Syria

With a permanent military presence at 145 base sites in 42 countries or territories around the world, Britain is far from a ‘nation in retreat’, writes Terina Hine

'Wars are welcome, refugees not' seems to be the only mantra the media and politicians want to repeat, says Lindsey German

In this critical hour, all sanctions and hostilities must cease argues Chris Nineham

We are now facing another moment of extreme danger which could extend Syria's suffering for years, says Chris Nineham

Corbyn's position on Britain's military adventures has been right on every occasion, argues Chris Nineham

Tens of thousands of protesters demanded an end to the barbaric attacks on the Kurdish people by the Turkish army, reports Shabbir Lakha

Statement from Solidarity with the People of Turkey following Erdogan's invasion and airstrikes on northern Syria

US and British imperialism will never be an ally for the liberation of people anywhere, writes Shabbir Lakha as Erdogan begins bombing northern Syria

The US's proposed withdrawal pushes the contradictions of Trumpism to breaking point, argues Hilary Stephenson

Tory Brexit crisis, the fightback against austerity, Eurovision boycott campaign, Trump and Syria, remembering Rosa Luxemburg, Yellow Vests and protests across Europe in this month's Counterfire Freesheet

Anti-war campaigners should exploit the cracks in neoconservative foreign policy as the priorities of US imperialism clash with the republican voter base, argues Lindsey German

The anti-war movement is on the front foot, and made its mark at Labour's conference

Far from being an ‘isolationist’, Donald Trump has increased bombings, sanctions and war, argues Lindsey German

Europe's failure to deal with the refugee crisis is resulting in more deaths in the Mediterranean and the growth of the far right argues Eleftheria Kousta

The Last Earth tells the moving stories of eight Palestinian women’s and men’s experiences of persecution and the refugee camps, finds Ellen Graubart

Thousands of people have taken to the streets in over 40 towns and cities across the country to voice their opposition to Theresa May's bombing of Syria

Politicians and commentators supporting more military action in Syria say inaction has consequences, but the West haven't been inactive in Syria argues Shabbir Lakha

A primed anti-war movement finds the new warmongers much the same as the old warmongers, writes Lindsey German

The decision to bomb Syria was a pathetic display of supposed strength by declining imperial powers, argues Chris Nineham

John Rees on the immediate conclusions we can draw from the US led airstrike on Syria

As Theresa May prepares to back Trump in escalating military intervention in Syria, Stop the War published the following letter in response

Statement from Stop the War Coalition following the attacks on Douma in Syria

The media have used the Skripal affair as a stick to beat the left and the anti-war movement, argues Chris Nineham

The showdown between public need and private greed will mean taking on the banks and the City from the get-go, argues Lindsey German

David Bush looks at what a slogan developed during World War 2 and crystallized as a position during the Cold War means for socialists in the 21st century

As the British state's new aircraft carrier, worth billions of pounds, springs a leak, Lindsey German takes a look at the war games being played

Anti-war activists are at the ready as imperial rumblings indicate a new phase for the region, writes Lindsey German

Corbyn is wrongly labelled a pacifist by the Tories and the media, but his opposition to unnecessary war without end is in stark contrast to Theresa May's endless warmongering

Theresa May‘s plans to start airstrikes against Assad are another reason to vote her out

As the Lords international relations select committee attacks May's foreign policy, there is clearly far reaching opposition to her approach, writes Chris Nineham 

Just over a hundred days into office and confrontation with imperial rivals is already brewing, writes Chris Nineham

The US president has turned out to be as divisive and disastrous as many feared

In the aftermath of Trump's missile attacks, peace in Syria looks further away than ever

The reaction from many liberals to Trump's attack on Syria has exposed their faux opposition to him, writes John Rees

Donald Trump’s attempt to present himself as the defender of Syrian civilians is deeply hypocritical, writes Kara Bryan

If anyone had doubts about the direction of Trump’s Middle East policy, the last few days should have cleared them up

Trump’s proclaimed fight against Islamic terrorism is likely to develop into a war with troops on the ground, writes Lindsey German

How should the left approach the disaster of the war in Syria? We republish some suggestions by David Bush

John Rees on the lessons to be learnt from a lost revolution

Tatchell's obsession with self-publicity has now led him to attacks on Jeremy Corbyn and the anti-war movement

The duplicity of British politicians condemning Russia in Syria but supporting the Saudi bombing of Yemen is revolting, argues Lindsey German

However confusing the situation in Syria, the anti-war movement provides political clarity, argues David Bush in his latest online post

As many push for escalation in Syria, Chris Nineham takes a look at why this is a bad idea

What's behind the hysteria over protesting outside the Russian Embassy? Alex Snowdon considers the motives of Stop the War's critics. 

