Peace Group campaign to 'bring troops home by Christmas'

People signing 'Bring Our Troops Home by Christmas' petitions and postcards on Yorkshire Street.

Rochdale and Littleborough Peace Group was on Yorkshire Street on Saturday morning campaigning for British troops to be brought home from Afghanistan.

They say they found many people wanting to sign Stop the War Coalition petitions calling for ‘Troops Out of Afghanistan’ and supporting Lance Corporal Joe Glenton who has been imprisoned for refusing to return to Afghanistan and speaking out against NATO’s military occupation.

Supporters, also, signed postcards telling local MPs, Phil Woolas, Paul Rowen and Jim Dobbin that: “It is now clear that the war in Afghanistan has no purpose. It is bringing neither peace nor democracy to the country. It is in fact making the region and the world more dangerous. It is shameful to be sending more troops to fight and die there in these circumstances. We urge you to do everything in your power to bring the troops home.”

Pat Sanchez said: "It was clear that people in Rochdale, like most throughout the country, want our troops out of Afghanistan. They are telling Gordon Brown and his government that they want an end to British involvement in NATO’s disastrous war. But what impressed me most was the large number of people who spoke about their sons, grandsons and partners who have served as soldiers in Afghanistan or are serving there at the moment. Almost all of them told us that they see no good reason for our troops to be there.

"One spoke for many, when she said in no uncertain terms that ‘they are doing no good and should all be brought home for Christmas”. These military families were also keen to sign the petition supporting Lance Corporal Joe Glenton whose own mother, Sue, and wife, Claire, were speaking at the Greater Manchester Stop the War Coalition meeting in Manchester town hall. Like us they want an end to NATO’s war. They want our troops brought home. They want the killing in Afghanistan to stop."