MARCH ON THE ISRAELI EMBASSY ON SATURDAY

MARCH ON THE ISRAELI EMBASSY
STOP THE WAR ON GAZA
STOP THE MASSACRE

Saturday 10 January, Central London
Coaches leave at 8 am, Museum Steps Cardiff and
8.30 am Bus Station, Newport

Contact Cardiff Stop the War Coalition at cardifftroopsout@googlemail.com to book a seat asap! Tickets - £16 waged / £10 unwaged

500 dead. Thousands injured. United States blocks UN call for carnage to stop.

This ground attack is intended to turn Gaza into Israeli killing fields. Within hours of troops entering Gaza, hospitals reported that 23 people had been killed and that twenty of them were civilians.

Demonstrations across the world call for an immediate stop to the carnage. Every country in the world bar one wants the killing and destruction to stop now. But just as it did in the Lebanon War in 2006, The United States has given the green light to Israel to intensify its barbarism.

The US is blocking all UN diplomacy for an immediate ceasefire with the tacit compliance of the British government, which calls for an immediate ceasefire while at the same time endorsing America's refusal to allow any discussion in the United Nations to achieve this end.

When Israel broke the six month ceasefire on November 4, it was the trigger for this long planned invasion, deliberately timed for the last few weeks of George Bush's presidency and a few weeks before Israeli elections, in which all the leading politicians are competing as to how many Palestinians they can kill.

Stop the War Coalition, Palestine Solidarity Campaign, British Muslim Initiative, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament are organising continual protests in the next week, culminating in a national demonstration marching to the Israeli Embassy in London on Saturday 10 January.

Everyone who is shocked and outraged by Israel's barbarity, and the prospect of hundreds more Palestinian civilians being killed by the fourth most powerful military in the world, should commit themselves to helping mobilise for the protests in the coming week and for making the national demonstration on Saturday 10 January the biggest yet seen in this country for the freedom of Palestine.


PROTEST MARCH
Friday 9 January
Assemble 2 p.m. outside Cardiff City Hall, Cathays Park.

Two Gaza Emergency Appeal Fundraising events:

I.Wednesday 7 January
Benefit gig for Gaza in aid of Middle East Childrens Alliance
with Frankie Armstrong - Cath Little - Bob Evans & Mary Ann Roberts -
Imran Khan - Shanee Taylor - Guto Dafis - Stefano Giaconne
Côr Cochion (Cardiff Reds Choir) and poems by Patrick Jones- stories by Amanda Rackstraw Tickets: £5 or donation, Available at the door: 7:30-11 pm in Dempseys, Castle St. Cardiff - tickets £5 or donation

II.Thursday 8 January
Fundraising dinner in aid of Islamic Relief Wales,
Cardiff City Hall, 6-10 p.m tickets £15
Contact - salahma50@gmail.com

Armistice Day in Aberystwyth

Aberystwyth is the first local council to officially comemorate non combatants as part of remembrance, indeed it is the only local authority in Britain to have an officially sanctioned event where a wreath of white poppies is lain at the Cenotaph (as well as the traditional wreath of red poppies) to remember all victims of war after a vote on the council in 2004. It has not been without controversy. We recently received in our big red postbag this statement from Aberystwyth Peace & Justice Network

“On behalf of our town Council, Aberystwyth Peace and Justice Network wouldlike to invite you to a service of remembrance and peace. Please forward this message to your networks.

Once again this year Aberystwyth Town Council will lay a white poppy wreathat the war memorial. In taking this action our Council is unique in Britain.But the decision to maintain the tradition was not made easily. It took the casting vote of Mayor, Sue Jones-Davies. So, the initiative needs the activesupport of everyone committed to working for a peaceful and just world.

The white poppy not only commemorates all those who suffer in wars, it alsosends out the message that, ‘there are better ways to resolve conflicts than killing strangers’. Britain is the world’s second largest arms exporter. The white poppy represents hope for a culture in which preparation for armed conflict is considered immoral rather than a valid economic activity.

This year’s ceremony takes place on Saturday 8th November at 11am. It willbe led by Rhidian Griffith, an elder of Capel y Morfa, Aberystwyth. Côr Gobaith will sing No More War and Mae Gen I Freuddwyd. The latter is asong based on Martin Luther King Jr’s historic speech ‘I have a dream’. Words are by Myrddin Ap Dafydd and the song envisages a world of peace,harmony and justice.

