Demonstrators protest against British bombing of Syria outside Downing Street in London, Britain, 28 November 2015. British Prime Minister David Cameron is calling on MP's to vote for Britain to join France with bombing raids against ISIS in Syria. (EPA/ANDY RAIN)
28 November 2015
Dear Prime Minister
The current rush to bomb Syria following the terrible events in Paris risks a dangerous escalation which will inflame the war there and increase bitterness against the West. The US has been bombing Isis for a year and admits that Isis is as strong as ever and has continued recruiting.
The experience of the wars in Afghanistan Iraq and Libya shows that Western military interventions lead to large scale casualties, devastating destruction and huge flows of refugees.
Far from tackling terrorism the last fourteen years of war have seen massively increased Jihadi terrorist organization around the world.
Rather than ignoring this recent history by joining the long list of countries that have bombed Syria in the last year we urge the government to stop arming reactionary and aggressive regimes like Saudi Arabia and Qatar that sponsor terrorist groups and look for political solutions as the only viable way to end the conflict.
Yours,
Mark RylanceActor
Brian EnoMusician
Hans von SponeckFormer UN Assistant Secretary-General
Frankie BoyleComedian
Will SelfWriter
Ken LoachFilmmaker
John PilgerJournalist
Owen JonesJournalist
Caryl ChurchillPlaywright
Francesca MartinezComedian
Jeremy HardyComedian
Caroline Lucas MPGreen Party
Tommy Sheppard MPSNP
Arthur SmithComedian
Miriam MargolyesActor
John HilaryExecutive Director of War on Want
Michael RosenWriter
Mark SerwotkaPCS General Secretary
Tariq AliWriter
David GentlemanArtist
Prof John KinsellaPoet
Prof Diane ReayUniversity of Cambridge
Prof Richard WilkinsonUniversity of Nottingham
Victoria BrittainJournalist
Manuel CortesTSSA General Secretary
Christine ShawcroftLabour NEC
Prof Ray BushUniversity of Leeds
Prof Christopher CramerSOAS
Prof George Irvin SOAS
Andrew MurrayChair of Stop the War Coalition
Lindsey GermanConvenor of Stop the War Coalition
Kate HudsonCND General Secretary
LogicMusician
Prof Susan NewmanUniversity of the West of England
Prof Gurminder BhambraUniversity of Warwick
Prof Ozlem OnaranUniversity of Greenwich
Prof Prem SikkaUniversity of Essex
Jean Urquhart MSP Independent
Elaine Smith MSPLabour
Keep reading...Show less
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28 November 2015
Dear Prime Minister
The current rush to bomb Syria following the terrible events in Paris risks a dangerous escalation which will inflame the war there and increase bitterness against the West. The US has been bombing Isis for a year and admits that Isis is as strong as ever and has continued recruiting.
The experience of the wars in Afghanistan Iraq and Libya shows that Western military interventions lead to large scale casualties, devastating destruction and huge flows of refugees.
Far from tackling terrorism the last fourteen years of war have seen massively increased Jihadi terrorist organization around the world.
Rather than ignoring this recent history by joining the long list of countries that have bombed Syria in the last year we urge the government to stop arming reactionary and aggressive regimes like Saudi Arabia and Qatar that sponsor terrorist groups and look for political solutions as the only viable way to end the conflict.
Yours,
Mark RylanceActor
Brian EnoMusician
Hans von SponeckFormer UN Assistant Secretary-General
Frankie BoyleComedian
Will SelfWriter
Ken LoachFilmmaker
John PilgerJournalist
Owen JonesJournalist
Caryl ChurchillPlaywright
Francesca MartinezComedian
Jeremy HardyComedian
Caroline Lucas MPGreen Party
Tommy Sheppard MPSNP
Arthur SmithComedian
Miriam MargolyesActor
John HilaryExecutive Director of War on Want
Michael RosenWriter
Mark SerwotkaPCS General Secretary
Tariq AliWriter
David GentlemanArtist
Prof John KinsellaPoet
Prof Diane ReayUniversity of Cambridge
Prof Richard WilkinsonUniversity of Nottingham
Victoria BrittainJournalist
Manuel CortesTSSA General Secretary
Christine ShawcroftLabour NEC
Prof Ray BushUniversity of Leeds
Prof Christopher CramerSOAS
Prof George Irvin SOAS
Andrew MurrayChair of Stop the War Coalition
Lindsey GermanConvenor of Stop the War Coalition
Kate HudsonCND General Secretary
LogicMusician
Prof Susan NewmanUniversity of the West of England
Prof Gurminder BhambraUniversity of Warwick
Prof Ozlem OnaranUniversity of Greenwich
Prof Prem SikkaUniversity of Essex
Jean Urquhart MSP Independent
Elaine Smith MSPLabour
Keep reading...Show less