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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STOP THE WAR COALITION NEWSLETTER No. 2006/42 14 November 2006 Email office@stopwar.org.uk Telephone 020 7278 6694 Web: www.stopwar.org.uk

IN THIS NEWSLETTER: 1) WHY STOP THE WAR DEFENDS THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY 2) PLACES FILLING FAST FOR PEOPLE'S ASSEMBLY 3) WHO KILLED JAMIE HANCOCK? 4) MILITARY FAMILIES AGAINST THE WAR: AN INSPIRATION TO US ALL 5) ROBERT FISK: HERE COME THE ODIOUS EXCUSES 56 NIGHTMARE IN BEIT HANOUN: HOW GAZA OFFENDS US ALL

**************************************** 1) WHY STOP THE WAR DEFENDS THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY The timing of the publication in today's Guardian (14 November) of Stop the War's open letter opposing attacks on the Muslim community could not have been more appropriate. Just as timely is our People's Assembly in London this Saturday 18 November to discuss "Islamophobia And The War On Terror", for which bookings are pouring in from across the country (see below).

The last week has shown only too clearly that the attacks on Muslims by Tony Blair and government ministers will be intensified, as those who took us into what The Independent newspaper calls "this futile and wretched war" desperately seek to divert attention from their war crimes by scapegoating a whole community.

Even the head of Britain's secret services, Dame Eliza Manningham-Buller, weighed in with her claim that there are at present 30 terror plots being planned in Britain by 1,600 potential terrorists (why no arrests?) and her statement that "young teenagers are being groomed to be suicide bombers" (SEE http://tinyurl.com/y9ens5).

No mention here of course of the "young teenagers being groomed" to wage war in Iraq, like Jamie Hancock, the 19 year old British soldier who was killed just too weeks after being sent to Basra to fight what his father calls a "pointless" war. Manningham-Buller was echoed last Friday (November 3) by Tony Blair, who said, "It's a very long and deep struggle but we have to stand up and be counted for what we believe in and take the fight to those people who want to entice young people into something wicked and violent but utterly futile."

Unsurprisingly, no mention by Blair of the "something wicked and violent but utterly futile" instigated by war criminals like himself and George Bush, which has slaughtered hundreds of thousands of Iraqis and turned Iraq into what writer Robert Fisk calls a "hell-disaster".

Not wanting to be left out of the Muslim baiting, UK foreign secretary Margaret Becket said last week that British Muslims have a "special ability" to "stand up and be counted" against a "cult that sells such a vision to impressionable young men and women and that it encourages a young man to blow himself up on a tube train." (SEE http://tinyurl.com/shdvn)

No mention here of the Bush/Blair "cult" which "sells" a "vision" that has caused unimaginable levels of carnage in Iraq and Afghanistan. This is the real root of atrocities like last year's London bombings, as admitted by leaked government documents (SEE http://tinyurl.com/ykpuw4).

In the words of our open letter: "The current attacks on Muslims are rooted in the disastrous 'war on terror', of which this government has been such a prominent supporter. This war has made Britain more vulnerable, not less, to terrorist attack�If the government is concerned about improving the cohesion of our communities, let it first abandon its support for the foreign policy of the US administration, including the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan." (SEE http://tinyurl.com/uvaav)

Dozens of public figures and celebrities have signed the letter (SEE http://tinyurl.com/yaez32), a number of whom will be speaking at Saturday's People's Assembly in London, which will discuss the issues raised by the letter (see below).

We are asking all our supporters to add their name to this letter before we deliver it to Tony Blair at Downing street in the near future. PLEASE SIGN THE OPEN LETTER "DEFEND THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY" HERE: http://tinyurl.com/y52e73

**************************************** 2) PLACES FILLING FAST FOR PEOPLE'S ASSEMBLY: ISLAMOPHOBIA AND THE WAR ON TERROR SATURDAY 18 NOVEMBER 10AM � 5.30PM CAMDEN CENTRE, LONDON, WC1H Registrations are pouring in from all over the country for Stop the War's People's Assembly on Saturday 18 November, which will discuss "ISLAMOPHOBIA AND THE WAR ON TERROR. Places are still available but immediate registration is advisable (telephone 020 7278 6694).

Speakers include Tony Benn, Adam Price MP, Jeremy Corbyn MP, Rose Gentle (Military Families Against the War), Lindsey German (Stop the War), Anas al Tikriti, Moazzam Begg, Jean Lambert MEP, Cllr Salma Yaqoob, John McDonnell MP, Kate Hudson (CND), Sami Ramadani, playwright David Edgar, Labour NEC member Walter Wolfgang , Ismael Patel, Yvonne Ridley (Islam Channel) and the two brothers who were victims of the completely unfounded police raid in Forest Gate this Summer.