Prior to the Council’s decision, Aberystwth Peace and Justice Network and the Royal British Legion failed to reconcile the red and white poppy traditions. In September Aberystwyth RBL wrote to the Council to declin ebecause ‘the White Poppy is not a charitable thing… November is the Remembrance of those who gave their lives in the service of their country.’

Meanwhile, Assembly Member Bethan Jenkins, a former Guild of Students President in Aberystwyth University, has called on Neath and Port Talbot Council to follow Aberystwth’s example. ‘I hope Councils all over Wales heedBethan’s call,’ said Lotte Reimer of AP&JN.”

Civilians pay for American and Russian imperialism

Over 2,000 people have been killed in the recent fighting in the Caucasus after Georgia declared war on Russia over the breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. These regions have never wanted to be part of Georgia and the treatment of minorities within Georgia's borders has always been a problem.

But the fighting is also the result of imperial powers attempting to secure the energy and resources in the region through military force, and it must condemned.

The US has responded to the fighting by accusing Russia of wanting "regime change" in Georgia. The hypocrisy of this accusation is astounding, given that the goal of the US in Iraq was nothing less than regime change. Yet for the US administration this is an unacceptable goal for other imperial powers to have.

Russia shares this hypocrisy. While Russia moved against Georgia on what it claims are humanitarian grounds, arguing that because many South Ossetians have Russian citizenship they must be protected, the real reason is to secure its geopolitical interests. Russian aggression has little to do with humanitarian principles. It claims that if the US can recognise Kosovo as independent, it can make moves to ensure that South Ossetia and Abkhazia are under its sphere of influence. Russia also wants to prevent Georgia from joining NATO, and has demonstrated it will use military force to do so.

The region is heavily contested between Russia and the US, and each have interests in securing their domination of the untapped oil reserves. Pipelines are being built from Azerbaijan through Georgia to Turkey, with strong political support from the US. The situation has undoubtedly escalated tensions between the US and Russia, not seen since the end of the Cold War.

The US administration referred to a "significant long-term impact" on US-Russian relations if Russia continued to attack the Georgians disproportionately. But this is exactly the way the US is fighting in Iraq; through disproportionate attacks.

It is unacceptable that both powers are using military force to secure their interests, without concern for civilians. The Left Alternative opposes the fighting and calls on all sides to end hostilities. We also call on Britain to refrain from supporting the US and break with US foreign policy.

Quote of the Week - Eugene Debs, 1918

"While there is a lower class, I am in it, and while there is a criminal element I am of it, and while there is a soul in prison, I am not free."

Eugene Debs, American Socialist, 1918 at his trial for sedition for agitating against the first world war.

On Wednesday, Binyam Mohammed turned 30. He's the last British citizen to be detained in the US concentration camp in Guantanamo Bay and was tortured with the support of the UK government in Morrocco and Afghanistan. We will continue to campaign for Binyam's release, the closure of Guantanemo Bay, an end to the attacks on our civil liberties, and the defeat of our rulers 'war on terror'.

Afghanistan: Get the Troops Out NOW!

The hundredth British soldier was killed in Afghanistan today.

Afghanistan is a distaster for occupier and occupied alike: NATO forces are bogged down, deeply unpopular, facing more and more resistance and bringing mayhem rather than democracy.

When our media says "Taliban killed", the reality is usually that ordinary men, women and children cut down, and this is uniting the Afghan people against the foreign invader. We demand Brown pulls the troops out, because British soldiers shouldn't be dying in a futile war, and there can be no progress in Afghanistan while it is occupied by foreign armies.

Read Jonathan Neale on the forgotten war in Afghanistan here

March against the Military Academy

Meet Joe 'RED' Redmond and Karen Tyre, Respect/Left Party candidates for Adamsdown & Butetown tomorrow as they join the mass demonstration against the billions being wasted on building a military academy near Cardiff. We are proud to be the only political party to oppose the Academy in our election material and take a stand against the militarisation of our society.

Hi everyone,

Just a reminder that Stop the War Coalition has called a national demonstration in conjunction with the anti-St Athan military campaign tomorrow at 1.30pm outside Cardiff City Hall.

The St Athan military academy is a monstrosity, a £14 BILLION project that will be in the hands of private contractors and weapons manufacturers like Raytheon, the supplier of cluster bombs that have killed scores of innocent civillians accross the Middle East and around the world.

The Academy will be used to train soldiers from Britain and around the world in techniques to be used in the war on terror. Let's make no bones about it - the academy will be a place where "friendly" dictatorships like Saudi Arabia and Egypt will have their officers trained to murder and torture the poor people who dare to stand up to US and UK imperialism.

