Imperialist Invasion of Afghanistan Enters 9th Year

This year’s NATO Parliamentary Assembly takes place at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre, 13th-17th November. Recognising NATO for what it is – a murderous, imperialist force for imposing western-style capitalism on to those who resist it – its time to strike back.

Join us in Edinburgh on Friday 13th November to take action against militarism, imperialism and capitalism. Bring warm clothes, noise, banners and whatever else you hope to find.


Solidarity Fundraiser to support the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan

Saturday 14th of November, from 7pm, Bristo Hall (upstairs in the Forest Cafe), 3 Bristo Place, Edinburgh.

Poppy posters get anti-war slogan

Poppy Appeal posters in Kent have been defaced by protesters attacking former prime minister Tony Blair's war record.

The Royal British Legion annual appeal adverts emphasise their support for personnel who served in Afghanistan.

The poster shows war widow Hester Wright, 22, and her son Josh, six, holding a portrait of her late husband.

The slogan "For their sake, wear a poppy" has been replaced with "For their sake, prosecute Blair" on a billboard in Gillingham.

Objectors to Mr Blair's war record altered the sign outside Gillingham railway station.

'Making sacrifices'

Other posters in the Medway area have been changed to make the original message read: "For their sake, bring them home".

A spokesman for the Royal British Legion said they intended to amend the defaced images.

He said: "We do understand that the current campaign in Afghanistan and the recent activities in Iraq are not popular universally in the country.

"Opinion is divided but we do find that the public is four-square behind our British Armed Forces who are out there representing their country and making sacrifices."

Mrs Wright, from Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, became one of the public faces of the Poppy Appeal after her husband, Damian Wright, died in a roadside explosion in Afghanistan in 2007, aged 23.

The appeal aims to raise £31 million.

A Kent Police spokesperson said they were investigating the incident.

Mark of disrespect: Anti-war protesters vandalise poppy poster with urge to 'prosecute Blair'

By Christian Gysin

Anti-war protesters have vandalised billboards for the Royal British Legion's Poppy Appeal.

They have changed the wording on a poster showing the widow and young son of a soldier killed in Afghanistan.

The poster, which will be appearing nationwide, says: 'For their sake wear a poppy.'

But protesters in Gillingham, Kent, changed one poster to 'For their sake, prosecute Blair' and a second to 'For their sake, bring 'em home'.
Enlarge Defaced: One of the posters changed by anti-war vandals and, inset, the official British Legion wording

Defaced: One of the posters changed by anti-war vandals and, inset, the official British Legion wording

One resident said: 'It was so cleverly done I thought for a moment the British Legion had suddenly become political'.

More...

* Police compiling database of 'domestic extremist' protesters
* Soldier who refuses to return to Afghanistan leads thousands on anti-war march in London
* Peek in the life of a RAF nurse: 'We don't have time to feel fear because we are so focused on getting to the injured person'
* Obama faces the real cost of the Afghanistan war as he salutes coffin of fallen soldier in midnight homecoming

The vandalism has horrified friends and family of Private Damian Wright, who was 23 when he was killed by a roadside bomb in 2007.

The poster shows his widow Hester, 22, and her son Joshua, six, from Mansfield, proudly displaying his picture.

Pte Wright's mother Debbie Smalley, 45, called the vandalism 'plain wrong'.

She said: 'The British Legion do a great deal for ex- servicemen and widows and they are not political. Whoever did it should be ashamed.'

The British Legion said: 'We would say to whoever did this that we hope they feel they have had their bit of fun. We would never discuss the rights or wrongs of conflicts.'

Police are investigating.

British Legion poster defaced to attack Tony Blair

A Royal British Legion poster urging the public to support this year's Poppy Appeal has been defaced to attack former prime minister Tony Blair.

The original wording on the poster, featuring war widow Hester Wright, 22, and her six-year-old son Josh clutching a portrait of her dead soldier husband, should read: For their sake, wear a poppy.

