STOP THE WAR COALITION NEWSLETTER No. 2006/43 29 November 2006 Email office@stopwar.org.uk Telephone 020 7278 6694 Web: www.stopwar.org.uk

IN THIS NEWSLETTER: 1) PARLIAMENT WON'T DISCUSS IRAQ EXIT 2) BRIZE NORTON DEMONSTRATION 3) HOW MUCH DO TONY BLAIR'S WARS COST? 4) THAT WAS THE YEAR THAT WAS: 2006 5) ANTI-WAR SEASONAL GIFTS 6) SCHOOL STUDENTS AGAINST THE WAR CONFERENCE

**************************************** 1) PARLIAMENT WON'T DISCUSS IRAQ EXIT Close to 4000 Iraqis were killed in October, the highest figure since the 2003 invasion. November is going to record an even higher figure. The United Nations says 3000 Iraqis flee the country every day. Another 9,000 flee their homes every week to become internal refugees. US troops are being killed at a rate of close to three a day, with many more seriously injured. Six British soldiers have been killed this month, the second highest monthly figure since the beginning of the war.

Against this backdrop, the clamour to find an "exit strategy" dominates discussion of the war. Except, that is, in the British parliament. This week a cross-party attempt by over 100 MPs to give parliament the opportunity to discuss how Britain can extricate itself from the Iraq catastrophe was blocked by the Speaker of the House of Commons.

This follows the disgraceful vote by MPs last month against a motion in parliament demanding an inquiry into the Iraq war, when only 12 Labour MPs voted in favour. (SEE http://tinyurl.com/y95y6q)

Chris Nineham from Stop the War said, "Parliament needs to catch up with the British people. It is the only institution which doesn't register an anti-war majority."

Two anti-war MPs, Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell, have now tabled a parliamentary motion calling for the immediate withdrawal of all British troops. Stop the War is calling on all its supporters to lobby their local MP by letter, email or at MP's weekly surgeries to urge them to add their name to the following motion:

EDM 335: IMMEDIATE WITHDRAWAL FROM IRAQ That this House notes with alarm the conclusion of the October 2006 Lancet report that coalition forces in Iraq have been directly responsible for the deaths of at least 186,000 Iraqis since the start of the 2003 invasion; recognises that according to a September 2006 Program on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA) poll, 78 per cent. of Iraqis believe that the US military presence in Iraq is provoking more conflict than it is preventing; recalls the conclusion of the April 2006 US National Intelligence Estimate on global terrorism that the Iraq conflict has become the cause celebre for jihadists, breeding a deep resentment of US involvement in the Muslim world and cultivating supporters for the global jihadist movement; further notes the recent statement by the Head of the British Army, General Sir Richard Dannatt, that British forces should be withdrawn from Iraq soon because their presence exacerbates the security problems; further notes that there have been over 118 British military deaths in Iraq since the 2003 invasion; and calls on the Government to withdraw all British forces from Iraq immediately.

In the new year Stop the War will be mounting a campaign to put maximum pressure on parliament to start listening to the British electorate and to break with George Bush and Tony Blair's war policies.

LOBBY YOUR MP TO GET THEIR SIGNATURE ON PARLIAMENTARY MOTION EDM 335: IMMEDIATE WITHDRAWAL FROM IRAQ. Writing by post is the best way to get a response but you can also contact them through the web-site http://www.writetothem.com/ or by visiting them at their weekly surgery and raising the issue face to face.

**************************************** 2) BRIZE NORTON DEMONSTRATION The demonstration this Saturday 2 December at Brize Norton, Britain's largest military transport base, will bring together protestors from across Britain to demand that British troops be withdrawn immediately from Iraq.

Brize Norton is the main base for sending troops in and out of Iraq and Afghanistan. It is also where the bodies are returned of British troops, killed so pointlessly in the Bush/Blair wars. The number returning has increased sharply over the past few months. Tony Blair has not met one of the bereaved families, despite repeated requests.

Full details for Saturday's demonstration and transport arrangements for travelling to Brize Norton, including parking information for people coming by car or minibus, are available on the Stop the War website. SEE: http://tinyurl.com/ybg2fr

**************************************** 3) HOW MUCH DO TONY BLAIR'S WARS COST? Throughout the Iraq war we have had comprehensive figures for the amount being spent by George Bush. The website Cost of War not only updates the cost second by second, it also gives details of what that amount would fund in the country's education, health and housing services. (SEE http://tinyurl.com/cfsrc).

Getting a true figure for the cost of Tony Blair's contribution to the Bush wars has been less easy. The latest figures squeezed out of the Treasury suggest that the war in Iraq has cost five billion pounds and the war in Afghanistan another one billion. If that amount was spent on education, it could fund 20,000 additional teachers for the next ten years. Or in the health service, it would fund the building of 88 new hospitals. As to the projected cost of �75 billion for the Trident nuclear missile replacement policy -- so beloved of Tony Blair -- according to one commentator, this would enable the country to be "carpeted with new hospitals."