The development of the academy fits into the government's increasing militarisation of society, it's aggressive recruitment campaigns in poor schools, it's attempt to glorify war in an "armed forces day". These things are intrinsically linked to building support for the "war on terror", and specifically the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan. That is why we want to make sure that this protest draws the clear links between St Athan and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Please do your best to get along. Spend 10 minutes tonight calling people to try and get them there. Come out and join the march on your lunch break as it winds down Queen Street.

Cheers,

Jonny Jones, RESPECT/Left Party in Wales

March against the Military Academy

Wales recently recently received its biggest ever award of taxpayers money: £14 billion. Unfortunately the 4 main parties in Wales have supported this money not being spent on hospitals, schools and public services. but instead on war, in the shape of a huge, privatised military academy being built at St Athan, near Cardiff. RESPECT - The Left Party is proud to be the only political party in Wales speaking out against the Academy in the upcoming elections.

Stop the War NOW: MARCH TO STOP THE UK MILITARY ACADEMY

Mass demonstration called by Stop the St Athan Military Academy Campaign
Supported by UK Stop the War Coalition

Assemble 1.30 pm, Cathays Park
(opposite Museum/City Hall, Cardiff
Saturday 26 April

In the summer of 2006, hundreds of people protested in Cardiff against the war on Lebanon. The Israeli military dropped half-a-million cluster bombs on Lebanon supplied by arms companies like Raytheon. Now Raytheon has been invited to Wales by the Welsh Assembly Government to help run a huge, privatised military academy near Cardiff. It's time to get back onto the streets! Anything we can do in Wales to prevent the State waging war on its terms can only be of help to those resisting in the frontline in the Middle East and beyond.

Stop the St Athan Military Academy Campaign supporters include:

Aberystwyth Peace & Justice Network, Bangor Peace & Justice GroupCaernarfon Peace & Justice Group, Cardiff Anarchist Network, Cardiff Justice & Peace Group, Cardiff RESPECT/Left Party, Church Action Against Poverty, CND Cymru, CND (Swansea), Communist Party of Wales, Cymdeithas y Cymod (Fellowship of Reconciliation Wales), Cymdeithas yr Iaith (Welsh Language Society), Cynefin y Werin, Green Party (Wales), Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign, Penarth Justice & Peace Group, Permanent Revolution, Quakers (Caerleon), RESPECT/Left Party, Socialist Labour Party (Wales), South Wales Anarchists, Stop the War Coalition (UK), Stop the War (Bristol)Stop the War (Cardiff), Stop the War (Swindon), Stop the War (Wrekin), Women in Black (Abergavenny), Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, Wrexham Peace & Justice Centre

To add your name or organisation to the list of supporters or for more information about the campaign, email: no2militaryacademy@inbox.com

Imagine a world in which the armed forces are trained by arms dealers.And we subsidise their profits.

That world will become reality unless we stop the proposed school of death at St Athan.The creation of a military super-academy at St Athan, between Cardiff and Swansea, was announced as a done deal in January 2007. Despite the fact this represented the biggest PFI in history, involving £14 billion of taxpayers' money, there had been no debate in either Westminster or the Welsh Assembly (Senedd). A promise of 5500 local jobs was trumpeted loudly by an uncritical news media and presented as a great victory for Wales.

No wonder the politicians didn't want any debate. The new super-academy, replacing many smaller centres, means that military training will now be in the hands of shameless profiteers.The winning bidders for the project were the Metrix consortium. This consortium includes Qinetiq, the privatised research and development wing of the MoD. Qinetiq was recently the subject of intense criticism by the National Audit Office. Its privatisation was proposed by MoD managers – who then saw their shares rise 10,000% on the day of the sale! 33.8% of Qinetiq was also bought by the US-based Carlyle Group, a sinister lash-up of politicians and arms dealers with a vested interest in promoting war.Former members of its board include one George W. Bush.

Then there is the US arms manufacturer Raytheon. Raytheon make the missiles which deliver cluster bombs, the horrendous weapons which are estimated to have killed 100,000 people – 98% of them innocent civilians. The world can also thank Raytheon for the depleted uranium weapons which have led to thousands of horribly deformed babies and large increases in cancers in war zones and beyond.Raytheon, Qinetiq and friends will not just be training UK armed forces at St Athan. They will train any soldiers, sailors and air force personnel that are willing to pay for the privilege. And like all PFIs, the St Athan academy will be subsidised by the taxpayer, and if necessary, bailed out with public money.There has never been a detailed breakdown of the jobs the academy will bring. However, even Metrix admit that many of the military trainers will relocate from elsewhere. Every PFI has secured profits by cutting costs. St Athan will mean less MoD jobs overall, and the poorest pay and conditions for lowskilled workers.