The assembly agenda will include sessions on: * The war on Terror and its Consequences * Resisting War and Islamophobia * Organising to Stop the Backlash

The assembly is open to all, whether delegates representing organisations or individuals attending as observers. Delegates and observers will have equal speaking rights in all sessions but only delegates will be entitled to vote on the assembly's closing declaration. FOR FULL DETAILS OF THE ASSEMBLY, GO TO http://tinyurl.com/ydydf5 TO REGISTER NOW, TELEPHONE 020 7278 6694

**************************************** 3) WHO KILLED JAMIE HANCOCK? In his latest article, John Pilger asks, "Why aren't Blair and Bush being charged with 'the paramount war crime', that is, unprovoked aggression against a defenceless country?". Pilger gives a roll call of all those -- alongside criminals-in-chief Bush and Blair -- who should be indicted for this crime (see http://tinyurl.com/ym3uqu).

That roll call answers the question, Who killed Jamie Hancock?, the 19 year old British soldier, who died a week ago in Basra. But there is an even more direct answer. Jamie Hancock died just four days before George Bush's Republican party suffered massive electoral defeats, due largely to his war policies. As The Sunday Times reported, "The reason British troops remained in such numbers was that Blair was reluctant to embarrass Bush with any withdrawals before last week�s elections." In other words, Jamie Hancock was deployed to Iraq just two weeks before the election, even though Blair knew his presence was utterly pointless and that the British troops are only in Iraq to bolster George Bush's collapsing ratings. (SEE http://tinyurl.com/ymv5ot)

And who is responsible for all the other deaths caused by the Bush/Blair wars? John Pilger's roll call of war criminals, answers the same question for: * The 124 other British soldiers that have lost their lives in Iraq (SEE http://tinyurl.com/yl2kme) * The close to 3000 US soldiers who have died (SEE http://tinyurl.com/5um2d) * The hundreds of Iraq civilians dying violent deaths every day (SEE http://tinyurl.com/yz3rhe ) * The hundred of thousands killed in Iraq since March 2003 (SEE http://tinyurl.com/lu4jl ) * The ever increasing death toll in Afghanistan (SEE http://tinyurl.com/y827mo).

**************************************** 4) MILITARY FAMILIES AGAINST THE WAR: AN INSPIRATION TO US ALL When the Military Families Against the War held their heartbreaking ceremony at The Cenotaph on Remembrance Saturday 11 November to commemorate their loved ones and the hundreds of thousands of Iraqis and Afghans, who have all died so needlessly in the Bush/Blair wars, they highlighted their determination that all those responsible will one day be made accountable for the crimes which killed their relatives. The courage and dignity of the military families in their adversity is an inspiration to all of us in the anti-war movement. For a major Guardian feature on Military Families Against the War SEE: http://tinyurl.com/yj8tpu FOR REPORTS, VIDEO ETC OF THE REMEMBRANCE DAY CEREMONY AND MILITAR FAMILIES AGAINST THE WAR UPDATES, GO TO: http://www.mfaw.org.uk/

**************************************** 5} ROBERT FISK: HERE COME THE ODIOUS EXCUSES Bush, Blair and the other architects of the Iraq catastrophe are desperately thrashing around trying to find an "exit strategy". Already, they are parading their odious get-out excuses, which blame the Iraqis themselves for all the carnage and destruction inflicted on them. In the words of Robert Fisk,

"It's not the shamefulness of all this - do none of these men have any shame? - but the racist assumption that the hecatomb in Iraq is all the fault of the Iraqis, that their intrinsic backwardness, their viciousness, their failure to appreciate the fruits of our civilisation make them unworthy of our further attention. At no point does anyone question whether the fact that America is "the greatest power on earth" might not be part of the problem. Nor that Iraqis who endured among their worst years of dictatorship when Saddam was supported by the United States, who were sanctioned by the UN at a cost of a half a million children's lives and who were then brutally invaded by our armies, might not actually be terribly keen on all the good things we wished to offer them. Many Arabs, as I've written before, would like some of our democracy, but they would also like another kind of freedom - freedom from us. But you get the point. We are preparing our get-out excuses. The Iraqis don't deserve us." (TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE, GO TO: http://tinyurl.com/u35zo)

Excuses or not, getting out of Iraq -- as we know from the "getting out" of Vietnam -- can involve years of mass slaughter. The task of the anti-war movement is as pressing as ever: To maximise the widest possible active opposition to the Bush/Blair wars and force them to withdraw all foreign troops from Iraq and Afghanistan without delay.