But objectors to Mr Blair's war record altered one version of it outside Gillingham railway station, Kent, to read: "For their sake, prosecute Blair."

And a small number of other Poppy Appeal posters in the Medway area are said to have been changed to make the original message read: For their sake, bring them home.

A spokesman for the Royal British Legion said: ''We do understand that the current campaign in Afghanistan and the recent activities in Iraq are not popular universally in the country.

''Opinion is divided but we do find that the public is four-square behind our British Armed Forces who are out there representing their country and making sacrifices.''

The defacing of the posters came to light at 4.30am this morning and they are to be amended back to their original messages, the spokesman added.

Ms Wright, from Mansfield, Notts, became one of the public faces of the Poppy Appeal after her husband, Damian Wright, died in a roadside explosion in Afghanistan in 2007, aged 23.

The appeal aims to raise £31 million, and this year's campaign is emphasising the need to help the Afghan generation of the Armed Forces and their families.

Posters appealing for people to support this year's Poppy Appeal have been vandalised by anti-war protesters.

The billboards were defaced just days after the Royal British Legion launched the appeal which calls upon the public to honour the fallen and to care for injured veterans and their families by wearing a poppy.

The slogans on the campaign adverts should read 'For their sake, wear a poppy', but vandals have changed this to 'For their sake, prosecute Blair' and 'For their sake, bring 'em home'. It is thought at least two adverts have been targeted in Medway, including one in Balmoral Road, Gillingham.

Royal British Legion member Alan Collins, from Gillingham, expressed his anger at the tactics used by the protesters.

He said: "The whole point of the Poppy Appeal is to promote and finance support for servicemen who have fought bravely and professionally for our freedom. They fought, and in many cases, died to give us the freedom to protest, not to give us the freedom to commit criminal acts.

"The Poppy Appeal isn't about arguing about which wars are just and which should never have been entered into. It's about supporting and helping our servicemen and women for their bravery and professionalism.

What do you think of those who have altered this poster? Is it freedom of speech, or should we be honouring those who serve for our country?

Join the debate by clicking on the Make a Comment tab below

"The fact that these people have manipulated the Poppy Appeal campaign for their own political protest is, quite frankly, disgusting."

A spokesman for the Royal British Legion said they were alerted to the damage on Wednesday morning.

She said: "We are treating it as an unauthorised artistic protest. All damaged posters will have been replaced by the end of the day on Wednesday."

Ch Supt Steve Corbishley, from Medway Police, said officers would be making enquiries into the incident.

He added: "At a time of year when we should all remember those who have given their lives in conflict I recognise the significant upset an incident such as this could cause.

"Whilst we support people's right to share their opinions this must be done in a legal, peaceful and respectful way."

Media coverage seems to have focused solely on Kent but I know these posters are also up in London and almost certainly nationwide. Are the subverts just in Kent as they suggest or has this become a national phenomena? Where else have they been subvertised?

Bristol is usually a hot bed of subvertising and Nottingham (which has the story as front page of one of the local papers) has also some history of subvertising billboards.

Shame much of the media predictable condeming the subvertisers but timing wise, this national coverage must be embarrasing for Blair what with all the crap about him becoming the EU president. Typically outraged, everyone I know seems to love it.

Lets have some more photos or even just a list of cities where these subverts have been seen.

Maybe post the 'how to' comment as a promoted piece with a link from the front page feature also.

Why arnt we using our superior firepower?

It must be extremely frustrating for the soldiers to fight know that we are holding back on the big guns. Whats the point in having all these weapons that can save our soldiers lives if we don't use them? totally stupid

Might suprise some of the readers of this site but many of the people at the frontline of these conflicts actually agree that we are fighting a lost cause and that Blair and his cronies should be sent to the Hague for trial. Here are a selection of comments from the Army Rumour Service website...

