Good to see the O/P opening up debate on where a once vibrant and dynamic anti-war movement goes next. I totally agree that we now need a separate organisation from the STWC which doesn’t support the ‘resistance in Iraq’ who murder innocent civilians and have embarked on secteraian killing sprees and who are putting Iraq back in the dark ages. Which doesn’t ally itself to groups like MAB which has very close links to the Muslim Brotherhood. We do need a new diverse and empowering group which isn’t run as a top down hierarchial led ‘fiefdom’, (just look at the cancellation of our local protest), and do I mean led, by SWP central committee members, former Stalinists and far left hangers on. My experience of these people at the head of the STWC is that they are opportunistic and have their own agendas, they are not against war, only wars that suit their own agenda. Instead, we should ally ourselves with organsations such as Operation Iraqui Focus, which has people like Milan Rai and Mike Marquesee in it, people of integrity and without hidden agendas and who really care. We also need to make close links with the workers organisations in the affected countries, provide real monetary and practical aid, instead of money for more demos, and we need to look and protest at other monsterous wars such as that in Checheyna. No one is saying the STWC, can't play a part in the coming challenges, but it should only be a part and not as self appointed leaders.

Is this the same Milan Rai you mention, who spent 2003 touring the UK arguing AGAINST an immediate withdrawal of troops from Iraq? unlike the StWC who took the principled position of arguing that foreign troops were part of the problem not the solution

We don't need Milan Rai, Mike Marquesee or the SWP.

All we need is some people in Sheffield wanting to do some stuff to oppose the wars to get a bit organised...

Is anyone on for trying to get this together...?