Misplaced Pages

#10989

70-641: The beginnings of the party can be traced to the Movement for Christian Democracy (MCD), a group founded in 1990 with the aim to combat rising secularism within the United Kingdom. The three founding members were David Alton , Derek Enright and Ken Hargreaves , who were Members of Parliament representing the Liberal , Labour and Conservative parties respectively. Though political parties with explicitly Christian aims and values had been previously established within

140-456: A sectarian civil war between Iraq's Shia majority and Sunni minority, and contributed to a lengthy insurgency. In response, the US deployed an additional 170,000 troops during the 2007 troop surge , which helped stabilize parts of the country. In 2008, President Bush agreed to withdraw all US combat troops, a process completed in 2011 under President Barack Obama . The primary justifications for

210-655: A "blind candidating" contest run by the BBC 's Newsnight programme saw members of the public, unaware of the party of each contestant speaking, place the party's manifesto and policies second. In 2006, The party won two more council seats in Canning Town . Later that year, Cardinal Keith O'Brien and Bishop Philip Tartaglia attended the party conference in Glasgow prior to the Scottish Parliament elections. Bishop Tartaglia gave

280-565: A different faith." Craig described the bishop as "courageous" for raising the matter. As part of a party pact with the Christian Party , Craig stood for the London mayoral election in 2008 as "The Christian Choice", gaining almost 3% of the vote. This was followed with 249,493 votes at the European Parliament election 2009 , 1.6% of the total. The party's 'Mayflower Declaration' laid out

350-467: A militant known as Abdallah al-Iraqi had been sent to Iraq several times between 1997 and 2000 for help in acquiring poisons and gasses. Abdallah al-Iraqi characterized the relationship he forged with Iraqi officials as successful." As a follow-up to Powell's presentation, the United States, the United Kingdom, Poland, Italy , Australia, Denmark , Japan , and Spain proposed a resolution authorizing

420-493: A million deaths , including more than 100,000 civilians. Many deaths occurred during the insurgency and subsequent civil war. The conflict had lasting geopolitical effects, contributing to the emergence of the 2013–2017 War in Iraq , which caused over 155,000 deaths and displaced millions of Iraqis. The war severely damaged the US' international reputation, and Bush's popularity declined sharply. UK Prime Minister Tony Blair 's support for

490-613: A new introduction and at the back the policy on Europe was changed from support for the EU to "while we are members of the European Union to work with fellow Christians to seek to bring about moral and democratic reform". It subsequently went further and in its 2014 European manifesto said it wanted a referendum on the EU and that if a referendum was held it would support leaving the EU. The party has had candidates elected at local government elections. In Newham London Borough Council , Alan Craig

560-719: A policy of containment . This policy involved numerous economic sanctions by the UN Security Council ; the enforcement of Iraqi no-fly zones declared by the US and the UK to protect the Kurds in Iraqi Kurdistan and Shias in the south from aerial attacks by the Iraqi government, and ongoing inspections to ensure Iraq's compliance with United Nations resolutions concerning Iraqi weapons of mass destruction . The inspections were carried out by

630-520: A speech opening the conference in which he praised a number of party policies. In the following year, the party had two members elected at parish council level for Aston cum Aughton in the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham . In January 2008, Craig defended Anglican Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali , following his comments in the Telegraph that "Islamic extremism was creating 'no-go areas' for people of

700-614: Is Iraqi oil ," and questioning if Bush deliberately undermined the U.N. "because the secretary-general of the United Nations [was] a black man". In February 2003, the US Army's top general, Eric Shinseki , told the Senate Armed Services Committee that it would take "several hundred thousand soldiers" to secure Iraq. Two days later, US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said the post-war troop commitment would be less than

770-578: Is angry over 'gay marriage' and God can show that anger if he wants to." In May 2017, on the Daily Politics programme, Cordle was accused of "embarrassing" himself and was described as a "bigot" by the journalist Owen Jones after claiming that marriage's sole purpose was the procreation of children. The presenter, Jo Coburn , was forced to ask Cordle to allow Jones to speak on several occasions, but Cordle accused Jones of being "insulting" and claimed that Coburn's reluctance to allow him to respond to Jones

SECTION 10

#1732858948011

840-674: Is particularly sparse for Iraqi nuclear programs." Similarly, the British government found no evidence that Iraq possessed nuclear weapons or any other weapons of mass destruction and that Iraq posed no threat to the West, a conclusion British diplomats shared with the US government. Key US allies in NATO , such as the United Kingdom, agreed with the US actions, while France and Germany were critical of plans to invade Iraq, arguing instead for continued diplomacy and weapons inspections. After considerable debate,

