Fallujah This came to me from a friend though I suspect it's from the Stop The War coallition originally.
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It is becoming apparent that the attack on Fallujah is very close.

When this happens there will be a demonstration at Downing Street between 5 and 7pm on the day of the attack. Or in your town centre if you live outside London. I urge to to join this protests and tell as many people as possible about it – text messages are useful here.

I know many people feel disillusioned and pessimistic following the election of Bush, coupled with a feeling no one listened to the fantastic February 15th demonstrations but I think we need to remember that we wouldn’t have got the vote with out protests, we wouldn’t have got rid of the poll tax. And the Vietnam war came to an end in 1974 two years after the re-election of a republican president because of massive protests.

The BBC reported last night that Kofi Annan, in response to the Fallujah letter, has requested action be stalled until more information is obtained about the situation. The reaction of the Iraqi ‘prime minister’ Allawi was disgusting, he virtually said “What’s it got to do with the UN?” See more in The Washington Post and Independent

Annan's remarks on Iraq met with anger: U.S., U.K., Iraq fume over U.N. remarks

Last Fallujah civilians urged to go as Allawi says assault is imminent


Geoff Hoon made a similar statement last night when questioned by a reporter about troop movements within Iraq he said “it’s not political, this was a response to a military request from an American commander to a British officer.” Oh well that’s OK then.

I feel this makes action at Downing Street when this ground attack begins even more significant, we have to bring it home to our government that we know what they are doing, we don’t support it and it IS political, the movement of the Blackwatch regiment has made this possible, however they want to obscure it, it is cold blooded murder.

The BBC also confirmed that from the population of 300,000, many women and children have left, 50,000 people remain in Fallujah, and that the US are refusing to let men under 45 through their cordones.

Which effectively means if you are young and male and have the misfortune to find yourself in this city for any reason the US army will consider you as a legitimate target. Far from being a humanitarian gesture this evacuation is the preparation for a massacre.

The Bush/Blair/Allawi equation seems to be this; terrorist/insurgent=resistance=Fallujah. There is no doubt that the resistance do have popular support, or they could not have held out so long, surely then by definition they are not terrorists, lone operating insurgents with no popular support, representing no one? If you have any doubts compare these two statements reported by Jackie Spinner in the The Washington Post,

"A military operation is the last and only solution we have for the city of Fallujah," said Salih Kuzaie, a spokesman for the Defense Ministry. "The negotiations failed. ... It seemed like the Fallujah people are helping the terrorists. Thus, the military solution will end the crisis."

“We intend to liberate the people and to bring the rule of law to Fallujah," he said. "We have been asked by the people of Fallujah to help liberate them from the terrorists and insurgents.
  ¶ Sunday, November 07, 2004