STOP THE WAR COALITION NEWSLETTER No. 2006/38 21 September 2006 Email office@stopwar.org.uk Telephone 020 7278 6694 Web: www.stopwar.org.uk

IN THIS NEWSLETTER: 1) BRING BAGHDAD'S STREETS TO MANCHESTER 2) ITV WANTS YOUR VIDEOS AND PICTURES 3) LIMITED EDITION TIME TO GO T-SHIRT

**************************************** 1) BRING BAGHDAD'S STREETS TO MANCHESTER The United Nations has just announced that 6600 people have been killed in Iraq in the last two months (See http://tinyurl.com/qhwok). This will be much lower than the actual figure, as many deaths go unreported because of the Muslim practice of burying the dead within 24 hours. The death rate of US and UK soldiers has also escalated sharply in that time and is now running at its highest level for six months. (See http://icasualties.org/oif/)

To symbolise this appalling carnage resulting from Bush and Blair's illegal war in Iraq, we are organising a MASS DIE-IN, for those who wish to participate, as a feature of the TIME TO GO demonstration in Manchester on Saturday 23 September. We want to stress that joining the die-in is of course entirely voluntary. For those who wish to participate, we are asking that they bring a white sheet or clothe to lie on, if possible with splashes of red poster paint on it. Our aim is for a few minutes to symbolise as graphically as we can the horrific levels of violent death which now characterise daily life in Baghdad and many other towns and cities in Iraq.

We will hold the die-in at around 2.30pm, when we anticipate our march will completely encircle the G-Mex Centre, where the Labour Conference is taking place. The march stewards will announce the die-in to the marchers. The die-in will last a few minutes.

We hope that the die-in will get significant media coverage, as we did with our children's shoes event at our emergency Lebanon demonstration on August 5, which symbolised so movingly that the majority of the victims of Israel's bombing outrages were young children. At the very least the die-in in Manchester on 23 September will be a reminder to the Labour delegates at their party's conference that they have a responsibility, as they discuss the fate of Tony Blair next week, to ensure that his wars are brought to an end before any more Iraqis die at an average rate of over 100 every day.

FULL DETAILS OF THE TIME TO GO DEMONSTRATION ARE AVAILABLE AT: http://www.stopwar.org.uk/

**************************************** 2) ITV WANTS YOUR VIDEOS AND PICTURES Endemol UK are working on a major TV news review of 2006 for ITV called 'I Was There: The People's News' to be broadcast at the end of this year. They are seeking the participation of Stop the War supporters, as they explain here:

In this totally unique programme we will take a look at the main news events of 2006 using footage shot by people who were actually there. We want to feature the major events from the perspective of people in the midst of it, experiencing the news directly - not through the eyes of the news organisations.

We are interested in footage from the 'Stop the War' events of 2006. Did you take any video footage or pictures with your mobile phone, camera or camcorder? If so we'd really love to see it.

We're also interested in footage and pictures of 'Stop the War' events still to come this year, especially the 'Peace Train' to Manchester on Saturday and the demonstrations in Manchester over the weekend.

You can send any footage or clips via our website at www.itv/com/iwasthere, by MMS to 07834 940000 or just call our hotline on 020 8222 4966 for assistance.

3) LIMITED EDITION TIME TO GO T-SHIRT Stop the War has produced a limited edition TIME TO GO t-shirt, designed by renowned artist David Gentleman, who creates the now legendary "blood spot" posters and placards for Stop the War. These will be on sale on the demonstration at the Stop the War stall in Albert Square at �7 for short sleeves and �8 for long sleeves.

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STOP THE WAR COALITION NEWSLETTER No. 2006/37 20 September 2006 Email office@stopwar.org.uk Telephone 020 7278 6694 Web: www.stopwar.org.uk

IN THIS NEWSLETTER: 1) ALL EYES ON MANCHESTER THIS WEEKEND 2) LONDON TO MANCHESTER PEACE TRAIN 3) COACHES ACROSS THE COUNTRY 4) POLICE "FUMING" OVER PEACE CAMP BAN 5) AFTER BLAIR - TIME FOR CHANGE 6) LABOUR AGAINST THE WAR MEETING 7) JOINT STOP THE WAR / CND MEETING

************************************* 1) ALL EYES ON MANCHESTER THIS WEEKEND Tony Blair says the Labour conference which starts in Manchester this weekend will be his last. For most of his party, he can't step down as party leader soon enough. "He should go immediately. He is destroying the party," is how one Labour official summed up the situation in the Independent newspaper.

It is not just his party that he is destroying. His support for George Bush's war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan and for Israel's barbaric attacks on Lebanon and Gaza has lead to the destruction of four countries. Which is why tens of thousands of anti-war protestors will pour into Manchester this Saturday 23 September for the TIME TO GO demonstration on the eve of the Labour conference.

Tony Benn, the president of Stop the War, says, "There will be no peace for us until Tony Blair has left Downing Street." But our message will be the same for whoever is the leader of the Labour party: The Bush/Blair wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the threat of further wars in Iran and Syria must end now.