910-673: The German Federal Intelligence Service and the British Secret Intelligence Service that the source was untrustworthy, Powell's presentation included information based on the claims of Rafid Ahmed Alwan al-Janabi, codenamed "Curveball" , an Iraqi emigrant living in Germany who also later admitted that his claims had been false. Powell also claimed that Iraq was covertly harbouring and supporting al-Qaeda networks. Additionally, Powell alleged that al-Qaeda

980-455: The Iraqi army in the north. The battle against Ansar al-Islam, known as Operation Viking Hammer , led to the death of a substantial number of militants and the uncovering of a chemical weapons facility at Sargat. At 5:34 am Baghdad time on 20 March 2003 (9:34 pm, 19 March EST) the surprise military invasion of Iraq began. There was no declaration of war. The 2003 invasion of Iraq

1050-554: The Second Gulf War , was a prolonged conflict in Iraq lasting from 2003 to 2011. It began with the invasion by a United States-led coalition , which resulted in the overthrow of the Ba'athist government of Saddam Hussein . The conflict persisted as an insurgency arose against coalition forces and the newly established Iraqi government. US forces were officially withdrawn in 2011. In 2014,

1120-621: The United Nations , declared the invasion illegal under international law, as it violated the UN Charter . The 2016 Chilcot Report , a British inquiry, concluded the war was unnecessary, as peaceful alternatives had not been fully explored. In 2005, Iraq held multi-party elections , and Nouri al-Maliki became Prime Minister in 2006, a position he held until 2014. His government's policies alienated Iraq's Sunni minority, exacerbating sectarian tensions. The war led to an estimated 150,000 to over

1190-644: The United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM). UNSCOM, in cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency , worked to ensure that Iraq destroyed its chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons and facilities. In the decade following the Gulf War, the United Nations passed 16 Security Council resolutions calling for the complete elimination of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction. Member states communicated their frustration over

1260-582: The al-Faw Peninsula to secure the oil fields there and the important ports, supported by warships of the Royal Navy , Polish Navy , and Royal Australian Navy . The United States Marine Corps ' 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit , attached to 3 Commando Brigade and the Polish Special Forces unit GROM , attacked the port of Umm Qasr , while the British Army 's 16 Air Assault Brigade secured

1330-512: The " Iraq Resolution ", which authorized the President to "use any means necessary" against Iraq. Americans polled in January 2003 widely favored further diplomacy over an invasion. Later that year, however, Americans began to agree with Bush's plan (see popular opinion in the United States on the invasion of Iraq ). The US government engaged in an elaborate domestic public relations campaign to promote

1400-499: The Bush administration's national security team actively debated an invasion of Iraq. On the day of the attacks, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld asked his aides for: "best info fast. Judge whether good enough hit Saddam Hussein at the same time. Not only Osama bin Laden ." President Bush spoke with Rumsfeld on 21 November and instructed him to conduct a confidential review of OPLAN 1003 ,

1470-2600: The CPA fielded Joint-ticket candidates with the Christian Party , standing as "Christian Choice" Secularism Too Many Requests If you report this error to the Wikimedia System Administrators, please include the details below. Request from 172.68.168.132 via cp1112 cp1112, Varnish XID 390380276 Upstream caches: cp1112 int Error: 429, Too Many Requests at Fri, 29 Nov 2024 05:42:28 GMT Iraq War Invasion (2003) [REDACTED] Republic of Iraq Coalition forces (2003) 309,000–584,799 [REDACTED]   United States : 192,000–466,985 personnel [REDACTED]   United Kingdom : 45,000 [REDACTED]   Australia : 2,000 [REDACTED]   Poland : 194 [REDACTED] Peshmerga : 70,000 [REDACTED] Coalition forces (2004–09) 176,000 at peak [REDACTED] United States Forces – Iraq (2010–11) 112,000 at activation Security contractors 6,000–7,000 (estimate) Iraqi Security Forces 805,269 [REDACTED] Iraqi Armed Forces : 375,000 [REDACTED] Special Iraqi Republican Guard : 12,000 [REDACTED] Iraqi Republican Guard : 75,000 [REDACTED] Fedayeen Saddam : 30,000 [REDACTED] Sunni Insurgents ≈70,000 (2007) Mahdi Army ≈60,000 (2007) Iraqi Security Forces (post-Saddam) Killed : 17,690 Wounded : 40,000+ Coalition forces Killed : 4,825 (4,507 US, 179 UK, 139 other) Missing/captured (US): 17 (9 died in captivity, 8 rescued) Wounded : 32,776+ (32,292 US, 315 UK, 210+ other ) Injured/diseases/other medical* : 51,139 (47,541 US, 3,598 UK) Contractors Killed : 3,650 Wounded & injured : 43,880 Awakening Councils Killed : 1,002+ Wounded : 500+ (2007), 828 (2008) Iraqi combatant dead (invasion period): 7,600–45,000 Insurgents (post-Saddam) Killed : 26,544+ killed by Coalition and ISF forces (2003–11), excludes inter-insurgent fighting and noncombat losses (4,000 foreign fighters killed by Sep. 2006, all causes) Detainees : 60,000 (US and Iraqi-held, peak in 2007) 12,000 (Iraqi-held, in 2010 only) 119,752 insurgents arrested (2003–2007), of this about 1/3 were imprisoned for longer than four years Documented deaths from violence : Iraq Body Count (2003 – 14 December 2011): 103,160–113,728 civilian deaths recorded and 12,438 new deaths added from

