Tony Blair is on a one-man mission to declare war. He tells us that he has evidence of weapons of mass destruction but refuses to disclose the dossiers. The Prime Minister is acting like a dictator and seems to care little for public opinion.
People are marching though the streets of every major city in the world. Here in Glasgow we have Bush's poodle Blair as our target. Lets nail a coffin in his political career and put to an end his plan for war.
www.ssy.org.uk - A Web Magazine for Socialist Youth in Scotland.When the media is controlled by corporations and politicians speak in spin we need new information resources. The internet contains extreme views, new markets, exploitation and the truth. Amongst the debris floating about the internet we can see beyond the limited vision of the BBCand ITNand find out what is happening to people around the world and what they are thinking. www.ssy.org.uk wants to playa role in this process. Visit it and pass on your ideas, experiences and views. Make it a resource not only for us but for people who want to know what young people are thinking.
www.ssy.org.uk
""he~'re ~rea~in8 us llike -eoy soldiers" Without so much as a vote in parliament, thousands of British troops have already been sent to the Gulf. Many of them joined the armed forces to escape unemployment and poverty pay. And, as one young Scot serving in the armed forces told us, there is widespread opposition to war among those who will be sent to the frontline. When I jOined up, it was a choice between the dole, a call centre or the armed forces. People do believe the hype and propaganda they see in the TV adverts - you think it's going to be a bit of a party, you'll learn a trade and you'll get to travel. At 16 years old you think: 'I'll have a bit of that'. ' But training is minimal to say the least. They're not training you to leave and get a better job - most of it's totally irrelevant or unsuitable for civvy street. I've got mates that have been posted to the Gulf already. But this isn't like any other conflict before. The people who are supposed to be fighting this war don't want it. We're undermanned and overstretched. Morale is really low. We can all see the irony in what we're being sent to do. We're supposed to fight a war half way around the world, with a state that we sold weapons to not so long ago, to support another country, the US, so that they can get their hands on Iraq's oil supply. 'Funding for equipment and wages for the lowest paid in the armed forces is derisory. It just shows you how class ridden and elitist the whole thing is. The absolute top brass, Conspiracy Theory #1 from the generals up, Have you ever seen George Bush and . are utterly unelected '. and unaccountable. It's Osama Bln ~den In the .same place at a big gentleman's club. the same tJ.me? Nope, nelther have we. Basically, we're being used as political pawns. They're treating us like toy soldiers, like they're , , playing a game. ,
this interview was reprinted from the Scottish Socialist Voice, issue 124
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black go In Spring 2001 George W. Bush began looking for support for war against Iraq. Those against the war asked "Why?" Iraq's infrastructure was crippled by the first Gulf War and sanctions which have been imposed ever since. This suggests that Iraq's capability to threaten any nation state is severely limited.
The idea that the war is a distraction from America's economic crisis is wrong, no government wages war solely for political reasons. Practically every war in the last ten years has been about natural resources, in particular oil. To understand the current situation its imperative to look back to the Gulf War of 1991 when American and British governments demonstrated their commitment to wage war over oil. In the 1980s with the support of America and Britain the Iraqi army became the largest, most combat
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trained army in the Middle East. That support was given to Iraq as it waged war against Iran for eight years. By the end of which the economy of Iraq had crumbled. Attempts to revive the economy failed as Kuwaiti over-production led to a fall in prices. Iraq invaded Kuwait. That posed a threat to the economic security of America as the oil reserves of Kuwait, added to Iraq's, would have given Iraq an immensely powerful position over oil supply.
It is important to consider that America is the world's biggest importer of oil. So what of the impact of the 1991 Gulf War on Iraq? Sanctions have been imposed by the UN since 1991. This has given America and Britain power over import prices of Iraqi oil. The desperate position of Iraq's economy forces its people to be ever more dependant on the Hussein regime. It succeeded in demonstrating to
be made "safe" for an aggressor. The American and British presence in the Middle East rose dramatically following the 1991 Gulf War. The impact of these occupational forces is felt throughout the Middle East with the implications for the Palestinian people untold. Terrorism always has a root. The suffering and humiliation of the Iraqi and Palestinian people alongside the t~ansformation of the region into a huge military arsenal for imperialism cannot be dismissed when grappling for the causes of terrorism. These reasons are still not
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enough to go to war. There is evi. dence to suggest that at the present rate of oil consumption the North Sea and US oil reserves will be exhausted in ten years time. This shows the extent to which the US and Britain are dependant on oil imports. It is clear therefore that the US needs to gain complete control over Iraq's oil. The coming war is not pre-emptive, but predatory. By grabbing Iraq's oil the US and Britain will be in a position to threaten Iran and Saudi Arabia. (MD&LC)
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You might think that George Bush has it all. He controls the world's most powerful military and economy. But what he doesn't have is a corporate logo or motto. Think you could help him out with this? Send in your ideas for a corporate logo and motto to SSY (see details on back page). The winners will get a copy of Tommy Sheridan and Alan McCombes' book, Imagine and an anti-war t-shirt. The winning ideas will then be sent directly to George at the White House. Here's an example to get you thinking. Competition ends March 10th.
