I have been unable to blog for a few days but hopefully can get back to normality now. I spent Saturday at the Stop the War Coalition Steering Group, which covered a range of issues from the recent demonstration in Luton against troops returning from Iraq to the political situation in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Palestine and the issue of NATO and its expansion in the east. We also discussed forthcoming demonstrations against the G20 Conference in London on April 1st and the anti-NATO demo in Strasbourg on April 4th, which includes a counter summit on April 5th. I will be going to Strasbourg for this and hope to speak on behalf of the Green Party. I will blog more about the STWC Steering Group anon.
In the interim, Green Left are organising a fringe meeting at the Green Party's Spring Conference in the Blackpool Winter Gardens on Saturday 21st April at 1pm on 'NATO's Eastward Expansion. A new Cold War in Europe?' We are very pleased that Andrew Murray, Chair of Stop the War Coalition is speaking.
On the eve of the NATO 60th anniversary summit in Strasbourg and with France having rejoined NATO after 40 years, it is very timely to discuss this issue. There is also the fact that relations between Russia and NATO are coming to a head with the Star Wars missile defence system in Poland and the Czech Republic on the way. Will NATO try and do a deal with Russia to get Russian support for the war in Afghanistan (supply routes through Russia being a major factor) and to neutralise any resistance towards threatening Iran. Or will the Obama administration continue to push Russia around, with Clinton saying last week that Russia has no natural sphere of influence. With Croatia joining the EU and NATO next year and the ongoing situation with Georgia and Ukraine there is everything to play for. Meanwhile vast sums of money continue to be poured into the arms trade and the war machine, with the danger of nuclear war in the background.
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