In any case, imagine what else could be done with £14 billion! With hospitals and schools closing throughout Wales and the UK, with a desperate need to improve social facilities, create sustainable sources of energy etc, such public money could be invested in socially useful projects rather than the preparation for future wars of occupation like Iraq.

If this development goes ahead, 21 st century Wales will be become a militarised, security-obsessed nightmare. If you want to stop the war profiteers in their tracks, support the campaign and raise it in your union, student union, workplace and community.

A School for Slaughter

This week a very important protest took place outside the National Assembly to protest the militarisation of Wales.

The 4 main parties in Wales have supported £14 billion of taxpayers money being spent not on the NHS, students, pensioners, child poverty or renewable energy but on War in the form of the St Athan’s UK Military Academy.

The Academy will train not only the latest recruits to the 'war on terror' from across the UK, but foreign militaries. While paid for by our taxes, the profits from military training will pour into the coffers of the private arms companies (including cluster bomb manufacturer, Raytheon) which are involved in running the academy.

The Military Academy looks set to become Britain’s “School of the Americas” a focus for imperialist adventures abroad and counter-insurgency training. It is also the biggest ever PFI in history. Some background here.

Many people will once again wonder: Why is there always billions for war but none for vital public services?

Many will wonder at Plaid Cymru who in the past have claimed to be anti-war but slavishly support the Academy, with not a single Plaid AM, MP or Councillor publicly opposing the Military Academy. Adam Price MP says he is against war, against militarism, against privatisation - yet he supports the Academy.

In a sense, the St Athan’s Military Academy represents the nationalists “clause 4" moment. Jewish philosopher, Hannah Arrendt once spoke of the ‘banality of evil’. She was thinking of the mediocre bureaucrats who oversaw the slaughter of millions of Jews.

Today we speak of the ‘banality of Plaid’ whose so-called left wing has been silent in the face of the militarisation of Wales and the spending of billions on War.

RESPECT is proud to have been the only party in Wales to have campaigned against the Military Academy during the Welsh Assembly elections, we say:

"STOP THE MURDER ACADEMY - BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY!"

Four Years On - The War's Still Wrong!

On the fourth anniversary of the war on Iraq, Cardiff Respect pays tribute to the Iraqi people and pledges to continue to stand with them in struggle against the most brutal, savage and clear case of imperialist aggression in modern history.

The entire world now knows that the US and Britain's decision to invade Iraq was never and at no point motivated by the threat of weap ons of mass destruction.

Nor was it ever motivated by a desire to liberate the people of Iraq and introduce democracy to the region at the point of a gun.

Instead, four years of carnage in that country was unleashed and continues today for one reason and one reason only: OIL.

Iraq's vast oil reserves were and are the prize for a US ruling class worried about the encroachment on their economic hegemony posed by the emerging economies of China, India and the EU.

Their goal in the Middle East is to control the future supply of energy to these competing economies and in the process smash OPEC's stranglehold on oil prices.

But in the process of such a cold and clinical calculation a human catastrophe of biblical magnitude has been inflicted on the Iraqi people.

As if thirteen years of genocidal sanctions which accounted for the premature deaths of 2 million wasn't enough, four years of war and occupation have resulted in a further 650,000 being slaughtered, millions more seriously injured, millions made refugees, an entire country's infrastructure decimated, and the unleashing of sectarian violence on a massive scale.

Such crimes against humanity, committed by men who practice state-craft like gangsters, are the price the people of Iraq have been forced to pay to ensure that a superrich minority in the United States and Britain are able to maintain their obscene status and wealth.

And with George Bush and Tony Blair as their champions, this clique of oil executives, armaments manufacturers, and their superrich investors have seen this wealth grow exponentially.

But the power of money is as nothing when faced with the power of a risen people, and the people of Iraq, despite the huge odds and hardships they have and continue to face, continue to resist, attesting to their right to self determination with their lives and their liberty.

A rich man's war but a poor man's fight is the simple truth behind the war in Iraq.

It is a truth which dispels the mountain of propaganda employed by the establishment both here and in the US to beguile us into believing otherwise.

As such Cardiff Respect calls on both the American and British troops, the vast majority of whom are economic conscripts, to return to their own communities in their respective countries and join the struggle against their real enemy and the enemy of all working class people - the billionaires, the corporations and governments that govern on their behalf.

BRING THE TROOPS HOME NOW!