**************************************** 6) NIGHTMARE IN BEIT HANOUN: HOW GAZA OFFENDS US ALL Jennifer Loewenstein writes: "40 years after 1967 and 58 years after 1948, why is the occupation not yet over? Because Israel does not want it to end. Because Israel wants the land and the resources without the people. Because you have to eviscerate a culture in order to maintain total control over it. Because the United States says that's just fine with us, you serve our purpose well. You help make the war on terror convenient. You help fit Iraq into the scheme. You'll help us with Iran as well. Who the hell cares about a million and a half poverty-stricken Gazans and their dust, their sand, their stinking, crumbling heap of a disaster area homeland?

What a terrible shame it is that Gazans have not yet attained the status of Human in the eyes of the Western powers, for the resistance there will continue to be an enigma until this changes. For now, however, the slaughter will continue unabated. (TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE, GO TO: http://tinyurl.com/yz4ju8)

LOBBY OF PARLIAMENT: WEDNESDAY 29 NOVEMBER * Stop starving the Palestinians * Stop arming Israel * Restore aid to the Palestinian Authority * Release Palestinian parliamentarians * Respect Palestinian democracy CALLED BY PALESTINE SOLIDARITY CAMPAIGN AND CAABU. FOR DETAILS, SEE http://tinyurl.com/yybeps

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STOP THE WAR COALITION NEWSLETTER No. 2006/41 07 November 2006 Email office@stopwar.org.uk Telephone 020 7278 6694 Web: www.stopwar.org.uk

IN THIS NEWSLETTER: 1) MPS VOTE FOR IRAQ WAR YET AGAIN 2) PEOPLE'S ASSEMBLY: ISLAMOPHOBIA AND THE WAR ON TERROR 3) SADDAM HANGS: MASS SLAUGHTER CONTINUES 4) MUSLIM ATTACKS: SIGN THE OPEN LETTER 5) REMEMBERING THE DEAD OF TODAY'S WARS 6) 10,000 QUIT BRITISH ARMY EACH YEAR 9) NEO-CON RATS JUMP BUSH'S SINKING SHIP 8) ISRAEL'S BARBARISM STILL UNCHECKED 9) BRIZE NORTON: 2 DECEMBER TROOPS HOME NOW DEMONSTRATION 10) HOUSMANS PEACE DIARY

**************************************** 1) MPS VOTE FOR IRAQ WAR YET AGAIN Last week Parliament had chance to pass judgement on the Iraq war for the first time since before the invasion in 2003. The motion called for an inquiry into the war but everyone knew that, if it was passed, it would have been an indictment of Tony Blair and his warmongering government. Thirty-eight Labour MPs had previously signed motions calling for an inquiry. When last week a motion, proposed by Plaid Cymru and the SNP, was finally heard in the House of Commons, only 12 Labour MPs voted in favour, the rest effectively supporting Tony Blair.

In the words of Observer journalist Henry Porter, those Labour MPs failed parliament. But worse still, they failed the majority of their constituents who -- as opinion polls have consistently shown -- believe Tony Blair lied to take this country into an illegal war and who want the troops withdrawn from Iraq now. This was a shameful day when Labour MPs put narrow party politics above their supposed opposition to the carnage in Iraq. READ THE STOP THE WAR COALITION STATEMENT HERE: http://tinyurl.com/y95y6q READ SIMON JENKINS: GOD'S GIFT TO DICTATORSHIP HERE: http://tinyurl.com/y6274s READ HENRY PORTER: LABOUR MPS FAIL PARLIAMENT HERE: http://tinyurl.com/y7k965

**************************************** 2) PEOPLE'S ASSEMBLY: ISLAMOPHOBIA AND THE WAR ON TERROR Attacks on Muslims continue to be reported, following the inflammatory statements by Jack Straw, John Reid and other politicians who feel that allying themselves to the hysterical Islamophobia of the tabloid media is a good career move.

In the wake of these attacks, the People's Assembly in London on Saturday 18 November, organised by Stop the War to discuss ISLAMOPHOBIA AND THE WAR ON TERROR, is attracting a very high level of interest, with block bookings being made by peace groups, trade unions, religious and community organisations and political campaigns.

Many signing up for the assembly have expressed their anger and frustration at parliament's failure last week to take the opportunity to represent the views of their constituents, the vast majority of whom oppose the Iraq war, highlighting once again the "democratic deficit" we have in this country.