Of course, it doesn't make any difference to our anti-war campaign whether the cost of Tony Blair's wars is one pound or 10 billion. We oppose the wars because they are unnecessary and immoral. But it is still significant to know that Tony Blair not only has blood on his hands for the deaths of tens of thousands killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, but to pay for those wars, those same hands are deep in the pockets of the British people -- the majority of whom have always opposed Blair's warmongering.

HOW MUCH DO TONY BLAIR'S WARS COST? SOME USEFUL ARTICLES: * Anger at Cost of the War: http://tinyurl.com/y62u9o * Rising Costs of the Iraq War: http://tinyurl.com/yd7c7w * What justifies world's 2nd biggest military budget: http://tinyurl.com/yaxjqg

**************************************** 6) THAT WAS THE YEAR THAT WAS: 2006 2007 is clearly going to be a pivotal year for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. "Exit strategy" may be what most people want to see decided but George Bush and Tony Blair still insist, against the wishes of the American and British people, that the occupation of Iraq will continue until "the job is done".

It is therefore very encouraging that 2006 has been Stop the War Coalition's most active year since 2003, giving us a solid basis for our continuing campaign against the Bush/Blair wars and their bogus 'war on terror'.

This year we have organised five national demonstrations and held many other nationally co-ordinated events. As well as our campaign against the Bush/Blair wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, we organised emergency demonstrations opposing Israel's barbaric attacks against Lebanon and Gaza in the Summer, which attracted widespread support. We have also been greatly encouraged by the support given to our defence of the Muslim community in this country, facing attacks from scurrilous politicians trying to divert attention from their war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan. We were proud to join with CND in opposing Blair's plans to replace the Trident nuclear weapons, and make this a prominent part of our September demonstration in Manchester, on the eve of the Labour Party conference. (A review of our activities in 2006 will be available shortly on the Stop the War website.)

Many of the local Stop the War groups have also reported an increase in their level of activity this year and we have seen the creation of new groups in a number of regions and in colleges and universities. The number of trade unions affiliating to Stop the War, both nationally and locally, has increased significantly.

Reflecting Stop the War's level of activity this year, we have had a huge increase in the number of people subscribing to our email list, who want to keep informed of our future campaigns.

There are a number of ways to get involved in Stop the War's campaigns. YOU CAN:

* JOIN STOP THE WAR Become a national member of Stop the War Coalition: Join online http://tinyurl.com/pwl74 OR telephone 020 7278 6694

* JOIN A LOCAL STOP THE WAR GROUP There are Stop the War groups in most areas and in colleges and universities around the country. For information, contact the Stop the War office by email: office@stopwar.org.uk or by telephone 020 7278 6694

* START A LOCAL STOP THE WAR GROUP If there is no Stop the War group close to where you live, work or study, and you and some friends would like to start one, contact the Stop the War office. We will help you get started, provide you with initial resources, give you advice on how best to build a group, help you set up a local meeting with national speakers etc. CONTACT the Stop the War office by email: office@stopwar.org.uk OR by telephone 020 7278 6694

* MAKE A DONATION We rely entirely on membership subscriptions and donations from our supporters to fund all our campaigns. You can donate in three ways: ONLINE: http://tinyurl.com/pwl74 BY CARD: Call 020 7278 6694 BY POST: Make the cheque to "Stop the War Coalition" and send to 27 Britannia Street, London WC1X 9JP

* AFFILIATE YOUR ORGANISATION Many trade union branches, faith groups, local peace groups etc, are affiliated to Stop the War. Affiliated groups have the right to representation and voting rights in policy decisions taken at our annual conference. HOW TO AFFILIATE: http://tinyurl.com/pprp4

**************************************** 7) ANTI-WAR SEASONAL GIFTS Give your anti-war relatives, friends or work colleagues a seasonal gift from Stop the War. Our big sellers at present are the perennial favourite 'Make Tea Not War' tea towel, our 'Drop Beats Not Bombs' T-shirts (many different colours), the new Stop the War hoodie and the STW baseball cap. SEE THE FULL RANGE OF STOP THE WAR MERCHANDISE HERE: http://tinyurl.com/yatzoe

TO PLACE AN ORDER: * PHONE 020 7278 6694 to make a card payment OR * SEND A CHEQUE to Stop the War Coalition, 27 Britannia Street, London WC1X 9PG.

**************************************** 8) SCHOOL STUDENTS AGAINST THE WAR SATURDAY 27 JANUARY: NATIONAL CONFERENCE VENUE: UNIVERSITY OF LONDON UNION School students will be coming from all over the country to discuss the political situation as well as planning activity over the next year. Open to all those under 19 or in a FE college. FURTHER DETAILS: Email contact@ssaw.org.uk; Tel: Simon 07788 513 563; website http://tinyurl.com/y9l5jh

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