Legion Posters Defaced!!!!
Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 8:18 am
Author: Underworld_Guitar_Hero
Anti-War Protesters Deface Poster

What particularly got me with this is the offence caused to the family whose son is depicted on the poster!!

What are these Anti-War t**ts going to do next?


Re: Legion Posters Defaced!!!!
Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 8:22 am
Author: tropper66 Location: cardiff
Underworld_Guitar_Hero:
Anti-War Protesters Deface Poster

I dont like the disrespect shown but I like the Idea of Teflon Tony at a War crimes court


Re: Legion Posters Defaced!!!!
Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 8:25 am
Author: Tango
Whilst I disagree (of course) with the defacing of the poster, I don't disagree with either the way it was done, or the message it is now conveying.

As far as graffiti/vandalism goes, it's not disrespectful, and it's not saying anything that a lot of ARRSE members aren't thinking. But as I said, I'm not condoning the vandalism.


Re: Legion Posters Defaced!!!!
Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 8:42 am
Author: PrinceAlbert
I quite like it.


Re: Legion Posters Defaced!!!!
Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 8:46 am
Author: Oil_Slick Location: Neue Europa

While the method may be wrong, the message is right.

I for one would be very happy to see BLiar on trial at the Hague.

Alas, we never will. I suspect a large part of B'Liars desire to become President of Europe is driven by the fact that it would grant him Diplomatic Immunity from prosecution.


Re: Legion Posters Defaced!!!!
Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 8:55 am
Author: classic
May be a lot of people think that tony blair should be accountable for his actions, But for protestors to deface a poster of a mother anda little boy who have lost their loved one fighting for queen and country and were only raising awareness highlighting the poppy appeal 'For their sake wear a poppy.' for all the brave soldiers who lost their lives and been injured etc in previous and past conflicts and their families.

The protestors were totally disrespectful to this lady and her family and all the brave soldiers who lost their lives and been injured etc in previous and past conflicts and their families.

The protestors should apologize for the hurt and disrespect they have caused .


Re: Legion Posters Defaced!!!!
Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 8:59 am
Author: vvaannmmaann
Very cleverly done.


Re: Legion Posters Defaced!!!!
Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 9:01 am
Author: Oil_Slick Location: Neue Europa
MrShanklysboots:
Very cleverly done. However, here's a thought.

Pay for your own fecking advert rather than hijack that of a charity that is advertising their greatest collection time of the year.

Don't agree… this has given a huge boost to the Legions profile and campaign IMO.


Re: Legion Posters Defaced!!!!
Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 9:02 am
Author: Hakagure Location: Fit Like Toon
I agree with the sentiment.

I don't agree with the method though.

You dont HAVE to deface a poster such as this to get that message across, if they are that keen for people to hear their viewpoint pay for your own fcuking poster. Not going to jump on the outrage bus as such but I just think that remembrance posters such as this one should be above being used in this way.


Re: Legion Posters Defaced!!!!
Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 9:03 am
Author: MrShanklysboots Location: Just off to the side of the fight.
classic:

The protestors should apologize for the hurt and disrespect they have caused .
You should apologize for constantly re registering on this site Chubb.
Go away. For ever.


Re: Legion Posters Defaced!!!!
Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 9:05 am
Author: Flymo Location: Malta
Oil_Slick:
MrShanklysboots:
Very cleverly done. However, here's a thought.

Pay for your own fecking advert rather than hijack that of a charity that is advertising their greatest collection time of the year.

Don't agree… this has given a huge boost to the Legions profile and campaign IMO.

Time to fall off the fence on this one.
I believe that this is a win win here. At the end of the day, any publicity is better than no publicity.


Re: Legion Posters Defaced!!!!
Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 9:30 am
Author: bullet_catcher
My tuppenceworth - disapprove of vandalism, it has cost me plenty recently, and someone will have to pay to fix the poster. It is a clever piece of work though, so may be copied elsewhere, resulting in more expense. This act of vandalism will make me make an extra donation to help with repairs, so if others feel the same way, the Poppy Appeal could end up with a net profit.