This will almost certainly be the biggest demonstration the north of England has seen for decades. If you haven't yet made your plans to join us, there is still time to book your ticket from wherever you live in Britain. There are coaches organised in every area of the country and a special London to Manchester peace train (SEE BELOW for details).

George Bush's view that "progress towards peace and democracy" is being made in Iraq and Afghanistan is a laughable fantasy, but not for the people suffering every day the almost unimaginable levels of mass slaughter and devastation which the Bush/Blair wars have brought to their countries.

United Nations Secretary Kofi Annan says the US/UK invasion of Iraq has been a disaster for the Middle East region and on Saturday we have the chance, in our tens of thousands, to bring home to the Labour conference that top of the Labour Party's agenda must be the need to end the Bush/Blair wars. JOIN US.

DEMONSTRATION DETAILS: http://tinyurl.com/k7jhz MAP OF DEMONSTRATION ROUTE: http://tinyurl.com/ekmvw Details of the speakers at the demonstration rally will be published on the Stop the War website shortly: www.stopwar.org.uk

************************************* 2) LONDON TO MANCHESTER PEACE TRAIN If you live in London you can take the Stop the War Peace Train and join TONY BENN, BIANCA JAGGER, legendary folk singer PEGGY SEEGER, former British ambassador CRAIG MURRAY, poet ADRIAN MITCHELL and many other prominent voices from the anti-war movement, who will be speaking or performing on the train. BBC TV and Al-Jazeera TV are among the media channels who will be reporting from the train. THERE ARE STILL SOME PEACE TRAIN TICKETS AVAILABLE BUT TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT BOOK NOW: PHONE 020 7278 6694 OR BOOK ONLINE: http://tinyurl.com/onofl

TRAIN Departs Euston Station 08.12 am Arrives Manchester 11.56 am Returns from Manchester 06.30 pm Arrives Euston Station 10.08 pm

************************************* 3) COACHES ACROSS THE COUNTRY Such is the demand from people who want to add their voice to the TIME TO GO demonstration that many local Stop the War groups are reporting they have booked more coaches than for any demonstration since 2003. Full details of coaches organised across the country are available on the Stop the War website. Coaches are still being added each day, so if your town or borough is not listed, contact the Stop the War office on 020 7278 6694. DETAILS OF COACHES IN YOUR AREA ARE AVAILABLE HERE: http://tinyurl.com/jeqpv

The Manchester drop off and pick up points for coaches are available here: http://tinyurl.com/ekmvw

************************************* 4) POLICE "FUMING" OVER PEACE CAMP BAN Manchester City Labour Council prides itself on being Britain's premier "city of peace" but it has banned a peace camp planned by military families who have lost loved ones in the Bush/Blair wars or who have relatives serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. The peace camp is planned to coincide with the Labour conference and the TIME TO GO demonstration and will go ahead despite the ban.

The reasons given by the council for refusing permission for a peace camp are so unsupportable that even the police have said they are against the ban. A Manchester police spokesperson said, "The council are saying it's a security issue but it's not. We're fuming about this. We've got no problem with the protest."

The real reason must be Labour wanting to avoid embarrassment for Tony Blair over his wars which have caused such suffering for these families. Rose Gentle, whose 19 year old son Gordon was killed in Iraq, says: "We think it's because it's the Labour conference and they don't want us going and voicing our opinions because Mr Blair is going to be there. We're still going to come down and camp out and if the police come and lift us then they do."

Rose explained in the Daily Mail why she will be defying the ban: http://tinyurl.com/l78cn. And Pam Haywood, mother of a serving soldier in Iraq, told the BBC why she will be there too: http://tinyurl.com/kk933

FOR DETAILS OF THE MILITARY FAMILIES PEACE CAMP AT THE LABOUR CONFERENCE, GO TO: http://www.mfaw.org.uk/

************************************* 5) AFTER BLAIR - TIME FOR CHANGE Many protestors from across the county are planning to stay for the weekend in Manchester so they can attend both the TIME TO GO demonstration and the Stop the War alternative conference on Sunday 24 September, entitled After Blair - Time for Change. Entrance is free and all are welcome.

STOP THE WAR ALTERNATIVE CONFERENCE AFTER BLAIR: TIME FOR CHANGE SUNDAY 24 SEPTEMBER: 10.30 am - 6.00 pm Roscoe Building, University of Manchester, Brunswick Street, Manchester M13 9PL

TOPICS * Crisis in the Middle East * Islamophobia and the Strategy of Tension * The Humanitarian and Economic Costs of War * The Media and War SPEAKERS INCLUDE: Tariq Ali, George Galloway MP, Guantanamo detainee Moazzam Begg, former UK ambassador Craig Murray and many other prominent anti-war voices. There are a wide range of workshops through the day. DETAILS OF THE CONFERENCE ARE HERE: http://tinyurl.com/hl66p

************************************* 6) LABOUR AGAINST THE WAR MEETING There are many in the Labour Party who have consistently opposed Tony Blair's warmongering. LABOUR AGAINST THE WAR has organised a fringe meeting at the Labour Conference in Manchester on Sunday 24 September.