The hypocrisy of the tabliod media never ceases to amaze. With every new day a link between asylum seekers and terrorism is revealed and reviled. When no arrests have been made, the editorials criticised the govemment for not being tougher on asylum seekers. Worse still are the falsities and lies that refugees are subjected to by the tabloid media. The papers that lead these racist crusades are The Sun and the Daily Mail, with a combined daily circulation of over five million. Tabliods are an institution. People buy them because they always have. They're also quick, cheap, have the sports results and the TV guide. But both the Mad and The Sun have a long history of xenophobia and jingoism. During the Falklands war when the Argentine war,..~ .._..._., . ship The General ,.*, Belg~ano went down
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PADER IS AI~l~:~t~~gTh~v;~n~~~ '.lNl.. CHfAT..Ji..i headline ebrated with the It s not hard to see 'Gotcha'. Wh~seside The Sun is This was in fact a celIn the f d' Ire ISpute ebration of a war crime for which Thatcher has escaped justice for far too long. In 1989 The Sun reached an all time
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low in joumalism. The editorial claimed that the Liverpool fans who died at the Hilsbourgh disarster created the crush themselves. This resulted in a mass boycott of the papers in Merseyside which to this day is still evident. The history of the Daily Mail is equally as shameful!' The Mail famously toyed with Mosely's Facists in the 1930s, and the paper labelled escaping Jews from Hitlers Germany as 'bogus asylum seekers'. Time changes but their politics do not. Dispite being warned by the European Commision about the jingoistic language, the Mail continues to label refugees as scroungers who's sole reason in coming to Britain is to commit crime and to cheat the benefit system. This is hypocrytical since the Mail has always lambasted the welfare state. The true scroungers are the owners of the newspapers. Rupet Murdoch who owns The Sun and The Times dictates policies to the government by whiping up reactionary tempests on issues such as asylum and paedophilia. The true colour of the tabliods is red, from Sighthill to Portsmouth the owners of the press have blood on their hands. (AG)
rhe current labour Jovernment are lften accused of Jelng the new rorles. rhls Is a reputation :hat culture mlnls:er Kim Howell )bviously feels the leed to live up to. Us recent comnents about rap nuslc Inciting vloence and negative Ittltudes and his lew Licensing Bill, which effecively makes It a criminal offence o play live music without a Icense, show sympathies with the 'orles' Criminal Justice Act. Both hese legislatures are an attack ~nyouth culture. he CJAcleared party goers out of he fields and warehouses and !lto the corporate super clubs. he act was against acid house :-) rather than any live music lecause of the mentioning In the let of "music with repetitive leats". he Tories clamped down on acid louse as It was a dissident youth cene that was scaring middle ngland with their light sticks, Irum machines and cheesy plano iffs. low Labour seem to have the ame Idea with the new Licensing i/ll. The bill claims to be dealing ~ith potential disturbances when :4 hour licensing is introduced. iut pubs will still be allowed to Ilay Sky TV at all hours of the light (remember Tony's pal :upert?) or play recorded music It any volume.
Restrictions like these can severely damage the music scene In this country, a scene badly In need of new talent. We need more facilities for people to practice and record, and more money Invested in music by the government. Community projects have been set up In the past, and have produced some of the most Innovative and progressive music the UK has seen in a while. Artists like Roots Manuva, Roni Size and Asian Dub Foundation have all learnt their skill through attending community music projects and are now passing skills down to a near layer of artists. Unfortunately schemes like these are far too rare and while there Is a lot of potential talent sitting In every town and city In Scotland the money Isjust not made available to us. This problem does not just stop at music. If we had better facilities for playing football then the quality of Scottish football would go up.
