No troops to Afghanistan

SYDNEY — Anti-war protesters spoke out in the city on May 8 against the 450 extra soldiers being sent to Afghanistan as part of the Australian government's commitment to the US-NATO war alliance.

Gerry Binder from anti-war soldiers' group StandFast, Irene Doutney from the NSW Greens, Denis Doherty from the Anti-Bases Campaign Coalition, Pip Hinman from the Socialist Alliance and Andrew Cheeseman from Socialist Alternative condemned the latest massacre of 120 civilians by US-NATO forces.

Australia should not join Obama's troop surge that is spreading into Pakistan, they said. Many passers-by stopped to sign petitions, an indication of the strong opposition to this war.

The protest was organised by the Stop the War Coalition Sydney. The coalition is hosting a public meeting with Riz Wakil, a refugee from Afghanistan, on May 25. Visit www.stopwarcoalition.org for more details and to join its announcement e-list.

From GLW issue 794