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| Britain | |
| Thousands march in London against war in Afghanistan | |
| 2010-11-21 | |
| LONDON, Nov 20 (KUNA) — Thousands of protesters took to the streets to march against the war in Afghanistan Saturday as Nato leaders discussed bringing an end to the nine-year conflict. Demonstrators were led by military families as they carried anti-war placards and banners against cuts to government spending. As the march moved from Hyde Park, central London, protesters chanted: "When they say warfare, we say welfare". The demonstration took place as the Prime Minister attended a Nato summit in Lisbon, where an agreement was reached which will see Afghan forces take over full responsibility for the country's security in 2014. The coalition government has stated that Britain's combat role in Afghanistan will end by 2015. Many of the protesters said the Government's commitment to end Britain's combat role over the next four years was not soon enough. Seamus Milne, a commentator for the Guardian newspaper, said: "In Lisbon today the Nato leaders will try to make it appear that they are bringing an end to this war, a war that is now in its 10th year. "This talk of an exit strategy is clearly a sham." John Hilary, the executive director of War on Want said: "We have a message for (Prime Minister) David Cameron and his Liberal Democrat allies. "Do not dare to tell us that there is no money for public services and public sector workers. "We want the 11 billion pounds that is being spent on the war in Afghanistan to go on things we need in this country. "Bring home the troops and bring justice to the people of Afghanistan." Organisers said 10,000 people attended the demonstration and that there were no reports of trouble. A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said there had been no arrests but would not make an estimate of the crowd's size.
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| Posted by:Fred |