LABOUR CONFERENCE FRINGE MEETING: ENOUGH! TIME TO LEAVE IRAQ Organised by Labour Against the War SUNDAY 24 SEPTEMBER 7PM CHAIR: Alan Simpson MP. SPEAKERS: Tony Benn, Rose Gentle (MFAW), Billy Hayes (Gen Sec, CWU), Jeremy Corbyn MP, Christine Shawcroft (LP NEC), John McDonnell MP, Milan Rai, Andrew Murray (StWC), Walter Wolfgang (LP NEC). VENUE: Friends Meeting House. 6 Mount Street, Manchester M2 5NS. ENTRANCE: �2 See http://www.labouragainstthewar.org.uk/

************************************* 7) JOINT STOP THE WAR / CND MEETING Stop the War and CND have organised a joint fringe meeting at the Labour Conference: TROOPS OUT OF IRAQ. DON'T ATTACK IRAN METHODIST CENTRAL HALL, OLDHAM STREET, MANCHESTER 7PM SPEAKERS INCLUDE: Tony Benn, Walter Wolfgang (Labour Party NEC), Michael Meacher MP, Craig Murray, Roudabeh Shafie (Action Iran), Lindsey German (STWC), Kate Hudson (CND)

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Our apologies if you have received this message more than once.

STOP THE WAR COALITION TEL 020 7278 6694 WEB www.stopwar.org.uk

JOIN TONY BENN ON THE PEACE TRAIN Tony Benn and other well known names from the anti-war movement will be travelling on the London to Manchester train, chartered by Stop the War Coalition to take Londoners to the national TIME TO GO demonstration on Saturday 23 September, the eve of the Labour Party conference. You have the chance to join them on the specially chartered peace train to one of the most important demonstrations held by Stop the War Coalition.

Tens of thousands of protestors will be converging on Manchester with the message that, whoever leads the Labour Party, Tony Blair's wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the threats to other countries such as Iran, must stop now. (Demonstration details: http://www.stopwar.org.uk).

There will be mobile meetings with speakers on the train journey. Also travelling with us will be the national and international media, with Al-Jazeera TV among the broadcasters planning big features on the train and the demonstration generally.

The Stop the War peace train will be an experience to remember. If you would like to join Tony Benn and other prominent anti-war voices travelling to Manchester, you need to book now. There are some tickets available but they are going fast. The train details are as follows:

TICKETS ARE �35 RETURN AVAILABLE ONLINE: http://tinyurl.com/onofl OR BY TELEPHONING 020 7278 6694

DEPART EUSTON 8:12 ARR MANCHESTER 11:56 RETURN MANCHESTER 18.30 ARR EUSTON 22:08 -- To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank e-mail to stwc-unsubscribe@lists.riseup.net

STOP THE WAR COALITION NEWSLETTER No. 2006/36 14 September 2006 Email office@stopwar.org.uk Telephone 020 7278 6694 Web: www.stopwar.org.uk

IN THIS NEWSLETTER: 1) AFTER BLAIR: WILL HIS WARS GO ON? 2) PEACE CAMP GOES AHEAD DESPITE LABOUR BAN 3) TAKE THE PEACE TRAIN TO MANCHESTER 4) A VERY DIFFERENT CONFERENCE 5) NEW STOP THE WAR PAMPHLET

************************************* 1) AFTER BLAIR: WILL HIS WARS GO ON? Tony Blair showed this week why from every corner of Britain tens of thousands of people are planning to be in Manchester on 23 September for the TIME TO GO demonstration. Our message will be clear: Whoever leads the Labour party, the Bush/Blair wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have to end.

Tony Blair showed this week why this demonstration is so important. "We should be proud of what we are doing there," he said of his wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, while also confirming his support for Israel's barbaric attacks on Lebanon and Gaza.

Blair is "proud" of slaughtering over 100,000 civilians in Iraq and turning the country into one of the most violent places on Earth. He is "proud" of the carnage and destruction in Afghanistan, where 20 British soldiers have been killed this month in what a British army officer, who quit the army in protest, calls a "pointless war". (SEE http://tinyurl.com/jp4da)

Blair is "proud to be there", despite the latest opinion polls, which show his support for George Bush's wars has made him the most unpopular British prime minister since polls began, with a worse rating than Margaret Thatcher at her lowest ebb (SEE http://tinyurl.com/jwu55).

Everyone who has seethed with anger, as Blair has committed war crimes with impunity over the past three years, will want to be in Manchester on the eve of the Labour conference. There are coaches booked in most major towns and cities. There is a special London to Manchester train. People are flying in from Northern Ireland and Europe. People are even cycling and walking to the demonstration. (SEE : http://tinyurl.com/jeqpv)

The signs are this will be the biggest demonstration Manchester has ever seen. And it needs to be. The Labour Party may be about to ditch Blair as its leader to save its own skin but none of his potential replacements, least of all Gordon Brown, has given any indication that, once in power, they plan to end the Blair wars. That's why this is one of Stop the War's most important demonstrations since the beginning of the Iraq war.

The TIME TO GO demonstration is organised in conjunction with CND, BMI and MAB. It is supported by six trade unions -- CWU, PCS, NUJ, TGWU, RMT and BECTU -- and by the Islam Channel and Friends of Al Aqsa.

