But we'd have to be really careful how we played it. I'd be up for making it about showing solidarity with the average fucked-over squaddie, and encouraging them to question what they're involved in without patronising or slagging them off, also, not make it anything that they could construe as against them, but very specifically against the decisions of politicians. Themes/placards could include -

'Support our troops, bring them home!'

'Frag the brass' (kill officers!)

'With the squaddies, against the politicians/war'

'I support the troops - when they shoot their officers!'

'Bin laden
Bin Cameron
Bin the lot of 'em'

etc

Just some thoughts!

This country needs an Ex-servicemen against the war group. There are plenty of us, many of us have a problem with the army, left many years ago and wish they could tell there younger selves had taken a different path.

i agree we would have to play it very carefully; the point is NOT to attack the soldiers, but the war and the militaristic culture that is slowly being pushed on us. the armed forces day has largely started because the war is so unpopular and the Western forces have been unable to 'succeed' in any meaningful sense. if people have some ideas on the kinds of things we ought to be doing, that would be good. i mean, even a peace vigil or something is better than completely ignoring it. after all, the armed forces day is a big campaign by the state to drum up support for the war; there ought to be a demo against it. I wonder why the stop the war coalition has been silent on this?

Alot of the people who took on the EDL in Cardiff yesterday were not our usual bedfellows, many are pro-army and in some cases have previously said they would have travelled to Wooton Bassett to oppose Islam4uk.

These are known faces the EDL recognise and have basically declared war on:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/soul-crew-the-shame-of-Wales-and-the-UK/132527273425671?ref=mf

THEIR SUPPORT IS WORTH 10,000 STUDENTS!!!

I'm as anti-militarist as they get, but we've turned things around on the "defence leagues" around here. Anti-fascism in Wales has the potential to kick start a revival in England and that means keeping on board the kind of people the likes of the UAF would consider as thugs.

Any anti-war protest needs to be framed as exclusively that, not anti-military, playing on the Welsh card could work. a single banner saying "Let's stop fighting London's wars". Sounds horrible, I'm not up for it.

Islam 4UK roused anger because it kicked the emotional crutch leaned on by those who have lost loved ones.
This crutch is a comforting justification for their loss.
It's nationalist pride.
It's tribalism.
It's sectarian loyalty to "our government"
It says your loved one died for us all, and like Jesus on the cross, your loved one lives on.
The 'leftists' offer subjective approval to "our heros" because they court this sinister unconditional tribal unity; the glue of centralized society; the herding instinct that allows people to be farmed so easily.

Take the message to the armed forces fair: they died because they wore stupid. The only medal they deserve is a Darwin Award.

you can't attack people's families. Attack the war, attack the brass, but make sure you frame it 100% with the army families.

anarchist- i can see what you are saying, but i dont think this is the way to win over people, just as the islam4uk demo did not win over people and kick started the edl/wdl. ( perhaps that was its aim, who knows? ) also, lets not forget that after leaving the army, one in four ex servicemen become homeless. the majority of people sign up for the army because they do not have many prospects,and there has been an increase in army recruitment as the economic crisis has worsened, these militaristic armed forces day celebrations are partly a recruitment drive, of course. in the link above, i hope the people checked out who are sponsoring these events. tells you a lot.

what kind of ideas do people have for a demo against armed forces day? if ex servicemen, soldiers families etc would speak or join this demo, that would be great. anyway, more ideas!

ForcesWatch is a new network

We believe that armed forces recruitment practices in the UK are largely unethical. The military fails to properly inform potential recruits of the risks, difficulties and legal obligations of an armed forces career. Research has shown that it targets vulnerable social groups, including young people under 18 and people from poorer backgrounds.

Whilst some people join the armed forces as a career of choice, others join for negative reasons or on the basis of misleading recruitment practices. Whilst some are satisfied with their choice, others are dissatisfied and may have no legal right to leave for several years.

There is concern that some government initiatives, such as Armed Forces Day, seek to manufacture a climate of uncritical national pride in the armed forces in order to garner public support for foreign policy. Unqualified support of the military and foreign policy stigmatises legitimate concerns about how young people are recruited for the armed forces within our communities, and limits debate on alternatives to war. Widespread critical awareness of the risks and legal obligations of an armed forces career is essential if young people are to make an informed, responsible choice about enlistment.

ForcesWatch is a new network

We believe that armed forces recruitment practices in the UK are largely unethical. The military fails to properly inform potential recruits of the risks, difficulties and legal obligations of an armed forces career. Research has shown that it targets vulnerable social groups, including young people under 18 and people from poorer backgrounds.

Whilst some people join the armed forces as a career of choice, others join for negative reasons or on the basis of misleading recruitment practices. Whilst some are satisfied with their choice, others are dissatisfied and may have no legal right to leave for several years.

There is concern that some government initiatives, such as Armed Forces Day, seek to manufacture a climate of uncritical national pride in the armed forces in order to garner public support for foreign policy. Unqualified support of the military and foreign policy stigmatises legitimate concerns about how young people are recruited for the armed forces within our communities, and limits debate on alternatives to war. Widespread critical awareness of the risks and legal obligations of an armed forces career is essential if young people are to make an informed, responsible choice about enlistment.

 office@forceswatch.net