First the reminder:
National Demonstration against War in Iraq and for peace and justice in Palestine/Israel will take place on Saturday September 28. For details go to  http://www.stopwar.org.uk

Optimist as I am, I think this neo-imperial Bush/Blair moment could well generate a large and important radical movement. We need some good rhythms and chants to drive things along. Here are a few that some friends generated around the dinner table (based mostly on old anti-Vietnam War, anti-apartheid etc. etc. chants). PLEASE IMPROVE THESE AND ADD OTHERS. Making freedom is always a work in progress ...

1) "No blood for oil"

(fairly whitebread musically, and a retread from the Gulf War in 91, but sez it like it is, and you can generate real pressure around it, particularly if used with percussion to drive the rhythm along-- REMEMBER TO BRING DRUMS, BELLS, WHISTLES, TABLA, TRUMPETS AND TROMBONES- THINK NOTTING HILL CARNIVAL OR HOSSAIN)


2) 1-2-3-4 We don't want your racist war
5-6-7-8 Peace and Justice won't wait

(endless permutations possible on that one)

3) Send Prince Harry
Send Ewan Blair
Don't send poor men's sons
to die over there

(I think this is a new one, okay 'men's sons' is sexist, but "women's sons" makes the rhythm just too complicated for folk to grasp quickly)

4) Peace for the Muslim
Peace for the Jew
No more children dying
for the red, white and blue


5) Mazar, Jenin, how many more?
No more massacres
No more war

6) this is a call and response one -- (call and responses are good for walking with):
the chant leader calls-- Take your dossier
crowd responds -- Shove it up Bush!"
chant leader calls -- take your lies
crowd: shove it up bush
chant leader: Take your Sanctions
crowd: Shove it up Bush
chant leader: Take your bombing
crowd: Shove it up Bush
chant(wo)man: Take your torture / Take your war / Take David Blunkett, Jack Straw, Tony Blair .....
crowd: shove it up .....
This can go on a long time if the chant leader is creative enough and can weave it enough relevant things, or simply goes back to the beginning if people are chanting while walking


7) Esso Mobil BP Shell
Take your war and go to hell

8) Hey hey ho ho
Tony Blair has go to go




okay these are no more than B+ at best, but please improve and add your own. Making freedom is always a work in progress ... and good songs and chants are better than a thousand speeches.