FULL DETAILS OF THE DEMONSTRATION ARE AVAILABLE HERE: http://tinyurl.com/k7jhz

FULL DETAILS OF TRANSPORT AROUND THE COUNTRY ARE AVAILABLE HERE: http://tinyurl.com/jeqpv

FOR DETAILS OF TIME TO GO PUBLIC MEETINGS ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN THE NEXT WEEK, AT WHICH MANY PROMINENT FIGURES FROM THE ANTI-WAR MOVEMENT ARE SPEAKING, GO TO: http://tinyurl.com/jfn99

************************************* 2) PEACE CAMP GOES AHEAD DESPITE LABOUR BAN Manchester City Council, wanting to prevent any embarrassment for Tony Blair, has voted to ban a Military Families Against the War peace camp during the Labour conference, which will also coincide with the TIME TO GO demonstration. (See Daily Mail front page: http://tinyurl.com/gomva)

This is an outrageous decision, particularly since in the last two months over 30 British soldiers have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Rose Gentle, whose 19 year old son Gordon was killed in Iraq, says, "They don't want us voicing our opinions because Tony Blair will be there. But we're going ahead with our peace camp anyway." (See BBC report: http://tinyurl.com/z4wnq)

Rose will be joined by other military families who have lost loved ones or have relatives serving in the Bush/Blair wars.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE PEACE CAMP, GO TO http://www.mfaw.org.uk/.

SEND A PROTEST EMAIL AT THIS DISGRACEFUL BAN TO MANCHESTER CITY COUNCIL: http://tinyurl.com/zfuqe

************************************* 3) TAKE THE PEACE TRAIN TO MANCHESTER The national and international media will be travelling on the special charter train taking protestors from London to Manchester on 23 September. Al-Jazeera television, watched by tens of millions of people in the Arab world, is doing a special feature on the whole demonstration and will have a camera crew and reporters travelling on the train.

There are still some tickets available but they are going fast. Many of the political and campaigning organisations affiliated to Stop the War will be represented on the train. A number of trade unions have made block bookings. They will be joined by some of the most prominent voices in the anti-war movement, travelling to Manchester to speak on the TIME TO GO rally.

TICKETS ARE �35 RETURN (Sorry, no concessions, as this only just covers the cost of hiring the train)

THREE WAYS TO BOOK YOUR TICKET: *Book online at: http://tinyurl.com/onofl *Send a cheque made out to 'Stop the War Coalition' to Stop the War Coalition, 27 Britannia Street, London WC1X 9JP *Phone 020 7278 6694 to make a credit/debit card payment

************************************* 4) A VERY DIFFERENT CONFERENCE Stop the war is organising an alternative conference on the theme AFTER BLAIR: TIME FOR CHANGE in Manchester on Sunday 24 September, the day after the TIME TO GO demonstration. Speakers include Tariq Ali, George Galloway MP, Guantanamo detainee Moazzam Begg, former UK ambassador Craig Murray and many other prominent anti-war voices. Unlike the Labour conference, where all signs of dissent or real debate are stifled, -- as the ejection of Walter Wolfgang at last years conference showed -- the Stop the War TIME FOR CHANGE conference will encourage free discussion and includes a range of workshop sessions. Full details of the conference are here: http://tinyurl.com/hl66p

STAYING IN MANCHESTER FOR THE CONFERENCE? Stop the War is considering organising a return coach from Manchester for people from London staying for the weekend of 23/24 September to attend both the demonstration and the alternative conference. The coach will leave Manchester at 7pm. Please contact the Stop the War office immediately is you would like to book a ticket for this coach: email office@stopwar.org.uk or tel 020 7278 6694.

************************************* 5) NEW STOP THE WAR PAMPHLET Stop the War has published a new pamphlet titled STOP THE BUSH/BLAIR WARS, which describes the catastrophic impact of Bush and Blair's warmongering for Iraq, Afghanistan, the Middle East region and potentially for the whole world. The pamphlet cost �1 and will be on sale at the TIME TO GO demonstration on 23 September, or you can get your copy now by phoning 020 7278 or by sending a cheque made payable to "Stop the War Coalition" and sent to Stop the War Coalition, 27 Britannia Street, London WC1X 9JP -- To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank e-mail to stwc-unsubscribe@lists.riseup.net

STOP THE WAR COALITION NEWSLETTER No. 2006/36 14 September 2006 Email office@stopwar.org.uk Telephone 020 7278 6694 Web: www.stopwar.org.uk

IN THIS NEWSLETTER: 1) AFTER BLAIR: WILL HIS WARS GO ON? 2) PEACE CAMP GOES AHEAD DESPITE LABOUR BAN 3) TAKE THE PEACE TRAIN TO MANCHESTER 4) A VERY DIFFERENT CONFERENCE 5) NEW STOP THE WAR PAMPHLET 6) A SINNER REPENTS: 100,000 LIVES TOO LATE

************************************* 1) AFTER BLAIR: WILL HIS WARS GO ON? Tony Blair showed this week why from every corner of Britain tens of thousands of people are planning to be in Manchester on 23 September for the TIME TO GO demonstration. Our message will be clear: Whoever leads the Labour party, the Bush/Blair wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have to end.

