[Project-fallujah] The Gang of Four WAS Re: [sheffield-anti-war-coalition] Protest Sat 11th

[2 %]

Hi Jason, Hi Lists,

I'm not able to make it to the demonstration today. I hope everything 
goes well. I've heard some stories recently that make me wish we could 
extract our troops from Iraq immediately before they suffer further 
harm. But then that's just wishing. The Ministry of Defence web site 
reports the casualties of Operation Telic. It is not difficult to 
imagine how these losses cascade in to the lives of the dependents and 
wider overlapping communities.

I've been thinking about what's to be done next with Project-Fallujah 
and would have welcomed talking to folk at the demo and get their ideas 
... as I would welcome any ideas from people on-list.

I appreciate that there are a few groups who don't tend to communicate 
via email much that will be at the demonstration and wonder whether they 
are interested.

I think perhaps Ian is correct when he cautions us not to throw out the 
baby with the bath water with respect to established protests and groups.

I've had quite a bit of off-list feedback about this project, which I 
will attempt to summarise now:

Reasons Motion was Unsuccessful
------------------------------

1.	Motion not Debated.

Reason: Accidental timing - Full Council hears motions in the order of 
which they are submitted. As our Motion was submitted last it was placed 
bottom of the agenda. I contemplated asking Jillian Creasly to withdraw 
the motion and re-submitting it at a subsequent Council, but decided 
that instead I would try and get the Motion moved up the agenda.

2.	Block Voting Against the Motion by Labour Councillors.

Reason: You may remember that when we initially asked the Council to do 
something, I asked them to consider a twinning proposal. The Council are 
reluctant to twin with any new City because of their cash shortage and 
apparently Labour thought they would be accused of being 'Loony Left' to 
twin with Fallujah. This, I take it, was in part the reason for their 
early press release, which if nothing else brought the Project to the 
attention of Radio Sheffield.

Once taking this line, the Labour Councillors stuck to it, and were not 
impressed by any of the arguments for extending friendship to Fallujah. 
Also I gather that our Motion may have been construed to be of an 
overtly political nature in that point e) asked that Tony Blair be 
informed of the proceedings. I suggested that this was meant perhaps as 
a matter of courtesy but this argument wasn't entertained. [1]

3.	Motion Not Well Supported.

Reason: Shortage of time - Most of the feedback received on-list has 
been encouraging in that folk seem to want the project to succeed. I 
know and respect the opinions of many people on these lists who have not 
yet passed comment. My guess is folk will send in their suggestions, 
criticisms, flames, etc as and when they have time and are encouraged. 
Motions can be re-submitted after six months; maybe this is a suitable 
time-frame to build for wider support ?

So it's really up to you ?

I'm quite happy drafting the odd email and chatting when called upon do so.

Apology
-------

I accidentally misnamed the Lib Dems as being the Liberal Party in my 
email entitled the White Rose and apologised when corrected off-list by 
one of the Lib Dem Councillors.

I wonder how many of us remember the Limehouse Pinks ?

I hope the weather stays fine and you have a good day.

--
The Gang of Four : I Love a Man in Uniform

Time with my girl I spent it well
I had to be strong for my woman
	You must be joking, oh man you must be joking
She needed to be protected

The good life was so elusive
Handouts, they got me down
I had to regain my self-respect
So I got into camouflage

The girls they love to see you shoot

	I love a man in uniform
	I love a man in uniform

To have ambitions was my ambition
But I had nothing to show for my dreams
Time with my girl I spent it well
	You must be joking, oh man you must be joking

The good life was so elusive
Handouts, they got me down
I had to regain my confidence
So I got into camouflage

The girls they love to see you shoot

	I love a man in uniform
	I love a man in uniform

I need an order
	Shoot, shoot
I need an order
	Shoot, shoot

To have ambition
Was my ambition
Time with my girl I spent it well
	You must be joking, oh man you must be joking

The girls they love to see you shoot
The girls they love to see you shoot

	I love a man in a uniform
	I love a man in a uniform

[1] I suspect that the Labour Councillors may have construed some of the 
amendment items submitted by Peter Moore to be of an overtly political 
nature also. However it was apparent by the time the amendment was 
tabled, that the Labour Councillors were going to reject the Motion on 
mass and I think a few of us appreciate Peter widening out the Motion to 
the antiwar debate in general.