stop the war on iran march - march 15th. anyone?

World Against War – join the global demonstration Five years after the invasion of Iraq the world has become a much more dangerous place. Estimates suggest as many as one million have died violent deaths as a result of the occupation of Iraq. The country's infrastructure and civil society are in shreds. Brown has promised British withdrawals but there are still 5,000 British soldiers there.

Despite talk of a change of attitude to Bush's wars, Brown is sending more troops to Afghanistan. This hidden war is fast becoming a disaster mirroring Iraq. The number of dead in Afghanistan runs in to tens of thousands, according to Oxfam there are four times more bombing raids there than in Iraq, and the result of this devastation is that the Taliban is growing.

Meanwhile instability is spreading around the world. The turmoil in Pakistan is partly caused by the ‘war on terror’ and it will cause more chaos in Afghanistan.

Despite clear evidence that Iran is nowhere near developing nuclear weapons, Bush is continuing to ramp up pressure against the regime there, risking war at any time.

The Stop the War Coalition has joined with the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and the British Muslim Initiative in calling a demonstration to mark the fifth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq in London on Saturday March 15. It will be part of a global day of protest against Bush's wars with marches around the world from Washington to Beirut, from Sidney to Seoul.

We aim to show our rulers that the overwhelming majority here and around the world want to see an end to these immoral, irresponsible and frightening wars.

Please join us, tell your friends, workmates and neighbours and make sure that on Saturday March 15 George Bush and Gordon Brown cannot ignore the factthat the world is against their wars.

anyone thinking of going?

i for one would like to see whether the media/government manage once again to ignore the thousands and thousands of angry protesters, like they did so effectively last time with the second iraq march.

i kid you not, there was about two inches of a columns-worth of write up in the times. and apparently there were 2000 people. which is weird because i couldn't actually see where the lines of people ended when we were waiting by hyde park...they went on all the way down the walkway in the park. hyde park isn't exactly small...and i was there fairly early, people were still arriving when we started! hmm...strange.

there was a photo in the times however, of my friend who streaked they missed me walking a bit behind her carrying her clothes. obviously i'm not quite so photogenic. but seriously, if they hadn't had that photo of alice i doubt the march would've even made the papers.

so i think i'll be there, dutifully getting ignored like the rest of the disillusioned activists.

So whereabouts is this? Is there a website? I'd like to go but knowing me I'd end up in the wrong place

sorry, it's in london.

that's the stop the war coalition website..
http://www.stopwar.org.uk/

Originally Posted by nerthus

i for one would like to see whether the media/government manage once again to ignore the thousands and thousands of angry protesters, like they did so effectively last time with the second iraq march.

Just wait and see....I really dont think any angry protester can actually make a difference.
But good luck.

I'll try to come along to this. The Hipforums crew used to go down to all the demos in London during the Afghan war and in the build up to the Iraq war. We'd all meet up and march together and bring Hipforums against the war signs. I don't honestly believe there will be a war against Iran, but I do feel it is important to keep the movement going and keep pressure on the government....

Originally Posted by Peace-Phoenix

I'll try to come along to this. The Hipforums crew used to go down to all the demos in London during the Afghan war and in the build up to the Iraq war. We'd all meet up and march together and bring Hipforums against the war signs. I don't honestly believe there will be a war against Iran, but I do feel it is important to keep the movement going and keep pressure on the government....

And I suppose the government really cares about the Hipforums crew protesting ?

What was the point of that sarcky comment, Piaf? I was quite clearly referring to the wider national movement, which has waned considerably since its peak in early 2003 when there was real pressure on the government to at least acknowledge the trend in public opinion....

Originally Posted by Peace-Phoenix

What was the point of that sarcky comment, Piaf? I was quite clearly referring to the wider national movement, which has waned considerably since its peak in early 2003 when there was real pressure on the government to at least acknowledge the trend in public opinion....

Umm....There really wasnt a point.
Sorry, I do tend to post stupid comments sometimes...Always, actually.
I really dont know much about politics and I dont care much.
But honestly, its a great thing if you're trying to make a difference. I'd join you but I am not in London.

and the fact is, the million-person march in Feb 2003 did make a difference: it was only after the mass protests that Blair allowed a debate in Parliament on whether we should go to war. Too bad the parliamentarians blew it ...

Moreover, I think, if the government hadn't been given such a rough ride by the public over the Iraq war, an Iran war now would be much more likely. During the Vietnam war it was the levels of resistance both at home and in the field that made it so difficult for the Americans to contine indefinitely. In this case, between the anti-war movement and the Iraqi resistance, the power of the British and American governments to pursue military 'solutions' has been severely curtailed....