SECTION 20

#1732858948011

1540-579: The CPA in 1999 following a consultation of MCD members. In the 1997 general election Storkey stood as a Christian Democrat in Enfield Southgate . Following the devolution of the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly , elements of proportional representation at a local government level saw the party gain confidence. In 2000, Ram Gidoomal, a convert from Hinduism to Christianity, became

1610-500: The Charter point of view, it was illegal." The first Central Intelligence Agency team entered Iraq on 10 July 2002. This team was composed of members of the CIA's Special Activities Division and was later joined by members of the US military's elite Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC). Together, they prepared for an invasion by conventional forces. These efforts consisted of persuading

1680-515: The IAEA "found no evidence or plausible indication of the revival of a nuclear weapons program in Iraq"; the IAEA concluded that certain items which could have been used in nuclear enrichment centrifuges, such as aluminum tubes, were in fact intended for other uses. In March 2003, Blix said progress had been made in inspections, and no evidence of WMD had been found. In October 2002, the US Congress passed

1750-848: The Iraq War Logs Associated Press (March 2003 – April 2009): 110,600 Iraqi deaths in total Statistical estimates Lancet survey ** (March 2003 – July 2006): 654,965 (95% CI: 392,979–942,636) Iraq Family Health Survey *** (March 2003 – July 2006): 151,000 (95% CI: 104,000–223,000) Opinion Research Business ** : (March 2003 – August 2007): 1,033,000 (95% CI: 946,258–1,120,000) PLOS Medicine Study** : (March 2003 – June 2011): 405,000 (60% violent) (95% CI: 48,000–751,000) Invasion (2003) Post-invasion insurgency (2003–2006) Civil war (2006–2008) Insurgency (2008–2011) The Iraq War ( Arabic : حرب العراق , romanized :  ḥarb al-ʿirāq ), also referred to as

1820-611: The Iraqi government became official US foreign policy with the enactment of the Iraq Liberation Act . The act provided $ 97 million for Iraqi "democratic opposition organizations" to "establish a program to support a transition to democracy in Iraq." This legislation contrasted with the terms set out in United Nations Security Council Resolution 687 , which focused on weapons and weapons programs and made no mention of regime change. One month after

1890-493: The Senate voted in favor of it. Only one Republican Senator, Lincoln Chafee , voted against it. The Senate's lone Independent, Jim Jeffords , voted against it. Retired US Marine, former Navy Secretary and future US senator Jim Webb wrote shortly before the vote, "Those who are pushing for a unilateral war in Iraq know full well that there is no exit strategy if we invade." In the same period, Pope John Paul II publicly condemned

1960-541: The UK at a Labour Party conference he said: "As a preemptive action today, however well-justified, may come back with unwelcome consequences in the future... I don't care how precise your bombs and your weapons are when you set them off, innocent people will die." Of 209 House Democrats in Congress, 126 voted against the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 , although 29 of 50 Democrats in

2030-463: The UN Security Council adopted a compromise resolution, UN Security Council Resolution 1441 , which authorized the resumption of weapons inspections and promised "serious consequences" for non-compliance. Security Council members France and Russia made clear that they did not consider these consequences to include the use of force to overthrow the Iraqi government. The US and UK ambassadors to

2100-536: The UN publicly confirmed this reading of the resolution. Resolution 1441 set up inspections by the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) and the International Atomic Energy Agency . Saddam accepted the resolution on 13 November and inspectors returned to Iraq under the direction of UNMOVIC chairman Hans Blix and IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei . As of February 2003,