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-Join us-in protest on International '!VomEm'~Day. 2003 . • • • •
No war on Iraq Free, flexible and professional childcare for all End violence towards women End low pay - better working conditions for women
Supported
by: SSP Women's Network
Sat
March 8 Rally at ii.30am
George Square For Info ph: Sarah 07961 583042
pathy or action? Donnie Nicolson, a 23 year old youth worker, Is the SSP'syoungest candidate In the forthcoming Scottish Parliament Election.s. Here he speaks about how much youth issues matter In politics. Why do so few 18-24 year olds vote? Frankly the main parties don't know, and they don't care. Politicians are woefully out of touch with young people, their concerns, Interests and needs, and so It Is no surprise that only 43% of 18-24 year olds came out to vote In the last Westminster elections. But are low turnouts the result of apathy as we are told by the mass media or is It more like disillusionment? As the only party to have a 50-50 gender balance for the regional lists, the SSPIs already outstanding In Its commitment to standing candidates who truly renect the electorate. However, one group in society is always under-represented In politics, namely young people. But there is also a more sinister issue behind the continued disenfranchisement of under-24s. The British Establishment demonises and scapegoats young people as the cause and embodiment of society's problems. The blaming of rap music for the recent rise In gun crime Is the perfect example ofthls. As long as young people's voices are not heard, we can be touted as the criminal element. Many young people like the ones I work with, who have come through the care system, end up unemployed, homeless and utterly marginalised by a society which neither knows nor cares ofthelr problems.
Even those of us who have had a comparatively normal childhood find ourselves leaving education and entering unemployment, or worthless, depressing jobs in McDonalds, callcentres and supermarkets. Projects like Blair's 'New Deal' and the desperate and demoralising 'restart schemes' are used to subvert the unemployment figures rather than to really address the causes of joblessness. Young people are increasingly looking to the SSPas the movement which supports and promotes youth Issues,like the right to a decent job with a decent wage, the right to resist and protest, the right to a home In a healthy society, free from exploitation and discrimination.
Keep Scotland fascist free In the last year the British National Party has won five wards in English local elections. It shows that we should never be complacent when dealing with fascist organisations. The BNPhave exploited poverty and people's confusion over asylum seekers to spread their ideology of hate, prejudice and violence. Anti-racist and anti-fascist campaigners must organise in their communities to make sure that this is the peak of the BNP'ssupport and not the start of a resurgence of the far right. The BNP Is now planning to use their growth in England to relaunch themselves in Scotland and stand In the May elections. Presently the BNPin Scotland is made up of a handful of thugs and psychopaths. It Is vital that we do not allow these nazis to gain ground in Scotland. They will undoubtedly try and appeal to disenfranchised working class youth. We must combat the issues of poverty, bad housing, low pay and unemployment which fascism seeks to exploits An alternative socialist vision of society is needed so we can stop fascism in Its infancy. Help us In this struggle. If you come across any nazi activity, be it leaflets, posters, stickers or even public meetings get in touch immediately. No to poverty. No to racism. No to fascism. (KT)
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We live In a world ruled by capitalism's addiction to profit. A world where the poor get poorer while the rich get richer. Society demands young people become con. sumers and workers. Buying the latest gadgets and corporate logos whlslt we work long hours In unskilled low paid jobs. This role forces many of us into a cycle of debt and exploitation. Evidence shows that young people in poverty are more likely to suffer from bad health, struggle at school, use hard drugs and face imprisonment. SSY's campaign to legalise cannabis saw government lies about cannabis shattered, the truth finally heard and legalisation become a giant step closer to reality.
We now want to challenge the minimum wage's age discrimination. Those aged below 18 receive no protection with hourly rates sliding below £2. It does not Improve for 18-21 year olds. The rate is just £3.60. Even when we reach 22 the rate only rises to £4.20. A paltry sum when you consider the high cost of living. The differing rates are a disgrace. An hour's work of an 18 year old Is same graft as a 40 year old. We all have to pay the same for food, drink, bills and clothes. We do not get a discount in "MV because we are young. Our demands are simple. End the age discrimination. End low pay. Support a living minimum wage.
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join SSY
return to: SSY, 73 Robertson St, Glasgow, G2 800 or phone 0141 221 7714 email ssp.youth@btconnect.com www.ssy.org.uk
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