Afghanistan: How you can help‏

STOP THE WAR COALITION NEWSLETTER No. 1112 01 September 2009 Email office@stopwar.org.uk Tel: 020 7801 2768Web: http://.stopwar.org.uk Twitter: http://twitter.com/STWuk IN THIS NEWSLETTER: 1) NEW PLAN SAME AS THE OLD PLAN 2) AFGHANISTAN: HOW YOU CAN HELP 3) "THIS COUNTRY HAS TURNED AGAINST THE WAR" 4) LOBBYING THE LABOUR PARTY CONFERENCE 5) AMAZING LINE-UP FROM BEATS BEAT BULLETS 6) CALLING ALL STUDENTS 7) STOP THE WAR WEBSITE: RECENT ARTICLES *********************************

1) NEW PLAN SAME AS THE OLD PLAN US General Stanley McChrystal, describes the forces he commands in Afghanistan as like "a bull charging at a matador and getting weaker with each cut." This is shorthand for "we're losing". So McChrystal has produced another 'new strategy' to get the occupation armies out of their deepening crisis which made August the worst month for soldiers getting killed since the invasion in 2001. But there's nothing 'new' about this strategy. There will be another huge troop 'surge' -- predicted to be an additional 20,000 -- which will mean that Obama has doubled the troop deployment since becoming president. McChrystal says the foreign armies will need to stay in Afghanistan at least another three years, adding his prediction to all the others -- ranging from one year to 40 years -- we've had from politicians and military leaders. With Gordon Brown strongly hinting that he will follow Obama and announce an increase in British troop levels, the need for the national demonstration on Saturday 24 October to represent the voice of the majority in Britain that opposes the war - 69 percent in the latest poll - was never clearer. National Demonstration: London Troops Out of Afghanistan Now Saturday 24 October Central London Called by Stop the War Coalition, CND and BMI. For updates: http://stopwar.org.uk/ *********************************

2) AFGHANISTAN: HOW YOU CAN HELP * Spread the word as widely as possible about the Bring the Troops Home demonstration on Saturday 10 October; * Distribute demonstration leaflets to your family, friends, neighbours, work colleagues, fellow students etc; * Display a poster for the demonstration in your home window; * Join the local Stop the War group in your area to help build support for the demonstration; * Donate to the 'Bring the Troops Home' fund raising appeal which we will be launching soon; FOR LEAFLETS, POSTERS AND STICKERS TO PUBLICISE THE 24 OCTOBER DEMONSTRATION: Phone 0207 801 2768 *********************************

3) 'THIS COUNTRY HAS TURNED AGAINST THE WAR' Stop the War groups have been out in force across the country campaigning to get the troops home and getting a very positive response, particularly to the Naming the Dead ceremonies. This quote from Doncaster Stop the War gives an indication of how there has been a sea change in public opinion over the Afghan war: "We were nervous and uncertain of the response we would receive. However, we found that our doubts and fears were completely unfounded. Even before we had finished setting up the stall, we had people queuing up to sign the petitions. The response from all was, it's time to bring the troops home." FOR TV, PRESS & LOCAL REPORTS OF NAMING THE DEAD EVENTS: http://bit.ly/Nm3lw *********************************

4) LOBBYING THE LABOUR PARTY CONFERENCE A coalition of trade unions -- NUJ, NUT, UCU and PCS -- have come together nationally and joined with Stop the War Coalition and other campaigns to call a joint protest at the Labour Party conference in Brighton on 27 September 2009. JOBS, EDUCATION, PEACE LOBBY OF LABOUR PARTY CONFERENCE SUNDAY 27 SEPTEMBER FROM 12.30 BRIGHTON ASSEMBLE MADEIRA DRIVE Further details: http://bit.ly/vGHsk *********************************

5) AMAZING LINEUP FROM BEATS BEAT BULLETS Our regular London Stop the War / Start the Music fundraising gigs are a great success, every one so far having sold out. The next event on Thursday 10 September has another impressive line-up: * Get Cape Wear Cape Fly 'The highlight of Glastonbury 2009.' * Drew McConnell, Babyshambles * Special guest King Blues front man Itch * DJ Neotropic aka Riz Maslen. BEATS BEAT BULLETS THURSDAY 10 SEPTEMBER 2009. 8PM-11PM @ VIBE BAR, 91 BRICK LANE, E1 6QL * Full details: http://startthemusic.org.uk/ *Flyers available from 0207 801 2768 *********************************

6) CALLING ALL STUDENTS The Stop the War national student conference on Saturday 19 September is not to be missed, following a momentous year for student anti-war activity, not least the campus occupations following Israel's barbaric attack on Gaza. The conference has an inspiring line-up of speakers: * ILAN PAPPE, Israeli historian and anti Zionist; * GEORGE GALLOWAY MP, * LINDSEY GERMAN, Stop the War's national convenor * KARIM DENNIS (AKA LOWKEY), * JEREMY CORBYN MP * + EYEWITNESS REPORTS FROM AFGHANISTAN & PALESTINE Full details: http://bit.ly/3fxLpu Places are limited so pre-booking is advisable: CALL 0207 890 12768 *********************************

7) STOP THE WAR WEBSITE: RECENT ARTICLES The Stop the War website is updated daily with news, analysis, comment and reports from the anti-war movement. Recent articles have included: * Even the Sun newspaper asks why are we in Afghanistan http://bit.ly/15TCLv * If Israel has the "most moral army" in the world, explain these videos http://bit.ly/eboyQ * How the Afghan War increasingly looks like Vietnam http://bit.ly/3I7vPE * Six reasons why Afghanistan is not "a war of necessity" http://bit.ly/E1PPZ * Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at George Bush to be released soon: Celebrate by playing a game of Sock and Awe http://bit.ly/2sXkp GET NOTIFICATION OF STOP THE WAR WEBSITE UPDATES If you follow Stop the War on Twitter, you will have received notice of all updates to the website as they happen. If you haven't joined yet, it takes around one minute to do so here: http://twitter.com/STWuk