Tony Blair showed this week why this demonstration is so important. "We should be proud of what we are doing there," he said of his wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, while also confirming his support for Israel's barbaric attacks on Lebanon and Gaza.

Blair is "proud" of slaughtering over 100,000 civilians in Iraq and turning the country into one of the most violent places on Earth. He is "proud" of the carnage and destruction in Afghanistan, where 20 British soldiers have been killed this month in what a British army officer, who quit the army in protest, calls a "pointless war". (SEE http://tinyurl.com/jp4da)

Blair is "proud to be there", despite the latest opinion polls, which show his support for George Bush's wars has made him the most unpopular British prime minister since polls began, with a worse rating than Margaret Thatcher at her lowest ebb (SEE http://tinyurl.com/jwu55).

Everyone who has seethed with anger, as Blair has committed war crimes with impunity over the past three years, will want to be in Manchester on the eve of the Labour conference. There are coaches booked in most major towns and cities. There is a special London to Manchester train. People are flying in from Northern Ireland and Europe. People are even cycling and walking to the demonstration. (SEE : http://tinyurl.com/jeqpv)

The signs are this will be the biggest demonstration Manchester has ever seen. And it needs to be. The Labour Party may be about to ditch Blair as its leader to save its own skin but none of his potential replacements, least of all Gordon Brown, has given any indication that, once in power, they plan to end the Blair wars. That's why this is one of Stop the War's most important demonstrations since the beginning of the Iraq war.

The TIME TO GO demonstration is organised in conjunction with CND, BMI and MAB. It is supported by six trade unions -- CWU, PCS, NUJ, TGWU, RMT and BECTU -- and by the Islam Channel and Friends of Al Aqsa.

FULL DETAILS OF THE DEMONSTRATION ARE AVAILABLE HERE: http://tinyurl.com/k7jhz

FULL DETAILS OF TRANSPORT AROUND THE COUNTRY ARE AVAILABLE HERE: http://tinyurl.com/jeqpv

FOR DETAILS OF TIME TO GO PUBLIC MEETINGS ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN THE NEXT WEEK, AT WHICH MANY PROMINENT FIGURES FROM THE ANTI-WAR MOVEMENT ARE SPEAKING, GO TO: http://tinyurl.com/jfn99

************************************* 2) PEACE CAMP GOES AHEAD DESPITE LABOUR BAN Manchester City Council, wanting to prevent any embarrassment for Tony Blair, has voted to ban a Military Families Against the War peace camp during the Labour conference, which will also coincide with the TIME TO GO demonstration. (See Daily Mail front page: http://tinyurl.com/gomva)

This is an outrageous decision, particularly since in the last two months over 30 British soldiers have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Rose Gentle, whose 19 year old son Gordon was killed in Iraq, says, "They don't want us voicing our opinions because Tony Blair will be there. But we're going ahead with our peace camp anyway." (See BBC report: http://tinyurl.com/z4wnq)

Rose will be joined by other military families who have lost loved ones or have relatives serving in the Bush/Blair wars.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE PEACE CAMP, GO TO http://www.mfaw.org.uk/.

SEND A PROTEST EMAIL AT THIS DISGRACEFUL BAN TO MANCHESTER CITY COUNCIL: http://tinyurl.com/zfuqe

************************************* 3) TAKE THE PEACE TRAIN TO MANCHESTER The national and international media will be travelling on the special charter train taking protestors from London to Manchester on 23 September. Al-Jazeera television, watched by tens of millions of people in the Arab world, is doing a special feature on the whole demonstration and will have a camera crew and reporters travelling on the train.

There are still some tickets available but they are going fast. Many of the political and campaigning organisations affiliated to Stop the War will be represented on the train. A number of trade unions have made block bookings. They will be joined by some of the most prominent voices in the anti-war movement, travelling to Manchester to speak on the TIME TO GO rally.

TICKETS ARE �35 RETURN (Sorry, no concessions, as this only just covers the cost of hiring the train)

THREE WAYS TO BOOK YOUR TICKET: *Book online at: http://tinyurl.com/onofl *Send a cheque made out to 'Stop the War Coalition' to Stop the War Coalition, 27 Britannia Street, London WC1X 9JP *Phone 020 7278 6694 to make a credit/debit card payment

************************************* 4) A VERY DIFFERENT CONFERENCE Stop the war is organising an alternative conference on the theme AFTER BLAIR: TIME FOR CHANGE in Manchester on Sunday 24 September, the day after the TIME TO GO demonstration. Speakers include Tariq Ali, George Galloway MP, Guantanamo detainee Moazzam Begg, former UK ambassador Craig Murray and many other prominent anti-war voices. Unlike the Labour conference, where all signs of dissent or real debate are stifled, -- as the ejection of Walter Wolfgang at last years conference showed -- the Stop the War TIME FOR CHANGE conference will encourage free discussion and includes a range of workshop sessions. Full details of the conference are here: http://tinyurl.com/hl66p

STAYING IN MANCHESTER FOR THE CONFERENCE? Stop the War is considering organising a return coach from Manchester for people from London staying for the weekend of 23/24 September to attend both the demonstration and the alternative conference. The coach will leave Manchester at 7pm. Please contact the Stop the War office immediately is you would like to book a ticket for this coach: email office@stopwar.org.uk or tel 020 7278 6694.