Calls for further intervention show that the lessons of Libya and Iraq have not been learnt, writes Lindsey German

A no-fly zone in Syria would only escalate and inflame tensions, argues Chris Nineham

As the war drums starting beating ahead of next month’s US election, Stop the War convenor Lindsey German notes a renewed urgency and sense of purpose for the movement   

Footage from the Stop the War conference, including speeches from Jeremy Corbyn, Salma Yaqoob and Lindsey German

The legacy of colonialism, and recent imperialist interventions lie behind Syria’s lost revolution and present catastrophes, argues Sean Ledwith

Retreating over foreign policy will allow the right to regroup, argues John Rees

As aid convoys to Syria are suspended, Jonathan Maunders takes a look at where we are, and where we are going to 

The cessation of the Syrian conflict begins with the end of foreign intervention, argues Chris Nineham

As world leaders prepare for the UN summit on refugees and protesters mobilise in London, Shabbir Lakha looks at some of the issues involved

The ceasefire in Syria is only temporary, and will not lead to lasting peace, argues Lindsey German

The world is now almost unrecognisably more agonised, unstable and dangerous, writes Chris Nineham

Terrorism is a product above all of Western interventions, argues Lindsey German. Only when they end will there be a chance for peace

Patrick Cockburn’s latest book on the Middle East, Chaos and Caliphate has just been published. Chris Nineham spoke to him

The language that politicians and the mainstream media use fuels right-wing ideologies, writes Shabbir Lakha

The great powers are using Syria as a battlefield to advance their own interests, argues Andrew Murray

The anti-war position of the radical left inside the Labour Party needs to be consolidated in the coming months, writes Kevin Ovenden

The warmongers may have won the vote, but they are losing the argument. Not starting new wars might be sensible, says Lindsey German

As the west pushes on with the 'war on terror' Saudi Arabia moves centre stage, writes Kevin Ovenden

Here are the Stop the War Coalition's views on some issues that are routinely misrepresented

Many of those complaining fear greater accountability and the wave of anti-war feeling evident from Corbyn's election as Labour leader

Last night saw a passionate demonstration against the government's plans to extend airstrikes, reports Callum Thomas

Now that the Labour right has a new champion, Corbyn needs our support more than ever, writes Alastair Stephens

Last night's Stop the War protest had an impact. Keep up the pressure on MPs before the vote tonight, writes Yasmin Dahnoun

For David Cameron, airstrikes are a prelude to ground troops. All out to stop the second Iraq War, argues Kevin Ovenden

Advocates for the bombing of Syria led us into disaster in Iraq and Libya. Their judgement should not be trusted, argues Chris Nineham

If Cameron's plan for the Middle East wasn't bad enough, his cynical use of the tragedy in Paris to make political gains shows his true colours

On Saturday, the British public showed strong opposition to airstrikes in Syria, reports Yasmin Dahnoun

John Rees looks at whether there is a side that 'we' should join

Behind Cameron’s new push for war, lies a total failure to recognise the reasons for the growth of Isis, writes Lindsey German

The crisis in Labour illustrates a modern fact of life: the old political structures are unable to contain the new political forces at work, writes Brian Heron

What should the West do? Cease all intervention in the Middle East, accept refugees fleeing from war and promote reparations, argues Brian Heron

Cameron's plans to bomb Syria may have suffered a setback, but we still have to build the anti-war movement, argues Alastair Stephens

Vladimir Unkovski-Korica on why when it comes to the crisis in Syria, the main enemy is at home

Stop the War Coalition has prepared a briefing on why safe havens and no-fly zones amount to military intervention, and must be opposed

Peter Brierley, who made headlines when he snubbed Tony Blair over his son's death, joins protest against Hilary Benn MP

The Tories need Labour's war faction to deliver a serious looking majority on bombing Syria writes Brian Heron

Russian offensive operations in Syria may mark a shift in geopolitics and the global balance of power - and it is a shift into a massively more dangerous world writes

Alastair Stephens

Stop the War has issued a statement in response to Russian air strikes in Syria

The stakes are high, but with enough pressure from below, David Cameron's plan to bomb Syria can be defeated

John Rees: UK bombing will increase the civilian death toll and the number of refugees, recruit to IS and strengthen Assad, and fuel the major powers’ arms race in the region. It is the very definition of a foreign policy disaster waiting to happen

The idea that securing the borders and making life for asylum seekers harder represents an adequate response to the refugee crisis is not only inhumane, but deeply naïve

