proposed legislation. These plans are complemented by various other efforts, including planned measures to severely restrict trade union activity through the new Trade Union Bill. This authoritarian and militarist agenda requires a resolute response of all progressive and democratic forces. The anti-war movement plays a critical role in the struggle for genuine democracy.
#JC4PM Tour
A stellar line up of musicians, comedians, poets, campaigners and politicians are coming together across the country to perform in support of Jeremy Corbyn.
The #JC4PM Tour is coming to the Tyne Theatre and Opera House, Newcastle on 15th March. Newcastle line up includes Mark Steel, Charlotte Church, Jeremy Hardy, Grace Petrie, Patrick Monaghan and John Rees (Stop the War).
Tickets start from £5 unwaged.
The Edinburgh event on the tour will take place at the Festival Theatre, Edinburgh on 9th March. The Edinburgh line up includes Mark Steel, Sara Pascoe, Charlotte Church, Jeremy Hardy, Neil Findlay MP, Jim Monaghan, Chris Nineham (Stop The War).
Tickets start from £5 unwaged.
The #JC4PM Tour will also be coming to Colston Hall, Bristol on 23rd Feb.
Bristol line up includes Billy Bragg, Jeremy Hardy, Grace Petrie, Francesca Martinez, Mark Serwotka (PCS) and John Rees (Stop The War).
Tickets only £15 standard and £10 conc.
Next up, the tour hits Croydon, Cambridge and Manchester, with more dates to be added soon.
FOR MORE INFO: www.jc4pmtour.com
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/
Join Stop the War
Stop the War has no wealthy backers. Since our founding in 2001, our campaigns and small office have been funded entirely by our members, supporters and affiliated organisations. We need your support.
In the words of the writer and broadcaster (and former Children's Poet Laureate) Michael Rosen:
'Stop the War has been the consistent voice of sanity throughout these last years of war and mass death carried out in our name. We have to lay to one side our differences, and unite around this simple but powerful idea: stop the war.'
Please help sustain our educational and campaigning work against the UK government's war policies by becoming a member, by making a donation or by leaving a legacy.
In the words of the writer and broadcaster (and former Children's Poet Laureate) Michael Rosen:
'Stop the War has been the consistent voice of sanity throughout these last years of war and mass death carried out in our name. We have to lay to one side our differences, and unite around this simple but powerful idea: stop the war.'
Please help sustain our educational and campaigning work against the UK government's war policies by becoming a member, by making a donation or by leaving a legacy.
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