The assembly will be open to all and will aim to bring together the broadest possible representation from all sections of society. We will discuss how the attacks on Muslims are intrinsically linked to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and how the anti-war movement can counter those attacks in its continuing campaign to end those wars.

Speakers at the assembly include: Tony Benn, Moazzam Begg (ex-Guantanamo detainee), broadcaster Mark Steel, Anas al Tikriti, Lindsey German (Stop the War), Walter Wolfgang (Labour NEC), Salma Yaqoob, Mohammed Abdul Khar and Abdul Koyair (wrongly arrested Forest Gate brothers), playwright David Edgar and Kate Hudson (chair, CND). FOR FULL DETAILS AND HOW TO REGISTER, GO HERE: http://tinyurl.com/ydydf5 PEOPLE'S ASSEMBLY ISLAMOPHOBIA AND THE WAR ON TERROR SATURDAY 18 NOVEMBER: 10AM � 5.30PM CAMDEN CENTRE, JUDD STREET, LONDON WC1H 9JE

**************************************** 3) SADDAM HANGS: MASS SLAUGHTER CONTINUES No one in the anti-war movement will shed a tear for Saddam Hussein, whatever his fate. Many people opposing the Bush/Blair wars today campaigned against Saddam's tyrannical regime in the 1980s, when he was supported by both the US and British governments, who sold him chemicals for his weapons of mass destruction, and defended him at the very time he was committing the atrocities for which he has now been sentenced.

Whatever the justice of the Baghdad court's verdict, the reality of who controls Iraq's judicial system is all too obvious from its timing, coming just two days before the US congressional elections, with George Bush's Republican party apparently facing a collapse in its support. This is due largely to the disastrous war in Iraq, with only 8% of Americans now supporting Bush's policy of "staying the course". (SEE http://tinyurl.com/yzvo5y)

But the reaction of George Bush, Tony Blair and their partners in war crimes to Saddam's conviction is nauseating. As writer Robert Fisk says, "Have ever justice and hypocrisy been so obscenely joined?" Fisk describes "the hell-disaster we that we have inflicted upon Iraq":

"Death is now visited upon even more Iraqis than Saddam was able to inflict on his Shias and Kurds and - yes, in Fallujah of all places - his Sunnis, too. So we cannot even claim moral superiority. For if Saddam's immorality and wickedness are to be the yardstick against which all our iniquities are judged, what does that say about us? We only sexually abused prisoners and killed a few of them and murdered some suspects and carried out a few rapes and illegally invaded a country which cost Iraq a mere 600,000 lives ("more or less", as George Bush Jnr said when he claimed the figure to be only 30,000). Saddam was much worse. We can't be put on trial. We can't be hanged." (SEE http://tinyurl.com/y3cuek)

Saddam's death sentence will not be a decisive moment in Iraq, any more than all the other "milestones" that George Bush has announced in the last three years. Whether Saddam is hanged or not, the carnage in Iraq will continue, because it is foreign occupation which is causing death rates among Iraqis to run at higher levels now than at any time since the illegal invasion in March 2003. (For the latest statistics, SEE: http://tinyurl.com/eg5gn)

There is only one solution to the mass slaughter and destruction which has turned Iraq into hell on earth. All occupation troops must leave now so that Iraqis can decide for themselves how they want to be governed and control their own resources. **************************************** 4) ATTACKS ON MUSLIMS: SIGN THE OPEN LETTER Hundreds of people are now signing Stop the War's open letter opposing the attacks on Muslims, provoked by elements in the media and by unscrupulous government ministers such as Jack Straw, John Reid and Ruth Kelly. (TO READ THE OPEN LETTER, GO TO http://tinyurl.com/uvaav)

Those signing now include Tony Benn; Labour Party NEC member Walter Wolfgang; MPs John McDonnell, George Galloway and Jeremy Corbyn; journalists and broadcasters John Pilger, Mark Thomas, Mark Steel and Yvonne Ridley; trade union leaders Paul Mackney, Jeremy Dear and Billy Hayes; Salma Yaqoob, Dr Azzam Tamimi; Moazzam Begg, and from the world of the arts, Benjamin Zephaniah, Miriam Margolyes, Ed Harcourt, David Edgar and Katie Mitchell. TO ADD YOUR NAME TO THE LETTER, GO TO: http://tinyurl.com/y52e73