Right wing Labour MPs plan to give the Tories a majority for war - and inflict damaging defeat on Jeremy Corbyn, argues John Rees

The West's wars have played a central part in the refugee crisis, says Lindsey German

Peter Stauber reviews Syria Burning byCharles Glass

'Britain needs to break with the idea that proxy wars and western bombs, drones and tanks can solve the problems in the Middle East'

New research reveals the scale of civilian casualties due to US-led air strikes on Iraq and Syria

Stop the War statement demands the government publicly commits to an immediate end to British bombing of Syria

Cameron plans to extend UK involvement in the wars raging in Iraq and Syria, while mounting an hysterical attack on British Muslims

John Rees looks at the political calculation behind the Tories new attempt to get us into a bombing campaign in Syria

Patrick Cockburn’s The Rise of Islamic State shows how and why the West bears responsibility for the crisis, argues Sean Ledwith

Stop the War Coalition has released the following statement in response to the Defence Secretary's call for air strikes on Syria

A decade of invasion, occupation and bombing in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and elsewhere has been the seed bed of Isis and other terrorist groups

Western governments try to justify their failure to secure the Middle East militarily by blaming the Muslim community as a whole

We must end a foreign policy that is causing mayhem and misery across vast swathes of the globe

John Rees reflects on the 'Jihadi John' story and the role of the secret services in the fight against terrorism

Israeli military support for Al Qaeda's Syrian affiliate and an attempt to derail talks on Iran's nuclear programme may be behind Israel's latest attacks in Syria writes Joshua Tartakovsky

Europe's neoliberal elite are alarmed at the prospect of a Syriza government - the left needs to be equally clear about the possibilities and limitations writes Sean Ledwith

Lindsey German looks at twelve features of last year that will shape politics in the year ahead

Far from weakening the Islamic State there is evidence that US led airstrikes are actually having the reverse effect argues Elliot Murphy

Lindsey German: Muslims in Britain could be forgiven for thinking that even when they do the right thing, it’s wrong

A Kurdish state would raise the hopes of millions of Kurds, change the geopolitics of the region and challenge the integrity of the existing states writes Alastair Stephens

Sean Ledwith investigates the history of Western involvement in Iraq that has led the US into a third war in the country

This latest phase of terrorism is a product of the west's disastrous foreign policies, endless wars and backing of barbaric regimes in the Middle East

John Rees of Stop the War Coalition says the Kurds could defeat IS if Turkey allowed the PKK fighters to cross the border with Syria and join the defence of Kobane

Nato member Turkey is effectively allowing Isis to destroy the Kurdish city of Kobane. This press release by Turkish Kurdish organisation Day-Mer, calls for international solidarity and for Turkey to allow Kurdish heavy weapons through to defend the city

As the Canadian Parliament votes to join the US-led war in Iraq and Syria, this editorial from the new left-wing website 'Ricochet' argues that big questions remain unexamined

The governments of the US, Turkey, Britain, Israel and the rest of the alliance for Iraq War III are no real defenders of Kurdish rights

Turkish and Kurdish organisation Day-Mer have released the following statement condemning imperialist military intervention and calling for solidarity with the Kurdish people

Kit Klarenberg looks at how the Thatcher government secretly armed both sides in the war between Iran and Iraq

Chris Nineham outlines why Parliament should reject Cameron's call for a third Iraq war

Letter to The Guardian from John McDonnell MP, Tariq Ali, Len McCluskey, Ken Loach, Brian Eno, Diane Abbott MP, Michael Rosen, Mohammed Kozbar, Kate Hudson, Caryl Churchill, George Galloway MP, Lindsey German, many more

Video from a Stop the War Coalition rally on the eve of protests in Newport against the Nato summit, with Boris Kagarlitsky, Sami Ramadani and Lindsey German

Lindsey German: Muslims have been subjected to racist accusations and demands that they desist from extremism - but most Muslims in this country do not support Isis or anything like it

The deranged expansionist policies of Nato are implicated in the wars in Gaza, Ukraine and Iraq argues Chris Nineham

Western calls to arm the Kurds and bomb Iraq are both hypocritical and dangerous, argues John Rees

Farsi translation of 'The rise and rise of the Islamic State' by Sami Ramadani

Lindsey German: the Gaza protests, BDS boycotts, the campaign to break the UK government's links with Israel and the anti Nato protests are all connected - we need a joined up opposition

As civil war, imperial intervention and sectarianism threaten to undermine the Syrian uprising the Kurds, up until now a lesser actor, appear to be moving towards centre stage, argues Alastair Stephens