Money for jobs and services not war and occupation
ANOTHER
£520 million for war in Iraq. That’s how much Gordon Brown announced in
his pre-budget report on 2 December.
That’s £520 million that could have been spent on our hospitals,
schools and other public services. Money that could have been used to
increase rather than attack pensions as New Labour are doing.
"A Christmas message from George W Bush" – Cartoon
by Alan Hardman
Instead, the money will be used to kill more Iraqis and put more
soldiers’ lives at risk.
Tony Blair says that British troops will stay in Iraq "until the
job is done". But when will that be? Even if elections go ahead in
Iraq on 30 January (which is far from certain), resistance to occupation
by US and British troops will still continue. Elections could even
trigger an escalation in the violence.
An official at the Iraqi interior ministry has said that troops will
have to stay for at least 10 years! The eventual cost of war will be
much more than the £5 billion that New Labour have wasted so far.
The Black Watch have been told that they will be flown home for
Christmas. We say bring all the troops home, not just the Black Watch,
and not just for Christmas. The occupation should be ended now and the
Iraqi people allowed to decide their own future.