Tony Blair lied to us, so he should have resigned or been punished for that. To define this incident in terms of New Labour morality, an Evil Big Person who got away with something bad has forced a Nice Small Person to break the law, so the Nice Small Person is a victim who should get counselling, compensation &c &c.


Re: Legion Posters Defaced!!!!
Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 9:37 am
Author: Queensman Location: Tangier
Sorry, but I think it's brilliant! Inspired, even.

When I saw 'Legion poster defaced' I was already half on the Outrage bus ready to call for the unleashing of the hounds of hell...... But having seen the poster, first I laughed, then I nodded in agreement. Now I will make a copy and promulgate it as widely as I can.

I say these things as a member of the Royal British Legion, as a poppy collector etc etc.

I feel sorry for the family concerned, the last thing they'd want or need is to be bathed in limelight about all this - however, having lost a son because of the reprehensible Mr Bliar's duplicity, I wouldn't mind betting that they probably agree with the sentiment. If they don't, they should.

What will undoubtedly happen now is for all the 'easily offended' to completely over react and leap up and down and make an arrse of themselves as they did about that drunken prat who pished on a war memorial recently.


Re: Legion Posters Defaced!!!!
Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 10:10 am
Author: CaptainWillard Location: 75 clicks above the Do Lung bridge

Message says to me - 'Blair is responsible for the deaths of our country's finest so therefore prosecute the tw*t!'.

It doesn't come across as disrespectful to our soldiers, only to the chief lying politician that got us into the whole sorry mess in the first place and his lunatic successor who has woefully mis-managed it ever since.

As has already been said - it's only what many people have frequently stated on this site. At least now that opinion, has been broadcast to a wider audience.

CW

Quis Separabit

Vestigia Nulla Retrorsum

Re: Legion Posters Defaced!!!!
Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 10:14 am
Author: Queensman Location: Tangier
pombsen-armchair-warrior:
Much as I despise Blair, I absolutely despair of the incredibly naive conclusion that he is guilty of 'war crimes'. Sheer fantasy.

He is guilty, and hopefully will be publicly hung out to dry when his time in the dock comes, of illegally committing this country to an unjust war. He must shoulder the resposibility for causing the needless deaths of and injuries to those whom he sent.

In the same way that Mr Radavan Karadic don't actually drop the mortar bombs himself on Serbian Muslims, he, Bliar, ordered people to do something illegal, ergo, a War Crime.

Of course, all this could open up a huge can of worms. As you will doubtless know, it is also illegal to accept and obey an illegal order. Just how far down the Chain of Command will the buck stop rolling?


Re: Legion Posters Defaced!!!!
Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 10:32 am
Author: Underworld_Guitar_Hero
Support for the War Veterens, injured or dead should be kept well away from Anti-War sentiment. While in its self a valid view and have made some relevent comments they do themselves a disservice by using such a forum. Will we go the way of the Animal Activists and start harrassing off duty soldiers and families putting graffiti on their cars because they do a job. Extreme I know but, Blair is even remotely connected to the RBL.

Its worth making the point that the family of the soldier have complained about this and are distressed by this despite someones opinion to the contrary!

Is Blair a war criminal I dont think so but, by all means go to the Hague and make your case!

It was clever though!! Shame they have no morals!!


Re: Legion Posters Defaced!!!!
Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 12:01 pm
Author: tropper66 Location: cardiff
I am begining to think of it as an Enhancement rather than a Defacement


Re: Legion Posters Defaced!!!!
Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 12:35 pm
Author: 5_mile_sniper Location: Basha'd up in the land of Buckfast & Burberry
Like many here I agree with the sentiment, but perhaps not the placement of the message.

It's also possible to agree with the message and not be "Anti-War". Whilst you would be hard pressed to class me as a pacifist, I do take issue with our soldiers being killed in pointless, possibly illegal wars, so that cnuts like Blair can strut it on the world stage.

