CND is appalled that the Prime Minister has launched this illegal, immoral war against Iraq. This war will, in all probability, kill and injure hundreds of thousands of innocent people and devastate the entire nation, weakened already by twelve years of economic sanctions. Mr Blair made a grave error of judgement when he abandoned the UN route to follow the US route to war.

CND calls upon the UK Defence Secretary, Geoff Hoon to withdraw his previous threat to use nuclear weapons against the people of Iraq, and to give an absolute commitment that the UK will reverse its current policy of nuclear first strike.

The authority of the United Nations has been destroyed. CND calls on the United Nations to restore its own credibility by using the resolution ‘Uniting for Peace’ to call a full General Assembly of the United Nations and to censor this war.

Tony Blair, Jack Straw and Geoff Hoon have already been served with the legal papers warning them that if the conduct of this war violates International Humanitarian Law then CND, together with international lawyers and other NGOs, will take steps to hold them accountable before the Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court.

Carol Naughton, CND Chair said, “Crimes against humanity will be perpetrated in this bloody war. We will support any individual member of the military who refuses to carry out an order that would cause death or suffering to civilians. That is their individual right and I hope they will use it.”

Ends…//

Contact Ben Miller at CND Press Office on 07968 420859 or Carol Naughton, Chairperson on 07736 698702