Steve Barnard

Dear sir

Campaigners from across the country, including from South Yorkshire, and serving soldiers joined the recent anti-war protest in London. The
demonstration, organised by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, Stop the War Coalition and the British Muslim Initiative expressed the views of two thirds of the British public, who support the call to ‘Bring the troops home’.

Eight years on from the invasion of Afghanistan the death toll amongst
British troops is over 125, with an awful price also being paid in the blood of Afghan civilians. The majority of the public know that the presence of foreign soldiers is no answer to the complex problems in the area. Now is the time for the Government to withdraw British troops.

The war in Afghanistan has no clear war aims, is escalating and can only impact on Pakistan and the whole of South Asia. NATO forces have been in Afghanistan for 8 years and the result appears to be increased drug production, high levels of corruption and terrible losses of life on all
sides, civilian and military.

Also, this war is not an answer to fighting the causes of global terrorism.
Instead, the Government needs to spend more time and energy on working to resolve the Israel/Palestine situation. A just peace there would reduce the numbers attracted to extreme action against Britain.

Yours sincerely
Steve Barnard

Prospective Parliamentary Candidate Sheffield Hallam