notaslave
02-08-2007, 06:27 PM
Gordon Brown told George Bush this week that Britain has a "shared destiny" with the United States" founded on "shared values". Even as Brown spoke, the consequences of those "shared values" in Iraq were spelt out in horrific detail by a report from Oxfam and over 100 other NGOs.
* 43% of Iraqis are in absolute poverty;
* 28% of Iraqi children are malnourished;
* 32% of internally displaced persons who need food rations can't get them;
* 70% of Iraqis don't have adequate water supplies;
* 80% don't have effective sanitation;
* 4 million Iraqis are in dire need of humanitarian assistance
* 11% of new born babies are underweight.
(SEE ********************/2tkt3j)
Unemployment in Iraq is running at over 50 per cent. Up to one million Iraqis have been killed over the past four years as a result the illegal US-UK invasion. Four million Iraqis -- one seventh of the population -- have been displaced from their homes, with two million fleeing the country. This is, as journalist Patrick Cockburn writes, "The greatest mass exodus of people ever in the Middle East and dwarfs anything seen in Europe since the Second World War."
Eight British soldiers were killed in Iraq in July, supposedly in the cause of these same "shared values", but in reality serving no purpose other than to give George Bush political cover for a war which over two thirds of the American people oppose, making Bush the most unpopular president in recent US history.
Any hopes that Gordon Brown would distance himself from Tony Blair's abject subservience to US foreign policy objectives were dashed when Brown confirmed that there was "no plan to withdraw British troops before the Iraqi army is deemed capable of maintaining security", which is doublespeak for "no plans until George Bush says it's ok". Brown displayed his continuity with Blair's war policies despite the government's first official acknowledgement, in a report published recently by the Ministry of Defence, that there is little or no public support for the war in Iraq.
The people of Iraq want the foreign occupiers out of their country immediately, so they can be free to decide how they want to be governed and to control their own resources, not least the second largest reserves of oil in the world. The views of the Iraq majority were expressed this week by the captain of the Iraqi football team, following its victory in the Asian Cup, "I want America to go out. Today, tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow, but out. I wish the American people didn't invade Iraq and hopefully it will be over soon."
The anti-war movement must maintain the pressure on Gordon Brown to make him respond to the values of the vast majority in this country who always opposed the illegal war in Iraq and who want all British troops brought home now. Similarly, it is essential that we continue to build the widest possible opposition to the "shared values" of Gordon Brown's and George Bush, which promise only more war in Iraq and Afghanistan, the escalation of the arms race and intensified threats against Iran.
Source: Stop the War
(http://www.stopwar.org.uk/)
MILITARY OUT OF OUR SCHOOLS
Largely due to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, 10,000 soldiers leave the armed forces every year and the military is facing a recruitment crisis, with more people leaving than joining. For this reason, the military have stepped up their campaign to recruit in schools. School Students Against War have started a campaign to stop the military recruiting in our schools and will be organising actions around the country and working with school students, teachers, parents and trade unions. If you would like more information or would like to get involved, please contact:
Sam: Tel 079 4746 0945
Email: london@ssaw.org.uk
Web: www.ssaw.org.uk
(http://www.ssaw.org.uk)
* 43% of Iraqis are in absolute poverty;
* 28% of Iraqi children are malnourished;
* 32% of internally displaced persons who need food rations can't get them;
* 70% of Iraqis don't have adequate water supplies;
* 80% don't have effective sanitation;
* 4 million Iraqis are in dire need of humanitarian assistance
* 11% of new born babies are underweight.
(SEE ********************/2tkt3j)
Unemployment in Iraq is running at over 50 per cent. Up to one million Iraqis have been killed over the past four years as a result the illegal US-UK invasion. Four million Iraqis -- one seventh of the population -- have been displaced from their homes, with two million fleeing the country. This is, as journalist Patrick Cockburn writes, "The greatest mass exodus of people ever in the Middle East and dwarfs anything seen in Europe since the Second World War."
Eight British soldiers were killed in Iraq in July, supposedly in the cause of these same "shared values", but in reality serving no purpose other than to give George Bush political cover for a war which over two thirds of the American people oppose, making Bush the most unpopular president in recent US history.
Any hopes that Gordon Brown would distance himself from Tony Blair's abject subservience to US foreign policy objectives were dashed when Brown confirmed that there was "no plan to withdraw British troops before the Iraqi army is deemed capable of maintaining security", which is doublespeak for "no plans until George Bush says it's ok". Brown displayed his continuity with Blair's war policies despite the government's first official acknowledgement, in a report published recently by the Ministry of Defence, that there is little or no public support for the war in Iraq.
The people of Iraq want the foreign occupiers out of their country immediately, so they can be free to decide how they want to be governed and to control their own resources, not least the second largest reserves of oil in the world. The views of the Iraq majority were expressed this week by the captain of the Iraqi football team, following its victory in the Asian Cup, "I want America to go out. Today, tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow, but out. I wish the American people didn't invade Iraq and hopefully it will be over soon."
The anti-war movement must maintain the pressure on Gordon Brown to make him respond to the values of the vast majority in this country who always opposed the illegal war in Iraq and who want all British troops brought home now. Similarly, it is essential that we continue to build the widest possible opposition to the "shared values" of Gordon Brown's and George Bush, which promise only more war in Iraq and Afghanistan, the escalation of the arms race and intensified threats against Iran.
Source: Stop the War
(http://www.stopwar.org.uk/)
MILITARY OUT OF OUR SCHOOLS
Largely due to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, 10,000 soldiers leave the armed forces every year and the military is facing a recruitment crisis, with more people leaving than joining. For this reason, the military have stepped up their campaign to recruit in schools. School Students Against War have started a campaign to stop the military recruiting in our schools and will be organising actions around the country and working with school students, teachers, parents and trade unions. If you would like more information or would like to get involved, please contact:
Sam: Tel 079 4746 0945
Email: london@ssaw.org.uk
Web: www.ssaw.org.uk
(http://www.ssaw.org.uk)