The New Dark Age

14 October 2010 — STOP THE WAR COALITION

IN THIS NEWSLETTER

1) CAMERON AND MILIBAND UNITED ON AFGHANISTAN
2) COME TO STOP THE WAR’S ANNUAL CONFERENCE
3) PLEASE DONATE TO OUR FINANCIAL APPEAL
4) COMPETITION FOR FREE TICKETS TO NATIONAL THEATRE

1) CAMERON AND MILIBAND UNITED ON AFGHANISTAN

NATIONAL DEMONSTRATION SATURDAY 20 NOVEMBER AFGHANISTAN: TIME TO GO – TROOPS HOME NOW ASSEMBLE 12 NOON SPEAKERS CORNER HYDE PARK MARCH TO TRAFALGAR SQUARE Called by Stop the War, CND and British Muslim Initiative

The situation in Afghanistan, for both its people and the invading Nato armies, continues to deteriorate. 2010 is already the worst year for death tolls and violence since the war began.

You wouldn’t know it from the mainstream media, which — aside from a couple of days reporting the killing of British hostage Linda Norgrove — rarely mentions the war.

As the war entered its tenth year, the Red Cross reported that civilian casualties are soaring in Southern Afghanistan — as a direct and indirect result of the escalating violence. (SEE bit.ly/92lg2z).

October is turning out to be one of the worst months this year for the Nato forces, with over 30 killed in the first 13 days. The number killed for the year is approaching 600, and already surpasses the 2009 figure, which was the previous worst year for the US and its allies.

Of course, none of this was mentioned in Parliament, when David Cameron, followed by new Labour leader Ed Milliband, read out the names of five British soldiers killed in recent weeks.

Both of the party leaders are equally committed to continuing the war and maintaining the fiction that it is keeping Britain safe, a view clearly rejected by three quarters of the British public, who say all British troops should be withdrawn “immediately” or “soon”.

The gap between our elected representatives and the public they are meant to serve was obvious in the recent parliamentary vote, when all but 16 MPs (SEE bit.ly/cHovH9) either voted for the war to continue or didn’t bother to turn up.

Not one MP mentioned that the current annual cost of the war is five times what the government plans to “save” by cutting £1 billion a year from universal child benefits and nearly three times the planned cuts in housing benefit for the poor.

The importance of the Afghanistan: Time to Go demonstration on Saturday 20 October — called by Stop the War, CND and the British Muslim Initiative — could not be clearer.

The more we make the demonstration representative of the majority anti-war voice in this country, the greater the pressure we can put on our political leaders to end Britain’s involvement in a pointless and unwinnable war.

HOW YOU CAN HELP Stop the War is asking its supporters and its local groups around the country to do all they can to publicise and build support for the demonstration. Details of the demonstration and suggestions for ways in which everyone can contribute are here: bit.ly/dpJQ3H

2) COME TO STOP THE WAR’S ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Speakers lined up for Stop the War’s annual national conference in London on 30 October include Tony Benn, Guardian journalist Seumas Milne, former Soldier Joe Glenton, who refused to fight in Afghanistan, and Joy Gordon, author of “Invisible War: The United States and the Iraq Sanctions”.

The conference will debate our policies, strategy and campaigns for the coming year and elect our national steering committee. For full details, SEE: bit.ly/brTcXO

A range of resolutions have already been submitted for discussion, with topics including Afghanistan, Iran and Islamophobia. Conference resolutions are posted here: bit.ly/cHTWU1

The conference is open to all members of Stop the War, who can attend either as delegates from local Stop the War groups and affiliated organisations or as individual observers. There is a concessionary conference fee of £3 for students and observers. See here for the full range of conference fees: bit.ly/aZ1ABa

If you are not a member of Stop the War but would like to attend the conference as an observer, you will need to join before 30 October. Membership can cost as little as £2 per month: SEE bit.ly/11eQoy

STOP THE WAR ANNUAL NATIONAL CONFERECE SATURDAY 30 OCTOBER 10.00AM – 5.30PM CONWAY HALL, 25 RED LION SQUARE LONDON WC1R 4RL Tube: Holborn

3) PLEASE DONATE TO OUR FINANCIAL APPEAL

Stop the War’s resources are always stretched to the limit when we have an imminent national demonstration. We need your help to ensure that we have the funds needed for mobilising the largest and most effective protest we can. Any contribution, large or small, will be very much appreciated. There are three ways to donate:

* ONLINE: bit.ly/11eQoy * BY CREDIT/DEBIT CARD: 020 7801 2768 * BY POST: Make cheque payable to “Stop the War Coalition”. Send to: Stop the War Coalition, 231 Vauxhall Bridge Road , London SW1 1EH

4) COMPETITION FOR FREE TICKETS TO NATIONAL THEATRE

Stop the War has two pairs of free tickets available for the critically acclaimed play “Blood and Gifts” at the National Theatre in London, which explores the origins of the current conflict in Afghanistan. SEE bit.ly/9HIRpF

To be considered for a pair of tickets, send an email, with your answer to the question below, to office@stopwar.org.uk, under the subject “Blood and Gifts”:

QUESTION: The son of the British poet who wrote the lines below was killed in World War I. What was the son’s name?

When you’re wounded and left on Afghanistan’s plains, And the women come out to cut up what remains, Jest roll to your rifle and blow out your brains An’ go to your Gawd like a soldier.

Email office@stopwar.org.uk Tel: 020 7801 2768 Web: stopwar.org.uk Twitter: twitter.com/STWuk