************************************* 5) NEW STOP THE WAR PAMPHLET Stop the War has published a new pamphlet titled STOP THE BUSH/BLAIR WARS, which describes the catastrophic impact of Bush and Blair's warmongering for Iraq, Afghanistan, the Middle East region and potentially for the whole world. The pamphlet cost �1 and will be on sale at the TIME TO GO demonstration on 23 September, or you can get your copy now by phoning 020 7278 or by sending a cheque made payable to "Stop the War Coalition" and sent to Stop the War Coalition, 27 Britannia Street, London WC1X 9JP

************************************* 6) A SINNER REPENTS: 100,000 LIVES TOO LATE There is no more nauseating sight at present than Labour MPs, who over the past five years have supported every one of Blair's war crimes, now lining up to declare their opposition to what is happening in Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon and Palestine, with their realisation that not only is Blair about to lose his job because of his serial warmongering, but they could lose theirs too.

Typical is Harriet Harman, who in March 2003, was the Labour minister who drafted the government's statement that the war was "legal" (http://tinyurl.com/rgowo) but who now says, "The war in Iraq, our relationship with the United States and our position on the conflict in the Lebanon this summer are all recurrent themes among those disillusioned with our party." (http://tinyurl.com/fusuk)

A sinner repents, 100 000 Iraqi lives too late, but there's no sign that Harman or any other Labour MP implicated in war crimes will now argue for an immediate end to Blair's wars. Nor have they raised any objection as Blair, yet again in dutiful lockstep with his mentor George Bush, threatens Iran with "serious consequences" -- double-speak for military attack -- over its legitimate right to develop nuclear power for energy supplies, with a chilling reminder of the very formulation used against Iraq.

The bigger the TIME TO GO demonstration on 23 September, the more Harman and other labour MPs, who have so supinely allowed Blair to get away with policies opposed by the majority of British people, will be forced to realise that there are "serious consequences" for their careers and their party if they continue to connive in illegal wars.

FOR FULL DETAILS OF THE DEMONSTRATION AND TRANSPORT TO GET THERE, GO TO: http://tinyurl.com/k7jhz -- To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank e-mail to stwc-unsubscribe@lists.riseup.net

STOP THE WAR COALITION NEWSLETTER No. 2006/35 2 September 2006 Email office@stopwar.org.uk Telephone 020 7278 6694 Web: www.stopwar.org.uk

IN THIS NEWSLETTER 1) BLAIR IS THE MAIN THREAT WE FACE 2) MORE THAN EVER TIME TO GO 3) HOWEVER YOU TRAVEL, TIME TO GO 4) REASONS WHY ITS TIME TO GO 5) ALTERNATIVE CONFERENCE: TIME FOR CHANGE 6) SUPPORT THE MILITARY FAMILIES PEACE CAMP 7) JOINT STOP THE WAR / CND MEETING 8) STW DONATES TO MALCOLM KENDALL-SMITH 9) RACHID TAHA / BRIAN ENO DVD

STOP PRESS: The deaths of 14 members of the UK military in Afghanistan today Sunday 2 September is yet more tragic proof that the Bush/Blair wars must end now. SEE http://tinyurl.com/gk2mv

****************************************** 1) BLAIR IS THE MAIN THREAT WE FACE JOHN PILGER WRITES: By any measure of international law, from Nuremberg to the Geneva accords, Blair is a major prima facie war criminal. The charges against him grow. The latest is his collusion with the Israeli state in its deliberate, criminal attacks on civilians. While Lebanese children were being buried beneath Israeli bombs, he refused to condemn their killers or even to call on them to desist. That a cease-fire was negotiated owed nothing to him, except its disgraceful delay�How much longer are we all prepared to put up with the threat to our security coming from Downing Street? TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE, GO TO: http://tinyurl.com/gqcf6.

****************************************** 2) MORE THAN EVER TIME TO GO Stop the War's TIME TO GO demonstration in Manchester on 23 September, the eve of the Labour party conference, grows in significance every day and is rapidly building support. There is now serious talk of Labour MPs forcing Tony Blair out of office at the conference. It is Blair's serial warmongering which is causing turmoil in Blair's party, his support for the carnage in Lebanon being the final straw, even for MPs who have counted themselves as Blair loyalists.

These MPs are now running to catch up with the majority view of the British public, which has consistently opposed the Bush/Blair wars (see below for details of the latest polls). At Labour's 2005 conference, the only dissident voice was that of 83 year old Walter Wolfgang. He was manhandled out of the conference hall by new Labour heavies when he heckled the then foreign secretary Jack Straw. This year there will be tens of thousands of us in Manchester to say, "We are all Walter Wolfgang" and we will not be silenced.

