Troops out of Afghanistan

Troops out of Afghanistan March tomorrow at 12 noon in London.

I am not going to blog now on last night's Question Time which I still think was a major error on the part of the BBC and was completely contrary to my No Platform view. However, one of the worst moments of the programme was when Nick Griffin confronted Jack Straw as to who had the blood of more Muslims on his hands. Straw was silent. What could he say? He was Blair's Foreign Minister during the Iraq War and is now a member of the government which is increasing troop levels in Afghanistan.

We are at a crucial turning point in the Afghan War. Karzai has been exposed as a fraud and a second runoff in the election is necessary. This is the cue for Obama and NATO to announce further levels of troop increases and a renewal of the war against the Taliban. The real danger also exists of the war spilling over the border into Pakistan, which itself is destabilised by the war. Never have the Taliban been stronger in both countries.

Meanwhile the dire economic statistics produced today with its inevitable increase in youth unemployment will lead to more young people signing up as the only escape from poverty and a benefits system incapable of even providing a decent standard of living and being systematically demolished by New Labour and the Tories in the Welfare Reform Act.

This is why it is crucial to signify opposition to the war tomorrow on the march from Hyde Park to Trafalgar Square. It is our money and our blood, together with the lives of thousands of Afghan civilians which is being expended on this war with no purpose.

Details of Rob Johnson's song 'North West Frontier' here which is about the war.

http://www.robbjohnson.co.uk/

The march is from Speaker's Corner at 12noon to Trafalgar Square. Farid Bakht, International Coordinator is speaking for the Green Party. Hope to see many of you there.