Article

200,000 March in London on April 12th - A Message From Stop the War Coalition.

Thanks to everyone for making the march on Saturday such a success. It was a tremendous achievement to build such a large march at the end of the war, when the media is ignoring us and telling us that millions of Iraqis are welcoming their 'liberation'. Special mention to all those who came from outside London. We know how costly in terms of both time and money these demonstrations are, and what a big effort in organisation it is.

Achievements

It is worth remembering what we have achieved since the new year: 3 huge demos, including the 2m biggest ever demo, and the 500,000 on March 22nd, the biggest ever in wartime, plus a People's Assembly and a national conference in January, plus all the local activities, and the day of action when war broke out. Even if we didn't stop the war, we did alter its conduct, and we have not gone away.

The pro war lobby is gloating that it won, but that outcome was never in doubt. Everything we said about this war is proving to be true. There has been no discovery of WMD - supposedly the reason for the war. The country has descended into chaos. An American general and a bunch of unrepresentative former exiles will run Iraq on behalf of US oil and big business. The Iraqi people are already complaining that they have been given no say in their own future.

And now the US is threatening Syria. The war on terror is giving us war without end.

What next for us?

STW groups are being set up still, and the mood is very much to discuss and analyse what is happening. Make sure you hold discussions, public meetings, teach ins. Also try to organise a hustings if you have elections in your area. Invite the anti war candidates but also the pro war candidates to make their case and see how well it stands up before the electors.

One of our main slogans now should be 'end the occupation' and we should plan local meetings and activity around that.

In addition we are planning another People's Assembly in May where we can discuss how to carry the campaign forward.

Once again thank you for all you have done against this immoral, unjust and illegal war and we will see the anti war movement grow from strength to strength.