Monday 17 October 2011

Wall Street is War Street: the protests go global

STOP THE WAR COALITION

> 16 October 2011
> Email office@stopwar.org.uk
> Tel: 020 7801 2768
> Web: http://stopwar.org.uk
> Twitter: http://twitter.com/STWuk
> Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/stopthewarcoalition
>
> IN THIS NEWSLETTER:
> 1) WALL STREET IS WAR STREET: THE PROTESTS GO GLOBAL
> 2) FILM, VIDEO AND PHOTOS OF THE ANTI-WAR ASSEMBLY
>
> *********************************
> 1) WALL STREET IS WAR STREET: THE PROTESTS GO GLOBAL
>
> The Occupy Wall Street (OWS) protests this weekend have spread
> worldwide taking in 1000 towns and cities in 80 countries. We
> could be witnessing the start of a global movement on a scale we
> haven't seen since tens of millions went on to the streets in
> 2003 to oppose the Iraq war.
>
> At the heart of the US Occupy Wall Street demands is the call to
> cut the war machine (SEE http://bit.ly/qDXOFP) which has consumed
> over a trillion dollars in the past ten years and is currently
> fighting wars in seven countries - Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan,
> Libya, Somalia, Yemen and - the latest addition - Uganda, where
> Obama has just deployed US troops. (SEE http://bit.ly/r1e0yu)
>
> If the "war on terror" is included - the latest instalment of
> which is the ludicrous Iranian "plot", the war-addicted Barack
> Obama - holder of the Nobel Peace Prize - is currently waging
> eight wars. (SEE http://bit.ly/nEArmP)
>
> We need to make the cost of the UK war machine integral to the
> OWS movement here, which has begun so impressively this weekend
> with Occupy the London Stock Exchange.
>
> This year alone Britain is spending £9 billion on the wars in
> Afghanistan and Libya and on the maintenance of the Trident
> nuclear missile system. Recent Stop the War articles have shown
> how this money could be used to fund public services, rather than
> the government's current policy of decimating them. (SEE
> http://bit.ly/qxLqXO AND http://bit.ly/odNXt3)
>
> *********************************
> 2) FILM, VIDEO AND PHOTOS OF THE ANTI-WAR ASSEMBLY
>
> Stop the War has been flooded with positive comments about the
> Anti-War Assembly in Trafalgar Square on 8 October - more than
> we've had for any event for years. These are typical of the
> responses:
>
> "Great day! What a great feeling to be amongst so many people who
> feel so passionate about this issue. And what an outstanding list
> of speakers and performers!" - Sean Murphy.
>
> "Amazing day! I loved how everyone came together through
> creativity, through music, art and poetry...it was beautiful!" -
> Madeleine McCabe
>
> We have now posted a 45 minute TV film of the event, which
> captures the spirit and inspiration of the day, including the
> march to Downing Street at the end of the Assembly, led by
> 106-year-old Hetty Bower, which blockaded David Cameron's
> official residence. (SEE http://bit.ly/pYJ6Pb)
>
> Also on the Stop the War website are videos of the speeches by
> John Pilger, George Galloway, Brian Eno and many more. (SEE
> http://bit.ly/pC0CYW)
>
> We have begun creating picture galleries for the hundreds of
> photographs we have been sent of the event. (SEE
> http://bit.ly/pe08yk AND http://bit.ly/qJv6ZH). More to follow
> soon.
>
> Many thanks to all the speakers, filmmakers, actors, musicians
> and artists who made the Antiwar Assembly in Trafalgar Square on
> 8 October such a success.

Thursday 6 October 2011

Noam Chomsky: Join us in Trafalgar Square on 8 October

IN THIS NEWSLETTER:
> 1) NOAM CHOMSKY: JOIN US IN TRAFALGAR SQUARE ON 8 OCTOBER
> 2) WHY UN COMPOSER PLAYS AT ANTIWAR ASSEMBLY
> 3) STOP THE WAR BRIEFING ON CHILDREN OF AFGHANISTAN
> 4) PLEASE KEEP DONATING
>
> ****************************************
> 1) NOAM CHOMSKY: JOIN US IN TRAFALGAR SQUARE ON 8 OCTOBER
>
> The Antiwar Mass Assembly on Saturday continues to attract high
> profile pledges, the latest from Noam Chomsky and others who have
> issued the following statement:
>
> After 10 years of war in Afghanistan, more than 100,000 Nato
> troops remain and tens of thousands have died. Government claims
> that the war is contributing to Britain's stability look
> increasingly hollow. Opinion polls suggest the majority of
> Britons want a speedy withdrawal of British troops, a view
> recently endorsed by the trade unions. Politicians have to get in
> step with public opinion and announce a date to bring troops
> home. We will be attending the mass anti-war assembly this
> Saturday 8 October in Trafalgar Square. We urge you to join us.
>
> * To see the full list of those attending, go to:
> http://bit.ly/pBlNMI
> * To see the provisional timetable for the day, go to:
> http://bit.ly/o10L6p
>
> This is clearly going to be a memorable day. It will end with a
> march to Downing Street, led by ex-soldiers and military
> families, to demand that the government bring the troops home
> from Afghanistan now.
>
> Please do all you can in the days remaining to spread the word
> and encourage as many people as possible to join us.
>
> ANTIWAR MASS ASSEMBLY
> 8 OCTOBER 12 NOON - 4PM
> TRAFALGAR SQUARE LONDON
> See http://bit.ly/o10L6p
>
> ****************************************
> 2) WHY UN COMPOSER PLAYS AT ANTIWAR ASSEMBLY
>
> The world-renowned composer Howard Blake, whose compositions
> range from the huge hit "I'm Walking in the Air", from the
> classic film The Snowman, to his composition titled "Charter for
> Peace" commissioned by the United Nations for the 50th
> anniversary of its founding, which was first performed in 1995
> before the Queen, prime minister John Major, and a host of
> dignitaries.
>
> Howard Blake was so outraged by the United Nations' resolutions
> in March this year -- when it gave the US and NATO cover for
> going to war with Libya -- that he has withdrawn the "Charter for
> Peace" from his catalogue, saying:
>
> "The UN resolutions taken over Libya leading up to its invasion
> on March 19th 2011 violated [its] principles and the work is
> withdrawn from the catalogue, since to say that the organisation
> carries out a 'charter for peace' is no longer anything but a
> mockery of its formerly professed beliefs." SEE
> http://bit.ly/nTKN6G
>
> It is for this reason that Howard Blake has offered to play his
> most famous composition "I'm Walking in the Air" at Saturday's
> Antiwar Assembly in Trafalgar Square. Stop the War very much
> welcomes his decision to join us.
>
> ****************************************
> 3) STOP THE WAR BRIEFING ON CHILDREN OF AFGHANISTAN
>
> Six percent of babies die at birth and 25 percent before their
> 5th birthday. Conflict and political violence force millions of
> children and their families to flee their homes.
>
> A child's basic right to life and development is seriously
> compromised by growing up in the context of war and occupation.
>
> Afghanistan has become the very worst place on earth to give
> birth to or raise a child.
>
> A new briefing, written for Stop the War by Lisa Davis, director
> of Rights International, with a conclusion by US author and
> activist David Swanson, is available on the Stop the War website.
>
> * For a summary of The Children of Afghanistan, go here:
> http://bit.ly/rdZdLZ
> * To download the full report, go here:
> http://tinyurl.com/5s69xhm
>
> ****************************************
> 4) PLEASE KEEP DONATING
>
> Many thanks to everyone who has donated to our financial appeal
> to cover the costs of the Antiwar Assembly on Saturday. Your
> contributions have helped enormously.
>
> However, we still need to raise more to ensure that we are not
> left with a debt after Saturday, which would hinder the future
> activities we are already planning.
>
> If you have not contributed, please consider giving a donation
> now. Details of the various methods for donating are here:
> http://bit.ly/n0eEh2
>
> If you would prefer to make your contribution by becoming a
> national member of Stop the War, you can do that here:
> http://bit.ly/k0tBVk
>
> ****************************************
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