Come to socialism 2009

October Branch Meeting - End The War In Afghanistan

Eight years on and the war in Afghanistan continues – over 200 British troops have been killed and the casualty rate is growing with the total so far this year exceeding that for 2008. Tragically over 1,500 Afghan civilians have also been killed this year. Opinion polls show that the majority of people in this country now oppose the war – a war that the Socialist Party has opposed from the start.

We did not accept the lie that the invasion of Afghanistan would make this country safe from terrorist attack. Nor did we accept the lie that the war would secure democratic rights for ordinary Afghans. The regime of Karazi is corrupt and serves only the interests of the warlords and spreads ethnic divisions, whilst 40% of the promised Western aid has not reached the people.

The right-wing Islamists of the Taliban provide a blind alley of terrorism that cannot solve the real problems of the region where 77% of the population have no access to clean water and in rural areas over 80% do not have electricity.

The Socialist Party calls for a withdrawal of all foreign troops from Afghanistan, where there presence is only driving people towards the Taliban. We also call for a workers’ and peasants’ government in Afghanistan to unite the ethnic groups and secure peace and a better standard of living for all the peoples of region.

We believe that it is capitalism and imperialism that create the problems that have ravaged the lives of the people of Afghanistan – it is the same system that benefits a wealthy few and sends working class young people from this country to go and fight for their interests.

Tuesday 27^th October 7pm

Tottenham Chances Community Centre

399 High Road, Tottenham, London N17 6QN