Stop the War plan to take to the streets on September 27th under the slogan “End the Occupation of Iraq/Freedom for Palestine”.
Personally I would have no problem if the slogans were reversed.
But Stop the War has shown zero interest in Freedom for Iraq and too many of the protestors are interested in destroying Israel rather than supporting the men of peace on either side of that conflict.
It would be wonderful if this time the enemies of Freedom for Iraq faced some opposition. It would be great if there was a counter-demonstration of those who supported the armed removal of the Ba’athist dictatorship, with speakers from democratic Iraqi organisations who are now free to organise in their own country.
But it won’t happen of course.
On September 27 we will hear how “thousands took to the streets to call for end to the occupation” and once again I doubt we will get a chance to hear the voices of Iraqi victims of Saddam.
Even if a counter-demonstration is unfeasible, it would be nice to think that some sort of modest public gathering could be arranged which would at least show that there are some of us who are glad that Saddam has been ousted. But it won’t happen. Stop the War will be given a free run.
Every Stop the War demonstration has angered me. I’ve marched with many of those same people against apartheid, against the poll tax etc and it riles me to see them now on the side of reaction.
So on September 27 this blog will make a modest, token objection to the demonstration.
While Stop the War are insulting the victims of Saddam’s regime and those who died in the struggle for freedom this website will simply post links to the stories of the true horror of Ba’athist rule in Iraq.
Instead of photos of the marching middle classes we will post reminders of the mass graves. Instead of the rants of Harold Pinter, we will post the stories of the Kurds he once supported. Instead of the lies of Andrew Murray we will have the words of the comrades in Iraq who he betrayed.
