Photo by Guy Smallman
"I do not think the public will accept for much longer that our losses can be justified by simply referring to the risk of greater terrorism on our streets."
- Eric Joyce
Eric Joyce, Labour MP and a ministerial aide to the Defence Secretary, has resigned from his role because he opposes current policy on Afghanistan. This takes the growing political crisis around Afghanistan - which I wrote about just a few days ago - to the centre of policy-making circles. It forces Gordon Brown on to the back foot, forced to jutify the disastrous occupation even to the previously loyal.
Joyce is himself a former soldier, spending 21 years in the Army and reaching the rank of major. He's been an aide to four ministers and was a firm supporter of the wars in both Iraq and Afghanistan. His resignation co-incides with two more deaths of UK soldiers, taking the total to 212 British troops killed in Afghanistan.
Read Eric Joyce's resignation letter HERE.
The Stop the War Coalition will be stepping up activities to tap into the widespread public concern and anger about Afghanistan. Local groups, including our Tyneside group, will be going all out to build a big turnout on 24 October for the national demonstration.
Now is the time to seize the initiative and build a bigger, broader movement that can bring the troops home from an unwinnable and pointless war that has wiped out thousands of lives.
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