STOP THE WAR COALITION NEWSLETTER No. 2006/44 21 December 2006 Email office@stopwar.org.uk Telephone 020 7278 6694 Web: www.stopwar.org.uk IN THIS NEWSLETTER: 1) MORE WAR "UNTIL THE JOB IS DONE" 2) NATIONAL DEMONSTRATION: 24 FEBRUARY 3) US SUPPORT FOR WAR DROPS TO 31 PER CENT 4) TONY BLAIR RELEASES ANTI-WAR SONG 5) TIME FOR REGIME CHANGE AT HOME 6) WOMEN IN THE NEW IRAQ 7) WHAT TONY BLAIR DIDN'T SAY ABOUT MUSLIMS 8) OUR THANKS TO ALL OUR SUPPORTERS

**************************************** 1) MORE WAR "UNTIL THE JOB IS DONE" Tony Blair continues to insist that "British troops will remain until the job is done" (http://tinyurl.com/yg974v). The "job" being done is now so horrific that even the mainstream media cannot avoid the scale of the catastrophe that the Bush-Blair wars have brought to the people of Iraq.

Every week over 1000 Iraqis are dying violent deaths in Baghdad alone. 100,000 people flee the country every month, as security and public services continue to collapse. Clean water and power are scarce for much of the population and hospitals lack even the most basic supplies. Unsurprisingly, the latest poll shows that 91 per cent of Iraqis believe their country is worse off now than before the war in 2003. (http://tinyurl.com/yfpkwr).

Not content with his disastrous war policies in Iraq and Afghanistan, Tony Blair is now rushing through parliament plans for spending �25 billion on the Trident weapons of mass destruction, a system which in 1983 he called "nuclear madness". (See http://tinyurl.com/y6y8os)

2006 has been Stop the War's most active year since the year of the Iraq invasion. Next year is clearly going to be just as eventful -- with Bush and Blair committed to waging endless war in Iraq and Afghanistan and still threatening an attack on Iran.

A REVIEW OF STOP THE WAR'S ACTIVITIES IN 2006 IS AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE: http://tinyurl.com/vnrc7

**************************************** 2) NATIONAL DEMONSTRATION: 24 FEBRUARY CND and Stop the War Coalition have called a national demonstration in London on Saturday 24 February 2007, with the slogans NO TRIDENT and TROOPS OUT OF IRAQ. The timing for this demonstration has been determined by the parliamentary agenda set by Blair, particularly on Trident, which he wants to rush through in the hope that this will forestall opposition, which has the potential to build into a mass campaign that forces Labour MPs to oppose the lunacy of nuclear weapons. Parliament will debate and vote on Trident in early March. This means we will have just six weeks to mobilise.

Local Stop the War groups have been asked to do the following to build the widest support for the demonstration: * Book coaches to bring protestors to London on 24 February * Organise lobbies of local MPs, urging them to vote against Trident * Organise public meetings to build support for the demonstration * Organise regular STW street stalls * Encourage local trade unions, mosques, faith organisations and community groups to publicise the demonstration

Leaflets, posters, stickers and postcards publicising the demonstration will be available from the national Stop the War office in early January: Telephone 020 7278 6694 to place orders.

SATURDAY 24 FEBRUARY 2007 NATIONAL DEMONSTRATION NO TRIDENT / TROOPS OUT OF IRAQ CENTRAL LONDON ASSEMBLE 12 NOON Called by CND and Stop the War Coalition. Full details available soon.

NOTE: As well as debating Trident in March, there will be a debate in parliament in January on Britain's strategy in Iraq. Stop the War Coalition and CND will call protests at parliament when the dates for these debates are announced.

**************************************** 3) US SUPPORT FOR WAR DROPS TO 31 PER CENT On average, 25 US troops are killed or injured every day in Iraq and ever increasing numbers of Americans are asking why. Only 31 per cent now support the war, the lowest ever figure. (http://tinyurl.com/yyvaeb). In the November elections, the Democratic party took control of the Congress, mainly on an anti-war vote.

This is the background to the national TROOPS OUT NOW MARCH ON WASHINGTON, which has been called for 27 January and which will bring protestors from all corners of the country to insist that the new Congress reflects the clear mandate of the electorate that the war should end and all US troops be withdrawn. FOR DETAILS SEE OF THE WASHINGTON MARCH, GO TO http://tinyurl.com/546zq

**************************************** 4) TONY BLAIR RELEASES ANTI-WAR SONG Tony Blair has reformed Ugly Rumours - his rock band from the 1970s - to remake the classic anti-war track WAR - WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR? It will be released on 1 January 2007 as a download-only single costing 79p, of which 20p will go to Stop the War Coalition.

