THERE IS no such thing as a "clean war" or "precision bombing". The same US and British generals who now say they are using "smart weapons" in Afghanistan were only two weeks ago telling the media they were "resigned to civilian casualties".
A KEY aim of the US attack on Afghanistan is to intensify the civil war that has already claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. The forces of the "Northern Alliance" were informed of the timing of the first air strikes and began shelling areas held by the Taliban. The Northern Alliance is composed of rival groups.
Saturday 20 October, Werneth Park, Oldham Carnival against the Nazis Called by Oldham United Against Racism. Supported by North West Region TUC, ANL, local NUT, Greater Manchester FBU Region Five, PCS, TGWU and UNISON
SALES OF Socialist Worker are soaring. This reflects the growing movement against the war and the thirst for arguments opposing the military campaign. Coverage of protests across the world for peace interests a wide layer of people.
WORKERS AT Chivas Regal whisky plants across Scotland are striking over pay in a series of one-day strikes. The 1,000-strong workforce, who are members of the GMB, AEEU and MSF unions, were angered when management put forward a one-off payment of £650. The two one-day strikes have been 100 percent solid.
ELECTRICIANS who were sacked for taking unofficial action were right to strike, an employment tribunal said last week. The ruling is a boost for the 250 electricians who worked for Britain's biggest electrical contractor, Balfour Kilpatrick, on the Pfizer site in Kent. They struck for seven and a half weeks over health and safety in April last year.
A WELL attended liaison meeting of delegates from local Socialist Alliance groups met last Saturday in Birmingham. The meeting agreed to affiliate to the Stop the War Coalition, and to encourage all Socialist Alliances to throw themselves into campaigning against the war.
OVER 7,000 council workers in the UNISON union in Bradford are due to begin balloting on Monday for strikes against the restructuring of workers' conditions in the city. The Tory-Liberal council coalition is withdrawing from its 20-year agreement with the unions in an attempt to bring in more privatisation.
THE POST Office has launched a policy of slash and burn through the workforce combined with a relentless drive for privatisation. It is the greatest challenge the postal workers' CWU union has ever faced. The board of directors had gathered on the day of the World Trade Centre suicide attacks to finalise their latest strategy.
BOMBING THE weak and starving. That's George Bush and Tony Blair's plan for Afghanistan. And in a sickening hoax they claim to be helping the ordinary people there. On Monday the US and British governments made sure pictures were beamed around the world of bags of wheat emblazoned with "USA" going to Afghanistan. But that cynical display is much too little and much too late.
Demonstrators took to the streets in many countries on Saturday of last week.
