All Organisations subcategories:
Committee for a Workers International
Nationalist and National Liberation
Pro capitalist and Imperialist
Left and radical keywords:
International Socialist Resistance (54)
Revolutionary Communist League (1)
Socialist Peoples Party (Denmark) (1)
ISR
Highlight keywords |
Print this article
Search site for keywords: BP - Tony Blair - Oil - ISR - War
ISR day of action against BP oil giant
No Blood For Oil
ON 8 February, International Socialist Resistance (ISR) groups will protest at British Petroleum (BP) garages across England and Wales to highlight the opposition to Bush and Blair's plans to go to war for oil and to bring attention to Blair's real priorities - the profits of big business.
Sarah Sachs-Eldridge
The Iraqi oil fields south of Basra produce prized "sweet crudes" that are easy and cheap to refine. Two weeks ago Pentagon sources said US military planners "have crafted strategies that will allow us to secure and protect those fields as rapidly as possible in order to preserve those prior to destruction". And still Vice-president Dick Cheney denies the proposed war in Iraq is a war for oil.
ISR has always highlighted the links that exist between big business and capitalist governments internationally. Like many of the anti-war demonstrators across the US and Europe we will be carrying placards bearing the words 'No blood for oil'. We do not believe Cheney's claims. The links between oil companies and government are strong and long-established.
BP chief executive, Lord Browne, has made it clear that his main concern about regime change in Iraq is that there is "a level playing field for the selection of oil companies to go in". He sees it as an opportunity to boost the profits of his company.
In the US, a country that has been likened to "a patient on oil dialysis", it is no surprise that Bush and many of his closest staff have oily backgrounds. US hawk and National Security Advisor, Condoleeza Rice, used to be a Chevron board member and vice-president Cheney is the former head of the Halliburton oil services group.
New Labour also has its oil connections and BP seems to be Blair's favourite. He added a peerage to Browne's knighthood after he helped end the fuel protests in 2000. Anji Hunter, Blair's former special assistant is now Browne's director of communications. Lord Simon, chairman of BP until May 1997, resigned to become trade minister in Blair's first government.
ISR opposes the threatened war for oil profits and the capitalist system under which a tiny super-rich minority make huge profits while millions suffer. Join our protests against 'Blair's Petroleum' as part of ISR's main campaign -'Youth Against the War'.
We are fighting for a socialist world free from war and terror to ensure that the world's resources, such as oil, can be democratically planned and used for the majority and not the rich few.
- ISR protest against BP Saturday 8 February, 1pm, BP garage, 83 Park Lane (nr Marble Arch Tube).
- Followed by protest at BP HQ, St James Square, London.
Donate to the Socialist Party
Finance appeal
The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society in numerous ways. It is making clear to many that it is the working class that keeps society running, not the CEOs of major corporations.
The results of austerity have been graphically demonstrated as public services strain to cope with the crisis.
The government has now ripped up its 'austerity' mantra and turned to policies that not long ago were denounced as socialist. But after the corona crisis, it will try to make the working class pay for it, by trying to claw back what has been given.
- The Socialist Party's material is more vital than ever, so we can continue to report from workers who are fighting for better health and safety measures, against layoffs, for adequate staffing levels, etc.
- When the health crisis subsides, we must be ready for the stormy events ahead and the need to arm workers' movements with a socialist programme - one which puts the health and needs of humanity before the profits of a few.
Inevitably, during the crisis we have not been able to sell the Socialist and raise funds in the ways we normally would.
We therefore urgently appeal to all our viewers to donate to our Fighting Fund.
LATEST POSTS
12 May Stop Israeli state brutality
 |
9 May Post-election meetings
15 May Birmingham Socialist Party: How can we fight for socialist change and a new workers' party?
17 May Oxfordshire & Aylesbury Socialist Party: The role of the state
18 May Bristol North Socialist Party: Liverpool - history of socialist struggle
CONTACT US
Phone our national office on 020 8988 8777
Email: [email protected]
Locate your nearest Socialist Party branch Text your name and postcode to 07761 818 206
Regional Socialist Party organisers:
Eastern: 079 8202 1969
East Mids: 077 3797 8057
London: 075 4018 9052
North East: 078 4114 4890
North West 079 5437 6096
South West: 077 5979 6478
Southern: 078 3368 1910
Wales: 079 3539 1947
West Mids: 024 7655 5620
Yorkshire: 078 0983 9793
ABOUT US
ARCHIVE
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999