World Anti-militarism Newswire Archive

We have got quite a few things coming up, including some confirmed dates for the Summer of Resistance  http://smashedo.org.uk/1 so read on and get involved!

Target Barclays, Saturday 25th February, 1pm, 139-142 North Street, Brighton

For enquiries contact  brightontubas@gmail.com or  smashedo@riseup.net

The largest imperial offensive since the Iraq invasion of March, 2003, is in full swing, under the banner of “humanitarian” intervention – Barack Obama’s fiendishly clever upgrade of George Bush’s “dumb” wars. Having failed to obtain a Libyan-style United Nations Security Council fig leaf for a “humanitarian” military strike against Syria, the United States shifts effortlessly to a global campaign “outside the U.N. system” to expand its NATO/Persian Gulf royalty/Jihadi coalition.

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch are swigging the ale with their fellow buccaneers. These “human rights” warriors, headquartered in the bellies of empires past and present, their chests shiny with medals of propagandistic service to superpower aggression in Libya, contribute “left” legitimacy to the imperial project.

As the UN General Assembly meeting unfolded on Monday, several delegations provided explanations of the customary procedures that had been violated, suggesting that the President of the General Assembly, Ambassador Nassir Abdulaziz al-Nasser of Qatar, was using his office to manipulate a procedure at the UN to further the political goals of his nation.

The impact of these abuses of UN General Assembly precedents and procedures is that not only the people and government of Syria, but also the very integrity of the UN system itself, are being undermined and jeopardized. The actions of the subsequent meeting that followed on Thursday demonstrated this abuse ever more clearly.

Target Barclays

Saturday 25th February, 1pm, 139-142 North Street, Brighton

For enquiries contact  brightontubas@gmail.com or  smashedo@riseup.net

On February 4, Russia and China vetoed the Arab League's one-sided Syria resolution (SC/10536). It illegitimately called for Assad to step down.

Under international law, no nation or combination thereof, may interfere in the internal affairs of others, except in self-defense if attacked.

Western pressure often gets nations to violate international law and their own non-intervention pledges. When they don't, Washington, rogue NATO partners, and complicit allies wage aggressive war on their own.

In 1999, without Security Council authorization, nonbelligerent Yugoslavia was lawlessly attacked and ravaged. Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya followed. Perhaps Syria's next, then Iran, no matter the threat to humanity.

Audio excerpted from a 2.5 hour Free Speech Radio fundraising special on KFPA. If you can spare a dime to help keep this invaluable resource going, please visit their site for details of how to donate.

Contributors included Andy Worthington who spoke about how courts in DC have watered down the Habeus Corpus rights which the Supreme Court said detainees were entitled to. As a result the only detainees to leave Gitmo in the last 13 months have been in coffins, despite the fact that over half the detained have been cleared for release. Special mention of Shaker Amer, the last British resident still being helf.

PLM Calls for an Independent Foreign Policy and a Non-Aligned ASEAN

In January, Michel Chossudovsky reported British media confirming UK/CIA/MI6 operatives in Syria training anti-Assad Western-backed insurgents. They're also supplying them with arms, ammunition, and equipment. The Libyan model's being replicated in Syria, so far short of bombing.

Bristol Against The Arms Trade Present – Down the Drones Conference – Sunday April 1st 2012

The increasingly menacing character of US rhetoric toward Iran was underlined by the comments to the media on Sunday by Admiral Mark Fox, commander of the US 5th Fleet based at Bahrain in the Persian Gulf.

It has been said that compassion is 'the only beauty that truly pleases' (Aryasura, The Marvelous Companion, Dharma Publishing, 1983, p.305). While beauty ordinarily provokes the fiery itch of desire or the sullen shadow of envy, compassion is cooling, blissful, inspiring awe and wonder. It implies an ability to stand outside our own needs as observers, to perceive the suffering of others as of equal or greater importance. But like all forms of beauty, compassion can be faked, exploited.

Monday 2nd April is the 27th annual Bristol drone conference, but this years gonna be different. Bristol Against Arms Trade have teamed up with Bristol Stop the War and Bristol Palestine Solidarity Campaign, with the aim of making so much noise the conference will be a flop.

Friday Drivetime - BCfm’s weekly politics show
At five: discussing the big stories in Bristol, Britain and around the world
After six: straight talking and investigative reports with Martin Summers and Marina Morris

Anne Perry''s book Shoulder The Sky and others of her over 60 books are understated litanies of the suffering of World War I, written without preaching or opining. They serve as a mirror for the atrocities of present wars. Perry lives on the Eastern coast of Scotland.

For anyone in two minds about what is really going on in Syria, and whether President Assad, hailed a decade ago as “A Modern Day Ataturk”, has become the latest megalomaniacal despot, to whose people a US-led posse of nations, must deliver “freedom”, with weapons of mass, home, people, nation and livelihood destruction, here is a salutary tale from modern history.

Wednesday, 8th February 2012, 4pm - 6pm

Foreign and Commonwealth Office
King Charles Street (off Whitehall)
Westminster, SW1A 2AH
United Kingdom

Peace Strike

# DEMO "PEACE FOR IRAN AND SYRIA" #

Bring banners, whistles, enthusiasm and energy!

This is the start of the BIG PEACE OFFENSIVE to prevent a war with Iran or Syria.

Russia and China have vetoed the UN Security Council draft resolution on Syria pointing to the existence of armed groups involved in terrorist acts including the killing of civilians.

The war drums against Iran are beating ever louder. The new embargo on Iranian oil, to come into force on July 1, is only the latest in a long list of measures imposed by US and EU imperialism. It bans all new oil contracts with Iran, and cuts off all existing deals. Also, all of the Iranian central bank’s European assets are to be frozen.

Faslane Peace Camp are announcing 30 days of non-violent direct action against the Faslane Naval Base to mark the 30th birthday of the Peace Camp.