Halt the Use of Britain as Transit Station for US Weapons for Israel
Despite the revulsion and outrage felt at the Israeli attack on Qana and the tragic loss of children's lives, the British Government is still allowing British airfields to be used as transit stations for weapons being transported by the US to Israel. The Observer newspaper identified the Israeli accumulation and possible use of cluster bombs, bunker busters and depleted uranium tipped warheads.
The use of these weapons in civilian areas as witnessed in Lebanon is contary to international law. And yet the Prime Minister continues to allow George Bush to use our airstrips to resupply the Israeli military.
In a cat and mouse game in the face of protests today Des Brown, the Secretary of State for Defence, has switched the US airplane landings from Prestwick to England.
I fully support those protesting against the use of our country by the US as a base for arming the Israelis with such devastating weapons which are resulting in such heavy and terrible civilian casualties.
I go further and express my support for any workers engaged in the operation of these airports or our airspace who refuse on grounds of conscience and international law to participate in supporting the shipment of these weapons. In the light of all the evidence in recent days demonstrating the use to which the Israelis are putting these weapons I believe that workers have every right to refuse to facilitate the transportation of these weapons.
The use of these weapons in civilian areas as witnessed in Lebanon is contary to international law. And yet the Prime Minister continues to allow George Bush to use our airstrips to resupply the Israeli military.
In a cat and mouse game in the face of protests today Des Brown, the Secretary of State for Defence, has switched the US airplane landings from Prestwick to England.
I fully support those protesting against the use of our country by the US as a base for arming the Israelis with such devastating weapons which are resulting in such heavy and terrible civilian casualties.
I go further and express my support for any workers engaged in the operation of these airports or our airspace who refuse on grounds of conscience and international law to participate in supporting the shipment of these weapons. In the light of all the evidence in recent days demonstrating the use to which the Israelis are putting these weapons I believe that workers have every right to refuse to facilitate the transportation of these weapons.
posted by John at 12:53 AM
4 Comments:
I was disgusted when I heard the flights have been switched from Prestwick to RAF bases in England and John is right to speak out. This Labour leadership is morally bankrupt, they even had the cheek to send members like me an email asking for money on the day after the Lord Levy scandal broke! They are nothing to do with true Labour values and have made us into George Bush's lap-dog (his poodle has been mentioned but poodles don't sit on your knee..)or satellite state of the US by constantly feeding us the propoganda that there is no alternative to following their line. In fact there are always choices in life and John and everyone involved in the airport protests remond us that there is another way here and we must take it. We must also now take this fight to Labour conference at the end of September and make moves to gather support for the election of John as the leadership candidate who will not conclude with the US to stand by while these desparate situations unfold. We will need to be prepared for opposition, for it to take a long time and for it to be difficult for us to get our ideas on the media agenda but we just need to stand up verbally and make a stand and we will win though in the end, no question.
John, I applaud you. It is reassuring to see that there is still a Labour Party MP with a backbone and a conscience.
The US (and therefore the UK) is in the grip of the most dangerous leadership the world has seen for 60 years, the policies of the Project for a New American Century are completely unacceptable in the modern world. We have been the 51st (now 52nd) state for far too long now, Britain has more to offer than simply being a US airbase.
I wish you well and look forward to the UK having it's own foreign policy one day soon.
Well, it appears your message has struck home John, shipments are now leaving via RAF bases.
But of course it doesn't change the fact that it remains a British collusion.
I heard a Lebanese on the World Service on Friday night express the opinion on the lines of "this must have all been planned - the attack is far to organised for it to be an off-the-cuff response".
Another goof by Tony Blair. Who would trust Britain in any peace negotiations?
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