Emergency Action: Don't Let Douglas Wood Die FRIDAY MAY 6

Perth Indymedia Feature: Emergency Action: "Don't Let Douglas Wood Die - Bring the Troops Home Now" - This Friday, May 6, 5pm. Outside Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Office. Assemble on corner of Sherwood Crt and St Geoges Tce, City - Info ph 9218 9608

The No War Alliance is calling an emergency action this Friday, May 6 - to urge the Howard government to act immediately to do what Douglas Wood, the Australian hostage in Iraq, is urging it do: REMOVE The Australian Troops From Iraq! [ Bulgaria to pull troops out of Iraq

At a rally in Sydney this week, Green's Kerry Nettle said: "The only sure way to end the violence in Iraq is for the foreign occupation of Iraq to end. It's quite wrong for the Foreign Minister to suggest that people ought not protest now that Mr Wood has been taken by a group calling for the withdrawal of troops. John Howard must be reminded that it was his decision to invade Iraq, not supported by the Australian people, that has led to the terrible mess we see in Iraq today and he must withdraw Australian troops..." [ Stop the War's rally for Douglas Wood outside John Howard's Sydney office on Wednesday ] [ Illegal War ]

No War Alliance say:
"We do not condone the tactics of the group holding Mr Wood. But neither do we support the Howard government which refuses to concede that Australian and other occupation troops are not wanted in Iraq. A majority of Iraqis, in all recent polls, and at the elections, are saying that they want the occupying troops to leave."

PM Howard states that Australian foreign policy is not to be dictated to by terrorist organisations. Fine. But he should listen to Mr Woods, and "be dictated to" by a majority of Australians who are saying, in poll after poll, that our troops should not be in Iraq, and we should let the Iraqi people get on with running their country." [ 300,00 Iraqis protest occupation ] [ 1000s of Iraqis Protest - April 11 05 ]

The No War Alliance wants the killings to stop. More than 100,000 Iraqis are thought to have been killed in this unjust and illegal war. [ 100,000 Iraqis Dead - Perth Indy Feature ]

It's clear that sending more troops and foreign contractors to a war zone is likely to have them killed, taken hostage, or wounded. The Howard Government, as part of the Coalition of the Willing, has the blood of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis and hundreds of foreign troops on its hands.

"Don't let them add Douglas Wood to the list. The Philippines government did the right thing last year and pulled out their troops when a Filipino contractor was taken hostage. The Howard government must do the same." More info on Douglas Wood

READ MORE/Comment at PERTH INDYMEDIA...

[Coverage of Sydney emergency actions ] [ Hostage Douglas Wood's statement ] [ IRAQI PRESS MONITOR ] [ SYDNEY SNAP RALLY: DON'T LET DOUGLAS DIE - BRING THE TROOPS HOME NOW ] [ STOP THE WAR COALITION ] ]