All over the country, people are planning to travel to the TIME TO GO demonstration: by coach, charter train, cycle, on foot, even -- in the case of one protester, whose son is a serving soldier in Iraq -- by horse. (See below and http://tinyurl.com/jeqpv for transport details)

Over the next three weeks, there will be close to 100 public meetings mobilising support for the demonstration in every region of Britain. Speakers include Tony Benn, George Galloway MP, John McDonnell MP, former UK ambassador Craig Murray, former Guantanamo prisoner Moazzam Begg, Labour NEC member Walter Wolgang, comedian and broadcaster Mark Steel, Iraqi writers Haifa Zanga and Sami Ramadani, and many other prominent voices from the UK anti-war movement. (See http://tinyurl.com/jfn99 for details of meetings in your area.)

Mass leafleting of shopping centres, tube stations, workplaces, mosques etc is underway across the country. Street stalls are taking place every weekend from Cardiff to Norwich, from Exeter to Aberdeen.

The trade union movement, both nationally and locally, has responded magnificently -- by making block bookings for the special London to Manchester PEACE TRAIN (see below), by booking coaches to bring their own members and by subsidising the cost of coaches so that the low waged and unwaged can afford the cost of travel. For example, trade union sponsorship will enable coaches of school students, organised by School Students Against the War, to travel from London to Manchester.

For all of us who have opposed the Bush/Blair wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and most recently in Lebanon and Gaza, September 23 will be our opportunity to bring home to the Labour party conference, that Tony Blair must stop what former US President Jimmy Carter calls his 'shameful' and 'subservient' support for George Bush's wars. It's time to go. (See http://tinyurl.com/eaye4 for the six minute TIME TO GO video).

We can all play a part in making this demonstration the largest protest ever seen in Manchester: * Book your place on transport going from your area to Manchester; * Spread the word about the demonstration among your family, friends, work colleagues etc. and encourage them to join us; * Order leaflets, posters, stickers etc from the national Stop the War office (telephone 020 7278 6694) and use them as widely as you can; * Get involved with your local Stop the War group and help build support for 23 September (email us for contact details: office@stopwar.org.uk);

FOR FULL DETAILS AND UPDATES ON THE DEMONSTRATION, GO TO: http://tinyurl.com/k7jhz

FOR FULL TRANSPORT TO MANCHESTER DETAILS, SEE BELOW OR GO TO: http://tinyurl.com/jeqpv

FOR DETAILS OF TIME TO GO PUBLIC MEETINGS IN YOUR AREA, GO TO: http://tinyurl.com/jfn99

FOR AN EXCELLENT SIX MINUTE VIDEO, MADE BY A STOP THE WAR SUPPORTER TO PUBLICISE THE TIME TO GO DEMONSTRATION, GO TO: http://tinyurl.com/eaye4

TIME TO GO: NATIONAL DEMONSTRATION MANCHESTER SATURDAY 23 SEPTEMBER LABOUR CONFERENCE ASSEMBLE 1PM ALBERT SQUARE � TROOPS OUT OF IRAQ � DON'T ATTACK IRAN � HANDS OFF LEBANON � NO TRIDENT REPLACEMENT Organised by Stop the War Coalition, CND and BMI, and supported by MAB, Islam Channel, Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Friends of Al Aqsa, CWU, PCS, NUJ, TGWU

****************************************** 2) HOWEVER YOU TRAVEL, TIME TO GO People are coming to Manchester by coach, by train, by bicycle, on foot and on horse. There are plans for people to come by canal barge. If you have ideas for other means of travel to the demonstration (e.g. if anyone has a functioning air balloon!), contact the Stop the War office. As of now, here is the available transport organised by Stop the War locally and nationally: FIND A COACH IN YOUR AREA: http://tinyurl.com/jeqpv

BOOK FOR THE LONDON TO MANCHESTER TRAIN: ONLINE BOOKING: http://tinyurl.com/onofl TELEPHONE BOOKING: 020 7278 6694

DETAILS FOR BIKE NOT BOMBS CYCLE TO MANCHESTER: http://tinyurl.com/kmo36

DETAILS FOR MARCH FOR PEACE ACROSS THE PENINES: http://tinyurl.com/gzc94

****************************************** 3) ALL POLLS SAY: END THE BUSH/BLAIR WARS Polls in the US, Britain and Iraq show clearly what the vast majority of people in those countries think about the Bush/Blair wars which have occupied Iraq and Afghanistan and supported war in Lebanon and Gaza: * IN BRITAIN, 86 percent say Tony Blair should separate himself from George Bush: http://tinyurl.com/r2fla * IN IRAQ, 92 percent oppose the occupation and 85 percent oppose it "very strongly": http://tinyurl.com/s2uzt * IN AMERICA, 61 percent oppose the Iraq war, the highest figure since the war began: http://tinyurl.com/kccb4 * POLL RATINGS FOR THE LABOUR GOVERNMENT have sunk to 31 percent, the lowest for 20 years. Only one percent of the British people think Blair's policies have made Britain safer: http://tinyurl.com/r33aw