HELP FUND PUBLICATION OF THE OPEN LETTER Stop the War now plans to reprint the open letter, with signatories, in a national newspaper advertisement, to publicise as widely as we can our opposition to the climate of fear and intimidation that Muslim communities are experiencing. We urgently need donations to fund the cost of this advert. Please help us in any way you can: * By adding your name to the letter * By making an online contribution here: http://tinyurl.com/pwl74 * By making a credit/debit card payment: 020 7278 6694 * By sending a cheque made out to 'Stop the War Coalition' to Stop the War Coalition, 27 Britannia Street, London WC1X 9JP

**************************************** 5) REMEMBERING THE DEAD OF TODAY'S WARS When Tony Blair joins the royal family, other politicians and religious leaders at The Cenotaph in Whitehall on November 12 for remembrance Sunday -- the traditional day for commemorating the millions who have died in war - we can be certain that there will be no two minute silence for the hundreds of thousands who have died as a result of the Bush/Blair wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Stop the War believes the anti-war movement must ensure that those who have been killed in the current wars are also commemorated on remembrance weekend. Vigils and other events will be held across the country on Saturday 11 November at local war memorials and in town centres.

MILITARY FAMILIES AT THE CENOTAPH In London at the Cenotaph, Whitehall on 11 November, 2pm - 4pm, Military Families Against the War will hold a vigil and remembrance ceremony. Attending will be families who have lost loved ones in Iraq or Afghanistan and families of soldiers currently serving. If you live in London, please support the military families who are opposing the Bush/Blair wars and seeking justice and accountability for their relatives whose live have been so tragically wasted in illegal and unwanted wars. (Please dress in appropriate dark clothing.) FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE MILITARY FAMILIES CAMPAIGN, GO TO: http://www.mfaw.org.uk/

**************************************** 6) 10,000 QUIT BRITISH ARMY EACH YEAR The wars being fought in Iraq and Afghanistan have triggered a wave of resignations among servicemen and women. A damning report by the National Audit Office found that disillusionment has increased among servicemen and women to such an extent that 10,000 personnel are quitting the Forces each year. TO READ MORE, GO TO: http://tinyurl.com/y2ogv6

**************************************** 7) NEO-CON RATS JUMP BUSH'S SINKING SHIP Two of the main architects of the Iraq war were the neo-conservatives Richard Perle and Kenneth Adelman, who in the run up to the war were rarely off the TV screens arguing that the invasion would bring stability and democracy to the Middle East and who since then have consistently supported the occupation.

Now they have decided to jump George Bush's sinking ship, recognising like everyone else outside of George Bush, Tony Blair and their government ministers, that the war is, in Perle's words "a disaster". Adelman says that in retrospect he thinks the war was a mistake. If your stomach will bear more from these two neo-cons up to their necks in the blood of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, go here to read further comments: http://tinyurl.com/yelvpk

**************************************** 8) ISRAEL'S BARBARISM STILL UNCHECKED It is a contravention of the Fourth Geneva convention for armies to fail to make a distinction between unarmed civilians and armed combatants. Israel continually violates its obligations under the convention, to which it is a signatory. Doctor Mona Elfarra has been covering the attacks from inside Beit Hanoun, under siege by Israel and where over 50 Palestinians have been killed in the last week. Read her report here: http://tinyurl.com/zgwgn

SEE ALSO: The hidden horrors of Israel's attack on Palestinian civilians In Gaza: Images that the Israeli and U.S. government's don't want you to see. (Please note this site contains very disturbing content). http://tinyurl.com/yegxzv

LOBBY OF PARLIAMENT WED 29 NOVEMBER Called by Palestine Solidarity Campaign and many other organisations STOP STARVING THE PALESTINIANS: STOP ARMING ISRAEL Restore Aid to the Palestinian Authority. Release Palestinian Parliamentarians. Respect Palestinian Democracy. FOR DETAILS GO TO: http://tinyurl.com/yybeps

**************************************** 9) BRIZE NORTON: 2 DECEMBER TROOPS HOME NOW DEMONSTRATION A national TROOPS HOME NOW demonstration will be held on 2 December at Brize Norton, Britain's biggest military base, which is the main transport base for sending troops and supplies in and out of Iraq and Afghanistan. In August this year it was used by US planes taking munitions to the Israeli Defense Force to bomb Lebanon. FOR MORE INFORMATION, GO HERE: http://tinyurl.com/yxbsmz

**************************************** 10) HOUSMANS PEACE DIARY Housmans Peace Diary 2007, which includes an international directory of more than 2000 peace and radical groups and organizations is available, price �8.95, here: http://tinyurl.com/ymnwhh

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