Stop the War Coalition
This [branch/committee] notes that 2014 marks the hundredth anniversary of the beginning of the First World War. Far from being a ‘war to end all wars’ or a ‘victory for democracy’, this was a military disaster and a human catastrophe that cost the lives of 16 million people and left 20 million wounded.
It notes that the government’s plans to commemorate the anniversary will stress our ‘national spirit’ and have been compared by the Prime Minister to the Diamond Jubilee celebrations.
This [branch/committee] believes it is important to remember that this was a war that was driven by big power competition for influence and caused a tremendous degree of suffering. It therefore opposes attempts to portray the First World War as a ‘just’ war and believes that the lessons from that era should make us look to the spirit of peace and international co-operation, and not be used to justify future wars. This [branch/committee] pledges its support for the Stop the War Coalition and No Glory in War campaigns to secure these objectives and agrees to affiliate to the Stop the War Coalition for the sum of £50.
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