****************************************** 5) REASONS WHY ITS TIME TO GO * IN IRAQ Around 100 Iraqis die a violent death every day; 25 percent of Iraqi children suffer from acute malnutrition, the economy has collapsed and Iraqis have at best only six hours of electricity a day; * IN LEBANON, Bush and Blair supported one of the most barbaric attacks in recent history, when Israel killed over 1100 civilians, destroyed the country's infrastructure and left a legacy of 100,000 cluster bombs which threaten to kill Lebanese people for years to come; * IN AFGHANISTAN, NATO "peacekeeping" forces, led by Britain, have killed 1600 Afghans in the past two months and 23 British soldiers have died in the last four weeks; * IN GAZA, Bush and Blair have supported the Israeli siege which has killed in the last two months at least 225 civilians, including 46 children and 10 women; * IN THE US AND BRITAIN, Bush and Blair use the politics of fear to divert attention from the quagmire they have created in Iraq and Afghanistan. They accuse anyone who opposes their warmongering of being "appeasers" of "fascism". * IN THE FUTURE, Bush and Blair plan to extend their wars in an attack on Iran, which will have catastrophic consequences for the whole Middle East and potentially for the world.

****************************************** 5) ALTERNATIVE CONFERENCE: TIME FOR CHANGE SUNDAY 24 SEPTEMBER 10.30 AM - 6.00 PM Roscoe Building, University of Manchester, Brunswick Street, Manchester M13 9PL

In Manchester on Sunday 24 September, the day after the TIME TO GO demonstration, Stop the War has organised its alternative to the Labour conference. Unlike the Labour conference, the TIME FOR CHANGE conference will encourage open debate and discussion on the following issues:

* CRISIS IN THE MIDDLE EAST * ISLAMOPHOBIA AND THE STRATEGY OF TENSION * THE HUMANITARIAN AND ECONOMIC COSTS OF WAR * THE MEDIA AND WAR

SPEAKERS INCLUDE: George Galloway MP, Jeremy Corbyn MP, Craig Murray (ex-UK ambassador Uzbekistan), Moazzam Begg (Guantanamo Bay prisoner), Richard Horton (Editor, the Lancet), Sami Ramadani (Iraqi Democrats Against the Occupation), Tariq Ali, Rose Gentle (Military Families Against the War), Betty Hunter (Palestine Solidarity Campaign), Lindsey German (STW).

FOR FULL DETAILS GO TO: http://tinyurl.com/hl66p

****************************************** 6) SUPPORT THE MILITARY FAMILIES PEACE CAMP The campaign among military families who have lost loved ones in Iraq and Afghanistan, or who have relatives serving in the military now, is gaining increasing support. In a recent Independent article, Dani Hamilton, whose 18 year old son is serving in Iraq, says she is "part of a majority vehemently against the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts, who believe the forces have been over-stretched, and treated like 'mercenaries' for hire by a dishonest Prime Minister". (See http://tinyurl.com/ldpyv).

Military Families Against the War will host a Peace Camp to coincide with the TIME TO GO demonstration at the Labour conference in Manchester. The camp will begin in Albert Square at 3pm on Thursday 21st September. It is open to all who want to show their support for the MFAW campaign to get the troops home.

PLEASE GO TO THE MILITARY FAMILIES AGAINST THE WAR WEBSITE FOR INFORMATION OF HOW YOU CAN HELP PUBLICISE THE PEACE CAMP AND MAKE A DONATION TOWARDS ITS FUNDING: http://www.mfaw.org.uk/

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TAKE PART IN THE PEACE CAMP, CONTACT: peacecamp@mfaw.org.uk

****************************************** 7) JOINT STOP THE WAR / CND MEETING Stop the War and CND have organised a joint meeting at the Labour conference in Manchester: TUESDAY 26TH SEPTEMBER 7PM Methodist Central Hall, Oldham Street, Manchester * TROOPS OUT OF IRAQ * DON'T ATTACK IRAN Speakers include: Tony Benn, Walter Wolfgang (Labour Party NEC), Craig Murray, Roudabeh Shafie (Action Iran), Lindsey German (STWC), Kate Hudson (CND)

MAP FOR VENUE: http://tinyurl.com/kw2yk

****************************************** 8) MALCOLM KENDALL-SMITH DONATION When Flight-Lieutenant Malcolm Kendall-Smith was sentenced to eight months imprisonment for refusing to return to Iraq to serve in what he regarded as an illegal war, Stop the War organised a Night of Conscience on 28 July to help pay his legal costs. We are very pleased to announce that through the generosity of our supporters we were able to give Malcolm a cheque for �7000. FOR THE BACKGROUND TO MALCOLM'S CASE AND A PICTURE OF THE CHEQUE PRESENTATION, GO TO: http://tinyurl.com/z5vsx

****************************************** 9) RACHID TAHA / BRIAN ENO DVD Everyone who was at the Stop the War benefit concert on 27 December 2005 knows it was a night to remember, featuring RACHID TAHA, BRIAN ENO, NITIN SAWHNEY, IMOGEN HEAP and special guest MICK JONES. A DVD film of this brilliant night of music is now available to buy online at: http://www.enoshop.co.uk/

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