68% SAY OUT OF AFGHANISTAN NOW

STOP THE WAR COALITION NEWSLETTER
http://www.stopwar.org.uk

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IN THIS NEWSLETTER:
1) 68% SAY OUT OF AFGHANISTAN NOW
2) BUSH-BLAIR: CRIMINAL VIGILANTES
3) COUNTDOWN TO OBAMA: APPEAL
4) NOAM CHOMSKY SPEAKING AT NATO PROTEST
5) LEADING MUSICIAN SPEAKS OUT AGAINST WAR
6) VOLUNTEERS WITH IT SKILLS NEEDED

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1) 68% SAY OUT OF AFGHANISTAN NOW

With the occupation of Afghanistan mired in crisis, a BBC
opinion poll last week showed that 68% of the British
population want the troops out of Afghanistan. For under 24s
the figure was 75%. Despite this Gordon Brown looks set to
support calls for an intensification of the war by NATO
forces, with Britain sending more troops. The three British
soldiers killed in the last few days indicate where this
policy is going.

Stop the War is asking all its supporters to join the
campaign to expose the brutal truth of the occupation in
Afghanistan. This Thursday 20 November will be the seventh
anniversary of the so called liberation in 2001, which has
seen tens of thousands of civilians and 125 British soldiers
killed. United Nations' reports show that in the past seven
years life expectancy has gone down, child mortality has
gone up and life for women has become intolerable. Afghan
aid agencies are warning of mass starvation this winter
because violence is spiralling and aid can't get through.

Stop the War groups across the country are organising
protests, vigils and naming of the dead ceremonies this
Thursday to mark the anniversary of an invasion which has
brought so much death and devastation to Afghanistan. Please
get details locally or from our website:
http://www.stopwar.org.uk/.

PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBITION
The Stop the War website is hosting an exhibition of photos
recording the desperate plight of refugees in Afghanistan by
photo journalist Guy Smallman, who has just returned from
the country.

AFGHANISTAN: WHY WE SHOULD GET OUT
The Stop the War pamphlet, Afghanistan: Why we should get
out, with an introduction by John Pilger, is being
reprinted, following the first print run selling out very
quickly. The pamphlet takes apart the 'good war' arguments
used to justify the carnage in Afghanistan. The pamphlet
costs £1.50 including p and p, with reductions for bulk
orders.

TO ORDER ONLINE: http://tinyurl.com/3dhzpn
BY PHONE: 020 7278 6694.

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2) BUSH-BLAIR: CRIMINAL VIGILANTES

The Guardian reports that "one of Britain's most
authoritative judicial figures last night delivered a
blistering attack on the invasion of Iraq, describing it as
a serious violation of international law, and accusing
Britain and the US of acting like a 'world vigilante'." (see
http://tinyurl.com/5sce3d).

"The invasion of Iraq by the US, the UK, and some other
states was unauthorised by the security council, " says
Bingham, "There was, of course, a serious violation of
international law and the rule of law." He also criticises
the US government's detention and torture policies in
Guantánamo and Abu Ghraib and the post-invasion record of
Britain as "an occupying power in Iraq", which he says was
"sullied by a number of incidents, most notably the shameful
beating to death of Mr Baha Mousa, a hotel receptionist in
Basra in 2003".

Nothing here of course which the anti-war movement hasn't
highlighted repeatedly over the past five years. The
question Bingham doesn't raise is when we are likely to see
the perpetrators of these war crimes held accountable for
their illegal policies, which have led to the deaths of at
least one million people, over four million refugees and,
according to a recent report, "made life for most people in
Iraq unbearable". (see http://tinyurl.com/56musg)

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3) COUNTDOWN TO OBAMA: APPEAL

Stop the War urgently needs extra funds and we are
organising our own YES WE CAN financial appeal in the run up
to Barack Obama's inauguration. We have nearly seen the last
of George Bush, but we need to see also an end to his war
policies. This means a continuing campaign against our own
government's support for those policies, with a particular
focus on Afghanistan.

There are never any "bailouts" available for a campaigning
organisation like Stop the War. We rely entirely on
donations from our supporters to sustain our activities,
which in the immediate future include:

* A national tour in the new year entitled WHY WE SAY TROOPS
OUT OF AFGHANISTAN.
* Mobilising for the international demonstration at the NATO
conference in Strasbourg in April, which is gaining wide
support across Europe and beyond.
* Reprinting our popular pamphlet, Afghanistan: Why We
Should Get Out.

Please donate to our YES WE CAN financial appeal.

DONATE ONLINE: http://tinyurl.com/3dhzpn
BY CREDIT/DEBIT CARD: Phone 020 7278 6694
BY POST: Cheque payable to "Stop the War Coalition" to Stop
the War Coalition, 27 Britannia Street, London, WC1X 9JP.

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4) NOAM CHOMSKY SPEAKING AT NATO PROTEST

Tens of thousands of anti war protestors will be marching in
Strasbourg next year against NATO expansion and the war in
Afghanistan. This is the location for the NATO conference on
the 60th anniversary of its formation. The anti-war protests
will include a counter conference, at which, among many
international speakers, will be Noam Chomsky. Stop the War
will be building the widest support for these very important
protests and is organising coaches to take protestors from
Britain. Coach tickets are on sale now. For tickets and more
information go to http://tinyurl.com/6yce3p

DEMONSTRATE AT NATO'S 60TH CONFERENCE
NO TO NATO, NO TO WAR
APRIL 4TH AND 5TH 2009,
STRASBOURG, FRANCE

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5) LEADING MUSICIAN SPEAKS OUT AGAINST WAR

Matthew Herbert is a celebrated musician, band leader,
record producer and dj, whose work in many areas of popular
music has consistently received five star reviews. Matthew
recently gave a video interview to Stop the War, in which he
talks about music and politics, the election of Barack Obama
and the importance of the anti-war movement. See the
interview here: http://www.stopwar.org.uk/ (scroll down the
page.)

Singers and bands Matthew has worked with include REM,
Björk, Moloko, Serge Gainsbourg, Yoko Ono and John Cale. He
is also one of the most political musicians in Britain,
often including anti-war content in his live performances
and albums, not least his latest which is titled THERE'S YOU
AND THERE'S ME. (See: http://www.matthewherbert.com/)

The Matthew Herbert Big Band will be performing at the Royal
Festival Hall in London this Friday 21 November. For
information and tickets see: http://tinyurl.com/5cq77z

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6) VOLUNTEERS WITH IT SKILLS NEEDED

Stop the War is looking for volunteers with IT skills who
can help out one or two days a week in the national office,
which is located near Kings Cross Station, London. If you
are interested, please contact the Stop the War office for
more details: Tel 0207278 6694.