• Bring the troops home NOW!
• Money for health, education, social security and environment not for arms dealers!

P R O T E S T
Land Warfare Conference 2009!

(watch this space)

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October 28, 2008

Veterans Group opposes arms dealers at Army’s planning table.

Stand Fast calls on Brisbane to protest Land Warfare Conference.

Gala peace action Weds Oct 29 from 4pm

Outside the Brisbane Convention Centre

cnr Glenelg & Merivale Sts South Brisbane

Plus Peace vigils daily Mon Oct 27- Oct 31 from 8am

The Australian-based veterans group Stand Fast today condemned this week’s Land Warfare Conference being held in Brisbane’s Convention Centre where government and Army allow some of the world’s vilest arms dealers to help set Army policy and is calling on the people of to protest this event.

The Land Warfare Conference is the Australian Army’s annual planning and strategy meeting. Once exclusively involving Defence Force and government personnel it has been opened up to allow private sector participation. Stand Fast spokesperson Hamish Chitts said the group, comprised of veterans and former military personnel who oppose the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, regards this conference as a disgusting spectacle of Army, academics, government (both state and federal) and arms dealers wining and dining each other, congratulating each other on how much money is being made and how successful they all are while ignoring the blood that is already on their hands.

“We have the vile situation where arms dealers are able to pitch their products of death and destruction directly to the conference. There is every possibility that aspects of army policy will be set by the public relations and advertising campaigns of arms dealers. Hundreds of thousands of civilians and soldiers have been killed in the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan, occupations that should never have happened and these vultures of free enterprise are sitting in the driver’s seat ready to take as much profit as they can,” Chitts said.

“Intelligence organisations around the world agree that the so called war on terror has made us less safe and less secure. If the people of Brisbane truly care about their security, if they truly care about our troops then they should oppose this conference and use it as an opportunity to let the heads of Army and the Federal Government know that when it comes to planning the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that they should be listening to the majority of Australians who oppose these wars not a small group of very rich businesses that profit from death. We’ve got a better plan for the Australian Defence Force, bring all the troops home from Iraq and Afghanistan!”

The Land Warfare Conference Welcoming Committee will stage protests in opposition to the conference. Every morning of the week a vigil will gather at 8am and on Wed 29^th, from 4pm, a lively Counter-Gala protest will be held to coincide with, confront and ridicule the cheese, wine and weapons Gala being held inside the conference.

For more information contact: Hamish Chitts t) 0401 586 923 Email lwcwelcoming@gmail.com

or visit www.landwarfareconference2008.blogspot.com

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October 29, 2008

Protests and Peace Gala to ‘Welcome’ the Land Warfare Conference

“River city to host conference on the best ways to make a killing”

Peace vigils daily Mon Oct 27- Oct 31 from 8am

Gala peace action Weds Oct 29 from 4pm

Outside the Brisbane Convention Centre

cnr Glenelg & Merivale Sts South Brisbane

Today arms dealers, army chiefs and academics gathered to begin a week of discussion on the science and business of killing people for profit. The Land Warfare Conference is being held from 27th to the 31^st October at Brisbane’s Convention Centre and will see some of the world’s most powerful military manufacturers exhibiting their wares at the taxpayers’ expense.

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Formerly an annual planning event involving exclusively Defence Force and government personnel, the Land Warfare Conference has been opened up to allow private sector participation.

Respected peace and anti-nuclear activist and member of the Land Warfare Welcoming Committee, Robin Taubenfeld said, “The Australian government spends an estimated $60 million dollars a day on the military (or over $17.9 billion per year (2006 budget) - with other expenses hidden in the form of aid, etc) and this is set to increase. Not only the federal government but also the governments of Qld, Vic, SA, and NT fund this conference. Our governments should be putting money in social welfare, health, education, the environment - investing in peace and sustainability - not the war machine. At a time when most Australians are finding it harder to make ends meet it is an outrage that our state and federal governments are spending money to put on an event at which some of the wealthiest and most lethal corporations on the planet can exhibit their killing machines.”

”This Land Warfare Conference is not about the defence of Australia. Raytheon, Boeing, BAE and other corporations that profit from war will be exhibiting/participating. Peace is not on the agenda at this conference - its purpose is to perpetuate the industry of war. Australia's military support for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are clear indicators that Australia is willing to follow the US down the path of military madness despite overwhelming opposition from its citizens and increasing awareness that these actions increase instability, insecurity and tension at home and overseas,” Taubenfeld said.

The Land Warfare Conference Welcoming Committee will stage protests in opposition to the conference. Every morning of the week a vigil will gather at 8am and on Wed 29^th, from 4pm, a lively Counter-Gala protest will be held to coincide with, confront and ridicule the cheese, wine and weapons Gala being held inside the conference.

For more information contact: Hamish Chitts t) 0401 586 923, Robin Taubenfeld t) 0411 118 737 or

Dr David Eden t) 0423 961 679

Email lwcwelcoming@gmail.com or visit www.landwarfareconference2008.blogspot.com

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October 27, 2008

Protests and Peace Gala to ‘Welcome’ the Land Warfare Conference

“River city to host conference on the best ways to make a killing”

Peace vigils daily Mon Oct 27- Oct 31 from 8am

Gala peace action Weds Oct 29 from 4pm

Outside the Brisbane Convention Centre

cnr Glenelg & Merivale Sts South Brisbane

When military companies, army chiefs and academics gather this week to discuss furthering the delicate science of killing people for profit, they will be met with determined opposition. The Land Warfare Conference is being held from 27^th to the 31^st October at Brisbane’s Convention Centre and will see some of the world’s most powerful military manufacturers exhibiting their wares at the taxpayers expense.

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Formerly an annual event involving exclusively Defence Force and government personnel, the Land Warfare Conference has been opened up to allow private sector participation despite being sponsored by the Queensland state government..

Hamish Chitts, a former Australian infantry soldier turned antiwar activist and member of the Land Warfare Conference Welcoming Committee, said; “We have the vile situation where arms dealers are able to pitch their products of death and destruction directly to the conference. There is every possibility that aspects of army policy will be set by the public relations and advertising campaigns of arms dealers.

“Hundreds of thousands of civilians and soldiers have been killed in the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan, occupations that should never have happened and these vultures of free enterprise are sitting in the driver’s seat ready to take as much profit as they can. We’ve got a better plan for the Australian Defence Force, bring all of the troops home from Iraq and Afghanistan!”

The Land Warfare Conference Welcoming Committee will stage protests in opposition to the conference. Every morning of the week a vigil will gather at 8am and on Wed 29^th, from 4pm, a lively Counter-Gala protest will be held to coincide with, confront and ridicule the cheese, wine and weapons Gala being held inside the conference.

Dr David Eden, also from the Land Warfare Conference Welcoming Committee, said, “Here we see business and government working hand in glove to increase the capacities of the armies all over the world to kill people for profit and make a quick buck off it. It is clear that it is up to ordinary people to try to stop this horrific waste of situation.

Behind all the guff about ‘security’ and wars on terror’, in practice this is about better equipping ordinary working class people to kill other working class people to protect and enrich the wealth of the rich.

We know from bitter experience that often economic crises accelerate the drive to war. Now more than ever we have to be the wrench in the gears of this military machine.”

For more information contact: Hamish Chitts t) 0401 586 923 or Dr David Eden t) 0423 961 679