2170-620: The US became re-engaged in Iraq, leading a new coalition under Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve , as the conflict evolved into the ongoing insurgency . The Iraq invasion was part of the Bush administration 's broader war on terror , launched in response to the September 11 attacks . In October 2002, the US Congress passed a resolution granting Bush the authority to use military force against Iraq. The war began on March 20, 2003, when

Christian Peoples Alliance - Misplaced Pages Continue

2240-492: The US moved towards a more aggressive Iraq policy. The Republican Party 's campaign platform in the 2000 election called for "full implementation" of the Iraq Liberation Act as "a starting point" in a plan to "remove" Saddam. Little formal movement towards an invasion occurred until the September 11 attacks , although plans were drafted and meetings were held from the first days of his administration. Following 9/11,

2310-408: The US, British and other forces expected. The Iraqi regime had prepared to fight both a conventional and irregular, asymmetric warfare at the same time, conceding territory when faced with superior conventional forces, largely armored, but launching smaller-scale attacks in the rear using fighters dressed in civilian and paramilitary clothes. Coalition troops launched air and amphibious assaults on

2380-587: The US, joined by the UK , Australia , and Poland , initiated a " shock and awe " bombing campaign. Following the bombings, coalition forces launched a ground invasion, defeating Iraqi forces and toppling the Ba'athist regime. Saddam Hussein was captured in 2003 and executed in 2006. The fall of Saddam's regime created a power vacuum, which, along with the Coalition Provisional Authority 's mismanagement, fueled

2450-657: The United Kingdom, such as the Protestant Unionist Party (PUP) in Northern Ireland , the MCD, unlike the PUP, claimed to represent both Protestants and Catholics on a nationwide, rather than regional, basis. The MCD existed as a cross-party advocacy group and never became a political party. However, many of its members sought to form the CPA; the movement's chairman, Alan Storkey , and its vice-chairman, David Campanale, formed

2520-516: The United States' knowledge on different aspects of the Iraqi WMD program ranged from essentially zero to about 75%, and that knowledge was particularly weak on aspects of a possible nuclear weapons program: "Our knowledge of the Iraqi nuclear weapons program is based largely – perhaps 90% – on analysis of imprecise intelligence," they concluded. "Our assessments rely heavily on analytic assumptions and judgment rather than hard evidence. The evidentiary base

2590-691: The United States, 45,000 British soldiers, 2,000 Australian soldiers and 194 Polish soldiers from Special Forces unit GROM sent to Kuwait for the invasion. The invasion force was also supported by Iraqi Kurdish militia troops , estimated to number upwards of 70,000. According to General Franks, there were eight objectives of the invasion: "First, ending the regime of Saddam Hussein. Second, to identify, isolate, and eliminate Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. Third, to search for, to capture, and to drive out terrorists from that country. Fourth, to collect such intelligence as we can relate to terrorist networks. Fifth, to collect such intelligence as we can relate to

2660-559: The building of the Abbey Mills Mosque in West Ham, planned to have been built by a sect of Islam which the CPA claimed was a "radical sect". The party's broadcast in relation to the planning was censored on both the BBC and on ITV , leading to the CPA taking unsuccessful legal action. A 23-year-old man from Stevenage posted a death threat on YouTube in response to the group's opposition to

2730-477: The commanders of several Iraqi military divisions to surrender rather than oppose the invasion, and identifying all the initial leadership targets during very high risk reconnaissance missions. Most importantly, their efforts organized the Kurdish Peshmerga to become the northern front of the invasion. Together this force defeated Ansar al-Islam in Iraqi Kurdistan before the invasion and then defeated

2800-511: The fact that the Bush administration knew that Iraq had no nuclear weapons and had no information about whether Iraq had biological weapons. He began formally making his case to the international community for an invasion of Iraq in his 12 September 2002 address to the UN Security Council . However, a 5 September 2002 report from Major General Glen Shaffer revealed that the Joint Chiefs of Staff 's J2 Intelligence Directorate had concluded that

2870-472: The global network of illicit weapons of mass destruction. Sixth, to end sanctions and to immediately deliver humanitarian support to the displaced and to many needy Iraqi citizens. Seventh, to secure Iraq's oil fields and resources, which belong to the Iraqi people. And last, to help the Iraqi people create conditions for a transition to representative self-government." The invasion was a quick and decisive operation encountering major resistance, though not what

Christian Peoples Alliance - Misplaced Pages Continue

2940-662: The history of the Blair government , as the number of government MPs who rebelled against the vote was the greatest since the repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846. Three government ministers resigned in protest at the war, John Denham , Lord Hunt of Kings Heath , and the then Leader of the House of Commons Robin Cook . In October 2002, former US President Bill Clinton warned about the possible dangers of pre-emptive military action against Iraq. