CUT WAR NOT WELFARE THE FIGHT AGAINST AUSTERITY IS THE FIGHT FOR PEACE Stop the War has opposed the wars on Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Libya and elsewhere because they will only bring death and destruction to the countries attacked. But the government is spending huge sums on wars at the same time it is cutting at least £80 billion from public expenditure. There is no area of public life that will not be affected, and the tragedy of austerity is already hitting communities up and down the country. But there will be no cuts in the cost of waging wars in foreign lands. We have now had more than ten years of Britain fighting unjustified wars in other people’s countries. The government insists there is no alternative to the slashing of welfare provision for the most vulnerable in our society, whether it be the bedroom tax (£465 million a year), cuts in disability allowance (£2.2 billion a year) or cuts in the National Health Service (£20 billion by 2015). But there is an alternative. None of the cuts would be necessary if the huge sums Britain spends on its military and armaments were invested in providing for social need instead of the government’s war machine. The war machine Britain spends £43.3 billion a year on its military — the fourth biggest military budget in the world, and by a long way the largest in the EU. Military hardware Britain is spending £7 billion building two huge new aircraft carriers, even though it has no planes that will be able to use them. It is estimated that buying planes for these carriers would cost £30 billion. This is not stopping the government spending £15 billion buying 150 F -35 jets, which can't be used on the carriers, each of which will cost over £100 million. Syria, Mali and Iran Britain is spending over £12 million every day on the Afghanistan war. This is a war which was never justified and everyone knows is unwinnable. Successive governments have learned nothing, and now the Tory-led coalition is intervening in the Syrian civil war and supported France’s intervention in Mali. All the while Britain stands with the US in threatening an attack on Iran. Trident Nuclear Missiles Britain spends £3 billion a year on maintaining the Trident nuclear weapons system. The supporters of Trident are unable to say who the enemy is that is being "deterred" by these ultimate weapons of mass destruction, which are widely recognised as unusable because of their potential to destroy the whole world. The arms industry Britain is one of the biggest arms dealers in the world. The government spends £700 million a year on subsidies to the arms companies — one form of welfare it has no plans to cut. Army recruitment Britain's military spends £750 million a year on its campaign in schools and local communities aimed at persuading young people to join the army while hiding the reality that as soldiers they will be trained to kill and be killed in other people countries. Social costs of war If Britain stopped sending young men and women to fight in unjustified wars, we would not have the huge costs in supporting the medical and psychological needs of soldiers who have been severely injured — often losing limbs or eyes — or traumatised. Added to this is the cost of jailing ex-soldiers, who are one in 10 of the total prison population. There are more ex-soldiers in prison than there are fighting in Afghanistan.

FACEBOOK USERS Join the Facebook event here https://www.facebook.com/events/530455377026135/ Britain spends £3 billion a year on maintaining the Trident nuclear weapons system.

HANDS OFF SYRIA

NO TO THE BOMBING OF SYRIA - NO TO WESTERN INTERVENTION

Saturday 31 August, 12 noon

@ Donald Dewar Statue,
top of Buchanan St, Glasgow.

Called by Glasgow Stop War Coalition

Don't Attack Syria Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/552912638090009/

STW Statement on Syria

The Stop the War Coalition strongly opposes any military attack on Syria. While we oppose all use of chemical weapons, the latest alleged such attack in Damascus should not be used as a pretext for further exacerbating an already bloody civil war.

It seems that the Western governments have already made up their minds about this attack before it has even been reported on by UN weapons inspectors. They are demanding that ‘something must be done’ even though their record of ‘doing something’ has been nothing short of catastrophic.

There have been numerous western interventions in the Middle East and South Asia over the past 12 years. While the attacks on Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya were all argued for on humanitarian grounds, they have all increased the levels of killing and misery for the ordinary people of those countries. They were in reality all about regime change. This is also what Syria is about.

The same people who brought us those wars have learnt nothing from their mistakes. Now the US, Britain, France and their allies in Turkey and Saudi Arabia are pushing for air strikes. The misnamed envoy for peace in the Middle East, Tony Blair, is once again urging an attack.

Such an attack will have no basis in international law, nor will it have any moral force, despite claims by US Secretary of State John Kerry, from governments who in the past supplied Saddam Hussein with chemical weapons and who have used depleted uranium and white phosphorus in Iraq.

The truth is that this latest plan is about intervening to reshape the Middle East in the strategic interests of the West. Military intervention will make a solution to this complex civil war even more difficult and will be a direct violation of the agreements made at the recent G8 meeting to attempt to resolve this war by an International Conference.

We will be protesting and campaigning against any attack and demand that the British government listen to public opinion, as expressed in recent polls, and play no part in any such attack.
27 August 2013.

Glasgow Stop the War: Aug 2013

1) Oppose the Islamophobia of the Scottish Defence League - Sat 17 August

2) New Book - Soldier Box by Joe Glenton

3) Stop the War Annual General Conference - Sat 14th September

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1) Oppose the Islamophobia of the Scottish Defence League - Sat 17 August

Glasgow Stop the War opposes the Islamophobia of the Scottish Defence League – please read this important message from Edinburgh Against the Racist SDL

If you would like to travel threw for the demonstration email: uafglasgow@gmail.com for transport options.

If you would like to add your name to our statement below please “Like” it on our facebook page "Edinburgh Against Racist SDL" and share or email us: uafedinburgh@riseup.net

MULTI-CULTURAL FESTIVAL - MULTI-CULTURAL CITY
The racist and fascists of the Scottish Defence League (SDL) are to march through the centre of Edinburgh during the Edinburgh Festival on Saturday 17 August.

After the tragic murder of soldier Lee Rigby organisations such as the SDL have been trying to use this to whip up racism and direct hatred against all Muslims.

We must not give an inch to those who try to judge an entire religion, race or nationality on the actions of a few. We do not hold all Norwegian Christians responsible for the actions of Anders Breivik whose rampage in 2011 left 77 people dead.

Unite Against Fascism (UAF) condemns the SDL’s attempts to use demonstrations to stir up racial hatred. Wherever the SDL go attacks on Muslims and other communities follow.

The Edinburgh Festival is a celebration of our rich cultural diversity. Tourists and local people do not want
racist and fascist thugs on our streets.

Unfortunately they have been given permission by the police and council to march. Malcolm Chisholm
MSP said – “I am very sorry that permission has been granted for the SDL march and believe it is now more important than ever that there is a massive counter demonstration against these purveyors of hate who are not welcome in multicultural Edinburgh.

We pledge to stand together with our brothers and sisters of all communities to defend our multi-
cultural city. We support the march and protest organised by Unite Against Fascism on Saturday 17 August at midday, assemble Chambers Street.

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2) New Book - Soldier Box by Joe Glenton

More info at: http://joeglenton.com/the-book/

Book review: http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art/34046/Joe+Glenton+-+an+anti-war+soldier+the+army+couldnt+keep+a+lid+on

Now available from Bookmarks Bookshop - bookmarksbookshop.co.uk price £12.99

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3) Reminder: Stop the War Annual General Conference - 14th September

The annual general conference will be a chance for the whole of the Stop the War membership to discuss the complexity of the new forms of war we have witnessed, to plan further action and to debate how best to strengthen the anti war arguments and organisation.

Practicalities

The conference will take place on Saturday September 14th from 10 - 5pm at The Old Cinema University of Westminster 309 Regent St W1B 2UW.

How to register

Stop the War groups can send up to four delegates and other affiliated groups can send two delegates.
Conference is also open to individual members. Members must be paying a monthly or annual subscription - if in doubt please get in touch to check your membership status. Members who joined before 15th of July 2013 have full voting and speaking rights. Members who joined after this date can take part as observers.

All delegates must register by Friday 7th of September. Registration costs: £10 standard / £5 concessions.

To book call 020 7561 4830 or email office@stopwar.org.uk 

Discussion and resolutions

The conference will discuss the general state of the war on terror, movement priorities and how best to organise locally. STW groups and affiliated organisations can submit one resolution per organisation. The deadline for submission is Friday 30th of August.

If you would like to attend email glasgowstopwar@gmail.com 

The Scrap Trident demonstration will take place in George Square Glasgow on Saturday 13 April.

10.15 Assemble George Square

10.45 March off for march around city centre

11.15 - 13.15 Rally - speakers include Partick Harvie MSP (Greens) & Sandra White MSP (SNP)

Please note that these times are earlier than originally circulated.

This is part of a weekend of Scrap Trident actions. There will be workshops in Glasgow on Sunday 14 April and a blockade of Faslane on the morning of Monday 15 April.

To register for the workshops or blockade, and for more information on all the events, please go to scraptrident.org

Help publicise the Scrap Trident events by forwarding this information to your friends&family/ community groups/ trade union. 

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After the Scrap Trident demonstration in Glasgow on 13 April we are having a fundraising evening with live music and DJs at the

African Caribbean Centre, 66 Osborne St, Glasgow

just along from the 13 Note.

It starts at 8pm and goes on 'til late.

Cost £5.00 waged - Concession £3.00

Call/Text for a ticket: 0794 1600 419

SCRTAP TRIDENT: Stalls/leafleting - Saturday 16th February - Glasgow and around the country - http://eepurl.com/vtrtL 

SCRAP TRIDENT: DAY OF ACTION

 

Saturday 16th: stalls and flyering to build the Glasgow Demo and Faslane Action (www.scraptrident.org).

Come along, sign up and get involved!

Glasgow: 12 -6pm - Buchanan St/Gordon St and 12noon-2.00pm - Argyll St and leafleting at St Enochs - 07511793227

Edinburgh: The Mound 10am- 4pm, East End Princes St 10-3pm and leafleting on the Royal Mile, Portobello 12-2pm

Irvine: meet at Irvine Jobcentre in High Street -12.30 pm.

Saltcoats: 11am -meet at former church building in Saltcoats Town Centre.

Paisley: 12-4pm at the Cenotaph in the town centre.

There will also be stalls in Kirkintilloch, Aberdeen, Dundee and in other places around Scotland.

We are hoping that video activists can attend and make short videos, which we hope to post on the Scrap Trident Youtube Channel

A further, similar event is also planned for the middle of March.

Come along, help flyer, collect some poster/leaflets for your workplace/street.

Keep in touch, visit the scraptrident.org.uk for links to facebook, twitter, meetings and contacts.

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Anti-war Conference a huge success

Thank you to everyone who came and made Saturday's international anti-war conference such a huge success. 1,000 attended the event and judging by the feedback we have had, people got a huge amount out of the debate, analysis and discussion.

To see the speeches go to http://bit.ly/12G2gPU

Watch the Real News Network report on Saturday's conference http://bit.ly/156aT5Q

Owen Jones on Why the incalculable horror of the Iraq war must never happen again http://bit.ly/14Nayns