The manner of the defacement is also pretty clever, and appears to have gained some PR for both the Antis and the Legion. Win-Win.


Re: Legion Posters Defaced!!!!
Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 11:57 pm
Author: Kurtle
I think the only reason it's really wrong is because it has the faces of actual people on who have lost loved ones recently on.
...And the advert could mean less poppies sold.

I do agree with the powerful message though.

I'm not at all surprised that there's a lot of support from people in the armed services. While it's true that the services recruit heavily from poor and uneducated sectors of society, that doesn't make them stupid. They are not ignorant of the fact that their political masters have sent them off as cannon fodder on the basis of lies and are unlikely to be convinced by the rantings of the Daily Mail etc in condemning the poster defacement as 'dishonouring' the forces or undermining the good work of the RBL.

There is a good article in todays Observer about what the RBL have really been complaing about - the MoD losing dead soldiers wills, putting the wrong headstones on their graves and not supporting berieved families. You know, serious matters that show real contempt for the 'lazy' troops.

"I was left worrying that I could possibly lose my house and everything we worked hard for. All they could say was that marines are lazy and he probably did not do one. I did get an apology, but that won't take away the weeks of anguish and upset it caused, I almost started to believe that he chose not to look after me."

Bereaved are 'distraught' at MoD gaffes
Missing wills and misplaced headstones prompt families' fury at handling of dead soldiers' affairs
 http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/nov/01/uk-military-soldiers-families-anger

The Army has lost another experienced bomb disposal specialist, with the death announced today of Staff Sergeant Olaf Schmid who was killed in Afghanistan by an improvised explosive device (IED) which he was trying to defuse. He was on his last day of a five-month tour in charge of a team searching for IEDs in the Helmand province when it exploded. The 30 year old died instantly on Saturday. Staff Sergeant Schmid was born in Truro, in Cornwall and joined the Army in 1996. He was married to Christina and had a step-son Laird, aged five. They lived in Winchester, in Hampshire.

never again ...?

This is what the left has been reduced to. Even giving a mention to the British troops that have died in this conflict demonstrates the revival of colonial mentality amongst the British population. It's much like the German population emphasizing German loss of life during world war II. This war is not about the relatively minute loss of life on the side of the invading forces. It is about the destruction of a civilization for money and power.

Two fingers to all occupying forces.

Congrats to those who refuse to fight

The 231st British soldier has now died there now. The mainstream news label that as the 200th death in combat, to minimise the total by dismissing 31 frontline deaths.

Five of those eight extra deaths this week were killed by an Afghan policeman called Gulbuddin. Contrary to initial mainstream reports, he was not Taliban and his aim wasn't to kill British troops but to kill the Afghan commander they were protecting. This commander had beaten, sodomised and sexually abused Gulbuddin. Many of the warlords that the British are employing and protecting take young men as sexual slaves or 'bacha bazi'. The troops who died would have known they were acting as protection for a rapist 'mafia' commander - typical of our 'allies' in this dirty war. The mainstream media lynching of Gulbuddin as a treacherous assasin is at odds with the truth of him being a victim of UK sponsored abuse.

A YouGov poll for Skynews shows public support for the conflict down 7 points to 21%, with opposition up 7 points to 63%.

As the British army are retreating back to a few main bases, a rational person might expect this unwinnable, unpopular war, where we are now clearly the bad guys, to end soon as if that was an inevitable outcome that doesn't require hastening. In truth the US have said this war will last 50 years and they are quite capable of carrying out that threat, current US policy is escalation. It is also true that wavering British involvement could be ended quickly by our own 'surge' of direct action. This war is ready to be extinguished now but the US is currently trying to reignite it. Even if you do great direct actions solely for other causes, in fact especially if you do great direct actions in other causes, now would be the perfect time to do your one 'anti-war' action. NATO is meeting in Edinburgh next week but there are army recruiting centres and MoD bases nationwide.

 http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/Afghanistan/article6907896.ece