Conscientious objection isn't a legitimate posture...

Corbyn is now saying we should rethink our part in the bombing of Iraq. We should stop doing that, as it hasn't got us anywhere - or Iraq.

Bit late in the day...

Not really. He's said it all along. It's just that nobody was listening to him.

Not sure if this is the right thread–the one on which the Stop the War's event was mentioned, but it'll do:

The Stop the War Coalition (StWC) have been accused of preventing victims of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad from speaking at an anti-war event.

Hmm...doesn't show Dianne Abbott et al in a very good light, does it?

granny23 we all think it's a terrible situation ( Syria and genuine war refugees at sea) and the Royal Navy have a duty to rescue anyone in danger
( I don't think they need to wait for permission.... Everyone would have drowned by then.) However, if what you say is true, then they were instructed to take them back to their own country.There are no easy answers to this , otherwise all the governments would have it sorted by now.

Thatbags

I am not surprised .

No comment yet from any of the Stop the War Coalition supporters I notice. It would be interesting to hear whether they think this sort of behaviour at a public meeting is justified - and if so, why.

Ana Perhaps there are no supporters of STW on Gransnet?

durhamjen for one has often (and recently) posted links to their activities and petitions, Granny23. Perhaps she no longer supports them, though.

In fact as recently as 1st November at 22.34 on this very thread.

Irrespective of whether or not anybody agrees or disagrees with the Stop the War Coalition (not the point) , I would have thought those who are so strongly promoting Corbyn would support Stop the War too alongside the other groups which we get posts and links to.

Isn't it widely known Corbyn was the Chair of STW up to Sept 2015 and only gave up the position as he became Labour Leader. It will now have quite an influence over the Labour Party one would think, or at least around the cabinet table.

stopwar.org.uk/index.php/news/the-bbc-s-andrew-neil-smears-stop-the-war-coalition-while-the-guardian-pours-abuse

stopwar.org.uk/index.php/music3/steve-ashley-that-s-why

Thanks dj much more moving than any marching. Is it just me or is there now a significant attempt to discredit Stop The War? A sign perhaps that it is gaining support and worrying those who make profits from conflict.

Is not disallowing Syrians from speaking at a meeting regarding Syria discreditable then? I think it is.

Pointing out that discredit is not discrediting the whole organisation; it's just pointing out a fault about which something could be done.

This was a report that they have denied, asserting that there was a voice but what was not permitted was an orchestrated attempt to disrupt the meeting, which seems pretty reasonable to me. Other organisations vet and restrict access to the audience, something they certainly aren't doing.

The "disallowing Syrians" has been denied by StheW.

I see. Thanks.

Well, they would say that, wouldn't they?

Watch the conversation for yourself between Andrew Neil, Dianne Abbot and a Syrian girl called ' Muzna ' (if my memory serves me correctly) that took place on the Daily Politics show mentioned in Durhamjens link 8/11/15.

The link provided and anything any poster will say will be subject to being called bias so make the judgement by listening to the horses mouth, if you are remotely interested.

'Muzna' absolutely stood her ground and said the meeting did not want to listen to Syrians/refused to allow them to speak. She said it was about how to defeat ISIS and help Assad win the war. Assad was given legitimacy , she said the meeting "Absolutely shifted discourse to supporting Assad instead of talking about ISIS".

Andrew Neil to some is left of politics to others right of politics , personally I find Neil and Jo Coburn probably fairer than most , they have a go at them all which is the right thing to do.

I also note that this became an issue because of the well known right wing activist (not) Peter Tatchell standing up during the actual meeting to point out to the platform/Abbot that it was noticeable the Syrians attending the meeting were being repeatedly ignored being called to speak, he got very hot under the collar . The Left Foot Forward blog is worth a read too.

Did anyone hear the interview on Today with an American military chap, who said that it is regretable that the UK is not taking part in bombing Syria. He agreed that the bombing has achieved almost nothing, but somehow seemed to think that it should be continued. I have never heard such a muddled argument. He did say in passing though that bombing is usually used before troops are put in. Perhaps the USA are not prepared to go it alone unlike Russia?

stopwar.org.uk/index.php/news/it-s-official-stop-the-war-is-responsible-for-the-syrian-civil-war

Stop the War does not support Assad. Russia and Iran support Assad, and Stop the War does not support them.
They say only Syrians can stop the war in Syria.