STOP THE WAR COALITION
NEWSLETTER
No. 1052 01 July 2008
Email office@stopwar.org.uk
T: 020 7278 6694
Web: http://www.stopwar.org.uk

IN THIS NEWSLETTER:
1) TIME TO BRING THE TROOPS HOME
2) ACTION STATIONS OVER IRAN
3) POLICE ATTACK ON BUSH DEMONSTRATION EXPOSED

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1) TIME TO BRING THE TROOPS HOME

The Bush visit and its aftermath shows beyond any doubt
Brown's government is as committed to Bush's War on Terror
as the previous one. From time to time Gordon Brown has
tentatively proposed a 'timetable for withdrawal' from Iraq.
Each time a phone call from Washington or a cup of tea with
Condoleezza Rise or George Bush has been enough to get him
back in line and scurrying to the press to announce his
commitment to 'finishing the job' in Iraq. More than 4,000
British troops remain near Basra, facing mortar rounds,
supporting military operations against local people or on
the Iranian border, and crucially giving political cover to
the continuing US occupation and the US attempt to impose a
political agreement that would guarantee its right to remain
indefinitely, control the oil and direct the countries'
future.

Meanwhile Britain remains the one European power that has
responded enthusiastically to the drive to escalate in
Afghanistan. The Brown government is doing everything it can
to promote the idea that Afghanistan is a good war. Military
parades are used to generate patriotic support for 'our
boys'. Government ministers are wheeled out to claim that
despite the evidence we are 'turning the corner' and 'making
headway against the Taliban'. The little news that is
allowed out from Afghanistan suggests the opposite. Daring
Taliban raids into NATO held Kandahar, increased fighting
round Peshwar and above all a steeply rising casualty rate
tell a very different story.

All serious assessments show that far from being won
Afghanistan has been devastated by this 'humanitarian' war
and occupation. It is now 174 out of 178 on the UN's world
development index. Life expectancy stands at 44 and it has
one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world (so
much for liberating women!) No doubt this has something to
do with the fact that health care is virtually non-existent
for the majority of Afghans.

For all these reasons, the Stop the War Coalition is
stepping up its demand for troops out of Iraq and
Afghanistan in the run up to the Labour Party Conference
which starts in Manchester on 21September.

We will be organising a series of Troops Out, Defend Civil
Liberties Rallies in the first weeks of September. In the
meantime, we are asking all our groups and supporters to do
two things from now:

* DOWNLOAD TROOPS OUT LETTER: Available from the Stop the
War website at www.stopwar.org .uk. Take it to local
politicians, trades unionists and other prominent figures
and ask them to sign it so that we have built up a huge list
of supporters over the summer.

* START ORGANISING NOW FOR 20 SEPTEMBER PROTEST. This takes
place in Manchester on the day before the start of the
Labour Party Conference. Called by Greater Manchester Stop
the War Coalition and CND.

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2) ACTION STATIONS OVER IRAN

There is alarming evidence that Israel and the US are coming
closer to an attack on Iran. Ten days ago, the Israeli Air
Force conducted one of the biggest military exercises in its
history, flying 100 warplanes 1,500kms over the
Mediterranean - matching the distance from Israel to Iran's
nuclear facilities. Deputy Prime Minister Shaul Mofaz said
earlier this month Israel had no choice but to attack Iran.
Leading neocon John Bolton has been briefing the press
making the case for an Israeli strike and a string of other
Israeli officials and academics from Foreign Minister Tzipi
Livin to Defence Analyst Shmuel Bar have been making
similarly inflammatory statements.

Bar says "The only thing that can stop Israel's intent (to
bomb) would be extremely robust steps on the part of the
West - a blockade of Iranian refined oil, something that
would indicate that steps were meant to force regime change.
Since that is not on the cards, only bombing Iran will
work".

There are still divisions in the US on the question but the
pressure from the remaining neocons and Israel is immense.

Apart from the horrendous suffering it would create in Iran
any bombing attack on Iran would send shockwaves across the
Middle East, invite retaliation from Iran and lead to uproar
on the streets from Cairo to . In the words of Mohammed El
Baradei, chief of the International Atomic Agency it would
create a fireball in the region.

In these circumstances Stop the War is asking all its groups
to take a number of steps. First, where possible organise
meetings over the summer to discuss the situation over Iran.
Second, circulate as widely as possible the fact sheet and
take round the action pledge. Finally prepare and publicise
protests should an attack take place.

If an attack takes place after 5pm, we ask groups to hold
local protests/sit downs outside town halls or other
appropriate local centres. We will call a protest at Downing
Street on the evening of the day of an attack or the day
after if the attack takes place after 5pm.

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3) POLICE ATTACK ON BUSH DEMONSTRATION EXPOSED

the large number of photos and video clips we have received
of the June 15 demonstration (for a selection see

www.stopwar.org.uk) show beyond doubt that the police
drastically and violently overreacted to a peaceful protest.
Even more worryingly a number of protestors have identified
at least one police officer in plain clothes actively
shouting abuse at the police and in the words of the Mail on
Sunday "apparently stirring up trouble". SEE

http://tinyurl.com/68zrmr

Stop the War has complained to the police and the Home
Secretary and asked for detailed explanations of police
behaviour on the day. We will distribute information of
further developments as they arise. Any more photos or video
clips of the day taken by participants in the Bush protest
would be gratefully received.

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