Since 1936 – the formation of RAF Coastal Command at Northwood – a bloody thread
can be identified from the Northwood Headquarters in Sandy Lane to almost all UK
military interventions overseas:

- Part of the WWII command structure,
- The RAF contingent in the Korean War,
- The Falklands,
- So-called peace-keeping on the Balkans and in Africa (Rwanda, Sierra Leone,
Congo/Zaire, ...),

And most recently Afghanistan and Iraq.

Today, the different headquarters at Northwood – regional NATO HQs and the UK
Permanent Joint Forces HQ – are already planning for the next wars – Iran? North
Korea? Somalia? Sudan?

Given the importance of Northwood, it is very likely that it will also be a part of the
developing EU military structure, commanding future EU interventions abroad.

Join us on 17 January: As part of the national /Reclaim The Bases/ weekend of action at
military bases we will present a bloody history of Northwood Military HQ. Theatrical
protests around Northwood HQ will represent (some of) the military interventions
commanded from Northwood.

Meet at: 12pm Northwood Tube* (Metropolitan Line)
For those who want to meet up in London, to travel together to Northwood: 11am Baker
Street exit of *Baker Street Tube.
Will finish at 2pm at Atria Road. Multi-faith service at 1.30pm at Atria Road.

Organised by the d10 group and friends.
For more information see:  http://www.thed10group.org.uk/


PRESS RELEASE The d10 Group [A]
15th January 2004

Peace activists mark Gulf War anniversary with theatrical protest at Britain's military
'nerve centre'

Saturday 17th January, 12 noon, Northwood military headquarters, London: Peace
activists will be marking the 13th anniversary of the 1991 Gulf War and Martin Luther
King day [B] this Saturday with a series of short theatrical protests outside Britain's
military nerve centre at Northwood [C].

The highly visual protests will examine Northwood's role in the Falklands war (1982), the bombing of Serbia and Kosovo (1999) and the attacks on Afghanistan (2001) and Iraq
(1998, 2003). The players will be assisted by a wide range of colourful characters
including Margaret Thatcher, Tony Blair and Jeremy Paxman, as well as the voices of
some of the victims and survivors of Britain's wars.

The event will finish with a celebration of an alternative vision of the future, a future in which Northwood's role in coordinating future wars will no longer be necessary. This will include a service open to people of all faiths with multi-faith readings on nonviolent action for justice and peace.

Andreas Speck, who helped organise the event, said 'The war on Iraq is the past, but the
occupation of Iraq is the bloody present. At the same time, the politicians and the military are planning for the future: with Tony Blair's foreign policy guru Robert Cooper openly promotes a policy of "us[ing] the laws of the jungle" [D] and the politicians and the military are busy planning new operations in 'theatres' all over the world. At such a time protest at military bases is important because they show that war is not only fought abroad - far away from home - but that war, and preparations for war, are the daily business of military personnel all over the UK.'

Photo opportunity: meet 12 noon at Northwood tube station (Metropolitan Line). Finish at Atria Rd at 2.00pm [C]. Multi-faith vigil at 1.30pm on Atria Rd.
For more information or to arrange an interview contact 07791 486484 or, from Friday,
07887 585721

NOTES
[A] d10 is a non-violent group of antimilitarists (see  http://www.thed10group.org.uk)
[B] Martin Luther King Day is 15 January. For a list of events marking the birth of King, who was dedicated to peace and justice, see  http://www.unitedforpeace.org/calendar.php?caltype=16
[C] For more information about Britain's military nerve centre at Northwood (including
map) see the links at  http://www.reclaimthebases.gzzzt.net/nbases_0.html
[D] See 'The new imperialism' by Robert Cooper, Observer, 7th April 2002,
 http://observer.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,6903,680093,00.html