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Press release - an Shield Movement Warns Bush – “Shelve Iran Invasion Plan”

Siman Stefanowitz | 03.02.2005 20:29 | Anti-militarism

Following his State of the Union address, President Bush was warned today that any attempt at an illegal ‘Iraq-style’ war against Iran or Syria would be met by a massive mobilisation of western Human Shields, the like of which has never been seen.

Press Release: 3rd February

Human Shield Movement Warns Bush – “Shelve Iran Invasion Plan”

Following his State of the Union address, President Bush was warned today that any attempt at an illegal ‘Iraq-style’ war against Iran or Syria would be met by a massive mobilisation of western Human Shields, the like of which has never been seen.

The Human Shield Movement, formed in lead-up to the invasion of Iraq, gained global prominence in the 2003 when hundreds of so-called human shields descended on Iraq in an attempt to prevent the war. However, because the movement only had a matter of weeks to organise before the start of ‘Operation Shock and Awe’, the number of human shields in Baghdad was not great enough to provide an effective deterrent. A spokesperson for the movement, Simon Stefanowitz, said today;

“ We felt that if we had 10,000 human shields in Iraq before the war, Bush and Blair would have hesitated in their rush to war. When they are calculating the cost of war, the term ‘collateral damage’ gains a somewhat different meaning when the civilians being killed have American and EU passports. Unfortunately in 2003, we had little more than a month to mobilise human shields. This time it will be different. This time we will be prepared.”

President Bush’s inflammatory State of the Union address on Wednesday gave a clear signal as to his future intentions and has forced the Human Shield Movement out of hibernation. Although travelling to Iran or Syria is seen as a ‘last resort’ the Movement is determined to be more organised this time around. Today, a powerfully-worded warning was sent to the White House, as well as a letter to Downing Street urging Tony Blair to unequivocally distance himself from the President’s warmongering stance.

“Like the invasion of Iraq, any military action in Iran or Syria would be based on the principle of ‘anticipatory self defence’ or ‘preventive war’. If we allow the concept that wars can be fought on the basis of what states might do rather than what they have done or are about to do, it will shatter the precepts of international law and destabilise the world. It is up to all of us to do everything in our power to save this planet from Bush’s dangerously misguided foreign policy.” Stefanowitz said.

Contact Press Room on 07799650791
Email  humanshield@hotmail.com
Visit www.humanshieldaction.org

Siman Stefanowitz

Comments

Hide the following 3 comments

Why defend human rights abusing regimes of Iran and Syria?

04.02.2005 11:20

The regimes of Iran and Syria are among the most brutal and tyrannical in the world. If the USA invaded them their regimes would very quickly crumble as the people there would form a popular uprising and so the invasion of those countries would be welcomed as bringing democracy and freedom.

So far Serbia, Afghanistan and Iraq have been liberated from tyranny and in all those cases it has been a success. Not even the most die hard anti-war activist could say they that those wars were failures.

Democrat


I don't like you.. so die!

04.02.2005 14:20

Democrat,

If what your saying is that it's fine to drop bombs on people you don't like, then please
would you give me your address so that I can blow you into millions of tiny pieces?

President Butt


...

04.02.2005 20:16

If no oil and electricity, a growing insurgency, terrible healthcare, thousands of civilians murdered is a sign of success in Iraq, then gee, sign me up to bomb the next third world country.

Could you explain to me how Syria's human rights situation is any worse than the US's now? The US detains people without trial, has committed torture, and has killed thousands of civilians all around the world. It has sponsored right-wing terrorists in Latin America. I want you to detail to me how terrible Syria is, and then demonstrate that it is worse than what the US has done.

Hermes