Stop the War Coalition newsletter
No. 1065  16 December 2008
Email office@stopwar.org.uk
T: 020 7278 6694
Web: http://www.stopwar.org.uk

MANY THANKS TO OUR SUPPORTERS
The Stop War Coalition would like to thank all our supporters for your anti-war efforts in 2008. Clearly our work will be as necessary as ever in 2009 and we aim to redouble our efforts in the cause of peace. Below is an outline of some of our upcoming activities. Seasonal greetings to all.

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IN THIS NEWSLETTER:
1) SHOE PROTEST AT US EMBASSY
2) AFGHANISTAN -- LEARNING NOTHING FROM IRAQ
3) ANTI-WAR CAMPAIGNING IN 2009
4) CAGE PRISONERS TOUR
5) STOP THE WAR ANNUAL CONFERENCE MARCH 14-15
6) COUNTDOWN TO OBAMA APPEAL

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1) SHOE PROTEST AT US EMBASSY

The shoe protest at George Bush's press conference in the Baghdad Green by Iraqi journalist Muntadar al-Zaidi has made him a hero across the Middle East. When he shouted at Bush
"This is for the widows and orphans of Iraq", he expressed the unreported feelings of millions in Iraq and beyond that the Bush occupation has been a disaster and that it should end immediately.

Since the protest Muntadar al-Zaidi has been held in custody and according to the BBC has been subject to brutal treatment. His brother has said that since his arrest he has a broken wrist, broken ribs and internal bleeding.

Stop the War Coalition will be supporting Media Workers Against the War when they deliver a protest letter to the US Embassy this Friday. We are asking people to join the protest and bring shoes to be delivered to the Embassy with the letter in solidarity with the Iraqi people.

SHOE PROTEST AT US EMBASSY, 1PM, FRIDAY 19 DECEMBER, US EMBASSY, GROSVENOR SQUARE WC1

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2) AFGHANISTAN -- LEARNING NOTHING FROM IRAQ

Gordon Brown's response to the deaths of four British soldiers in Afghanistan last week -- another death since then has taken the total to twelve in just over one month -- was to promise more troops and weaponry. In this he demonstrates yet again that he will follow wherever US war policies take him.

Barack Obama's election in the US expressed an enormous desire for change, not least for an end to George Bush's warmongering. Instead what his voters are to get is a "surge" in troop numbers in Afghanistan and Obama has already indicated that he is sympathetic calls by US
military leaders for an escalation of attacks on Pakistan.

With Barack Obama and Gordon Brown now focussing on intensifying the war in Afghanistan, Stop the War is asking its local groups to organise rallies in February/March with the title AFGHANISTAN: WHY WE SHOULD GET OUT.

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3) ANTI-WAR CAMPAIGNING IN 2009

Anti-war campaigning will be as important as ever in 2009 and Stop the War has a busy few months ahead. We are working towards two big events in particular - a Peace and Social
Justice march at the G20 in London on Thursday 2 April and the international protests when NATO meets in Strasbourg on 4-5 April, the 60th anniversary of the organisation's foundation.

* MARCH TO THE G20
Stop the War and the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament have called a PEACE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE DEMONSTRATION at the G20 meeting in London on Thursday 2 April. We will be demanding that the G20 break from the policies of wars and neo-liberalism which have caused such devastation around the globe. We will be organising the widest possible co-ordination to mobilise for the protest.

* NO TO NATO PROTESTS, STRASBOURG 4- 5 APRIL
The day after the G20 demonstration in London, Friday 3 April, transport will be leaving for the international protest at NATO's 60th birthday conference. NATO is playing the central role in the occupation of  Afghanistan and its eastward expansion is causing growing tension in the Caucasus and beyond. Antiwar and peace organisations from across Europe have called protests, a demonstration and a counter conference from 2-5 April. The mass demonstration is on Saturday 4 April and the Counter Conference on Sunday 5 April.

Coach tickets are on Sale now from the Stop The War office. Postcards for promoting the NO TO NATO event are also available and an information brochure can be downloaded from our website.

There will be an activists meeting in Strasbourg on 14-15 February to finalise plans for the protest and accompanying events. Contact the office for more details.

* NATO/G20 LONDON ACTIVISTS' MEETING
A meeting for London Stop the War activists has been organised to discuss mobilisation for  the NATO and G20 protests:
WEDNESDAY 21 JANUARY
INDIAN YMCA, 41 FITZROY SQUARE
LONDON W1T 6 AQ
(Warren Street tube)

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4) CAGE PRISONERS TOUR 11 January-3 February

Ex-Guantanamo prisoner Moazzam Begg is touring the country with Chris Arendt, a refusenik US army guard from Guantanamo, and Sami Al Haj, an Al Jazeera Cameraman who was also detained in Guantanamo. The tour is billed as TWO SIDES - ONE STORY and is supported by Stop the War. We are asking all Stop the War Groups to build support for what will be a very important and high profile tour.

To see if the tour is visiting your town, for further information and contact details, GO TO:
http://www.cageprisoners.com/

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5) STOP THE WAR ANNUAL CONFERENCE MARCH 14-15
SOUTH CAMDEN COMMUNITY SCHOOL
CHARRINGTON STREET LONDON NW1 1RG

Our annual conference will be a one and a half day event to include time for political analysis of a fast changing situation as well as conference business. Stop the War groups and affiliated organisations are asked to plan now for electing delegates.

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6) COUNTDOWN TO OBAMA APPEAL
To make all this happen the coalition urgently needs funds, Our Countdown to Obama appeal has got a tremendous response and we have collected close to half of our target figure of £10,000, which we aim to reach by 20 January, the day Obama is inaugurated as president. Please give generously. You can donate online, by cheque (payable to the stop the War Coalition) or by credit/debit card (phoning the Stop the War office, 020 7278 6694).

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