Coinciding with the 12th anniversary of the 1991 Gulf War, this weekend anti-war protests are expected in America (the largest in Washington and SanFrancisco), around the UK and across the world in over 32 countries (background info).

In London anti war campaigners are mobilising for a weekend of protest and civil disobedience at the Permanent Joint Headquarters of the British Armed Forces at Northwood, the command post for British rapid deployment forces. Called by Voices in the Wilderness UK - a high profile campaign of civil disobedience against the economic sanctions on Iraq - ARROW (Active Resistance to the Roots of War), the d-10 group and others, the weekend of action, will include a tour of the base, a mass blockade, a mass breaching of the Official Secrets Act, non-violence trainings and other direct action. A few days later there will also be a rally outside parliament on Tuesday 21 January.

While on 26th January a civillian arms inspection - will take place at the united states air force base at RAF Fairford. The protest coincides with the last day of inspections for the UN inspectors in Iraq before Hans Blix reports to the Security Council on the 27th. The protests have been supported recently by Ann Pettitt one on the initiators of the Greenham Common anti-nuclear peace movement (see also SchNEWS)

Meanwhile around three and a half thousand people in Britain have now signed the ARROW Pledge of Resistance committing themselves to taking part or supporting acts of civil disobedience and nonviolent resistance to an attack on Iraq, should it take place.

Last week While the British Minister of Defence, Geoff Hoon, announced the mobilisation of British Armed Forces for the war on Iraq war resisters all over the world called for conscientious objection to the war. A statement by War Resisters' International, signed by more than 800 people urged all soldiers - in whichever forces they are supposed to fight, to refuse to take part and to apply for conscientious objector status.

They also urgend those involved in preparations for war, in administration or in arms factories to refuse to co-operate and called on journalists and the media to insist on writing and broadcasting the uncensored truth. Echoing George Monbiot's calls in the guardian newspaper last week (which reiterated what many people and groups had been saying for months), they called on all people opposed to the war to participate in direct action, civil disobediance and nonviolent resistance.

Finally a massive global anti-war protest is planned for the 14th and 15th of February, with groups in at least 11 European countries co-ordinating actions in a weekend that should see a total of millions taking to the streets, with a massive national demonstration in london and another in Glasgow. Coordination for the protests followed discussions and the European Social Forum in Florence, a conference in Cairo in December, and a meeting in Copenhagen.

Stop The War Coalition | ANSWER | ARROW | Iraq Journal | Musilm Association of Britain | Media Workers Against War | Bristol Stop The War Update 11th Jan | Respect Your Enemies-The First Rule of Peace: An Essay to the Peace Movement | U.S. Labor Against the War Launched | Protest Plans If War Starts | SchNEWS Latest Issue 17th Jan