Chapel Allerton Stop the War Coalition takes stock
Fabian Hamilton, Mohsin Zulifqar and Sarah Perigo were speakers at this excellent meeting reviewing the illegal invasion of Iraq. Over 50 people at TechNorth in Chapel Allerton attended the event.
Sarah gave an excellent overview of the right-wing fundamentalist Christian neoconservatives behind Bush. They have become one of the main driving forces behind the conquest of Iraq. She supported the view that the US's strategy of trying to control the world's oil supply was also a major economic reason. The US wanted total domination of the world through a militarily backed globalisation policy. The Christian fundamentalists provided Bush with both allies and an ideology for his policies.
Mohsin also warned of the dangers of extremism. He pointed how the Left in the UK had failed really to confront the Muslim Brotherhood and other elements within the Stop the War Coalition. The failure to build a secular socialist alternative to the pro-capitalist policies of globalisation had led to many young people going down the road of Islamic Fundamentalism. This was linked to Sara's points about globalization and possible political responses to it.
Fabian went through the build-up to the war from the point of view of a member of Parliament. He was never convinced that there was a case for the war on Iraq. He therefore voted against the war on three occasions. This was wonderful. Even his old political sparring partner Garth Frankland congratulated him on standing up to the recalled whip rotweiller George Mudie, the MP for East Leeds.
There were a number of intelligent contributions from the floor which showed the strength of the Chapel Allerton Against the War group.
The Bin Ladens have won
The rich and powerful Saudi oil family and close allies of President Bush appear to be achieving their aim of controlling, with Bush, Saudi and Middle East oil supplies.
Their dissident family member, Osama, victor of the Afghan wars, has made his central aim the removal of the US military presence from Saudi Arabia. The US is now pulling out from the country. The latest suicide Saudi bombing means the Americans are going faster. This undermines the present ruling princes and opens open up the way for the more capitalist Bin Ladens with their American allies to exploit the Saudi oil fields. Looked at from a distance it appears that there was just a division of labour within the Bin Laden family to achieve their goal.
Where are the weapons of mass destruction in Iraq?
It might take months for them to be found, according to Hoon and Straw. MI6 has been telling UK MPs who ask about them that they are very small, perhaps only as big as a suitcase, and therefore will take a long time to find. Perhaps Hans Blix and the UN team would have found them sooner without the enormous loss of life? Or perhaps they don't exist. As I have already explained, a real weapon of mass destruction needs a delivery system and Iraq did not posses one.
Or on the other hand this comment from Metafilter gives another alternative hiding place for the weapons of mass destruction.
"According to some, leading the list of people Saddam may have hidden his WMD with, were Syrian President Assad, and a 'Dwayne Shifford' of Austin Texas, whose dog repeatedly shit on then Governor Bush's lawn, and refused to clean it up, or even apologise."
Where are Osama Bin Laden, Saddam Hussein and Chemical Ali?
There are still no sightings of Osama, his big white horse or his four wives. The focus seems to be returning to the two main theories of where he is. He has shaved his beard off and is drinking café lattes in Tel Aviv coffee bars, which might explain some of the military operations of the fiercely secular Peoples Front for the Liberation of Palestine. The other theory that he has gone with his white horse to the Texas ranch of his family friend President Bush.
Chemical Ali's death was apparently manufactured by British intelligence to help the capture of Basra. The same propaganda lie seems to have been manufactured by the CIA over the death of Saddam and his sons in Baghdad. Where are they then? The two current theories with most weight seem to be that they fled to Russia or are hiding out in Iraq. Given the complete collapse of law and order in Iraq and the population turning against the invaders from the US and UK it is not beyond possibility that these bloodthirsty monsters are biding their time in order to gain back power, perhaps through some deal with Bush. The US have failed to pick up a single genuine Saddam double in their sweep through Baghdad although they did pick on a perfectly innocent petrol station owner.
Solomon Islands
The Solomon Islands is a key partner in the US / UK Coalition for the invasion of Iraq. Last week an Australian missionary was beheaded there in a dispute over building a shop. Perhaps the Solomon Islands are going to be put in charge of building control in Basra and Baghdad.
On the campaign trail with the Alliance for Green Socialism
I met Garth Frankland for a few pints of Speckled Hen in the Three Hulats the other day. He wouldn't shut up about the wonderful local government campaign the Alliance for Green Socialism had run this year.
In Chapel Allerton alone over 50 people helped and over 100 garden stakes were placed in people's gardens. New Labour's majority was halved, which reflected a growing disillusionment with Blair's policies especially over the invasion of Iraq.
Highlights of Garth's campaign included:
- Ray Brown's play Living Pretty at the Leeds West Indian Centre, which covered the life of Alfred Williams from Jamaica to his allotment in Leeds
- Mike Davies nailing the Chapel Allerton New Labour Councillors at the meeting to save Potternewton Primary School
- The annual Sikh Vaisakhi Parade, including the wonderful food at the Ramgaria Board
- The many church services with their love and friendliness shown to outsiders.
The next thirteen months are going to be almost continuous campaigning for Garth but his increasingly frequent visits to the Scott Hall Gym mean that he is looking fit enough to go the distance and win in 2004.
-- Half-Celestial Khan