To preview the single, read about Ugly Rumours and hear six songs we don't think Tony Blair will be recording, go to: http://tinyurl.com/ybv2nw

From 1 January 2007 download-only singles are eligible for chart placing in the official Top 40. By downloading WAR by TONY BLAIR AND UGLY RUMOURS, you will be giving financial support to Stop the War's campaigns and you could help get the anti-war message into the top ten.

PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY OF TONY BLAIR'S ANTI-WAR SINGLE NOW ON THE OFFICIAL UGLY RUMOURS WEBSITE: http://tinyurl.com/y8pldw

A video starring George Galloway MP and Tony Blair's sister-in-law Lauren Booth as police officers will be available soon to publicise the track. (For a trailer, go to http://tinyurl.com/y9grql)

One single we are sure Tony Blair will not be releasing this Christmas is: HAPPY XMAS (WAR IS OVER), a video for which is available here: http://tinyurl.com/ybs3ur WARNING: Contains disturbing images.

**************************************** 5) TIME FOR REGIME CHANGE AT HOME Stop the War Coalition's Vice-President Tariq Ali writes:

"The warlord of Downing Street is still at large, zombie like in his denials that anything serious is wrong in Baghdad or Kabul�The British parliament, even more supine than its US equivalent, voted against any official inquiry on British involvement in the war, when they knew that a majority in the country was opposed to a continuation of the conflict. Blair's ideological zealotry has helped destroy Iraq, revive the Taliban in Afghanistan, increase the threat of terror in Britain and introduce repressive laws that were not enforced even in the second world war. Time for a regime change at home." TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE, GO TO: http://tinyurl.com/vn5sd

**************************************** 6) WOMEN IN THE "NEW" IRAQ In 2003, Bush and Blair said that increasing women's rights was essential to creating a new, democratic Iraq. What have they achieved?

For much of the 20th century, and under various leaders, Iraq was one of the most progressive Middle Eastern countries in its treatment of women, who were encouraged to go to school and enter the workforce. Even Saddam Hussein's Baath Party espoused a secular Arab nationalism that advocated women's full participation in society. (http://tinyurl.com/ykl6aa) .

In the words of Iraqi sociologist Shatha al-Dulaimy, "Women in Iraq used to go to work, participate in social activities and even take part in politics. Iraqi women studied and worked side by side with men, and they formed at least 35 percent of the national working power in various fields of work until the US occupation came."

And now? Bush and Blair claim there has been "tremendous change", citing the 85 women, out of a total of 275, who are members of the Iraq National Assembly. But one of those members describes the reality:

"We are just a part of the d�cor arranged by Americans who wanted to convince the world of the 'tremendous' change in Iraq. Our voice is never heard inside or outside parliament." (http://tinyurl.com/y9jx8v)

Shatha al-Dulaimy sums up the condition of women in Bush and Blair's Iraq: "The occupation has brought nothing but suffering, death or kidnapping."

**************************************** 7) WHAT TONY BLAIR DIDN'T SAY TO MUSLIMS This is what Tony Blair didn't say in his speech on multiculturalism earlier this month:

"When I say things like "belief in democracy, the rule of law, tolerance, respect for this country and its shared heritage is what gives us the right to call ourselves British", I realise I'm insulting you all � as if these values are alien to you, your culture, or to the nations you originate from.

"When I claim to be supportive of you, for example, by saying "most Muslims are thoroughly law-abiding citizens,, I should ask myself how an average white person would feel to be patronised by such a statement. This week, for example, would I dare to say something so crass as, "Of course, most residents of Ipswich are law-abiding"?

And when you add in the macho talk about immigration and asylum from me and my ministers, and what I said about Britain "not being taken for a ride" � not to mention our edicts on the religious clothing we say you shouldn't wear � of course, I now realise, I'm adding to the prejudice you'll face from the rest of society."

TO READ MORE OF WHAT BLAIR DIDN'T SAY TO MUSLIMS, GO TO: http://tinyurl.com/w7vka

**************************************** 8) OUR THANKS TO ALL OUR SUPPORTERS As said earlier in this newsletter, 2006 has been a very busy year for Stop the War. It was made possible by the efforts our local STW group organisers, the hundreds of volunteers who have helped us organise our demonstrations and other events, and all those who have donated over the year to help fund our activities.

Nowhere was this more apparent in 2006 than during Israel's barbaric attacks on Lebanon and Gaza in July/August, when in the space of four weeks we organised two very large national emergency demonstrations, calling for an immediate ceasefire, including the 100,000 strong protest in London on 5 August.

Stop the War wishes to thank all its supporters for the contribution they have made in 2006. There are big tasks ahead, with the warlords in Washington and Downing Street still at large and planning mass slaughter without end. A broadly based national anti-war movement, which aims to represent the majority view in this country opposing the Bush-Blair wars, will be as important as ever in 2007. We hope we can continue to receive your support which has been so invaluable this year. -- To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank e-mail to stwc-unsubscribe@lists.riseup.net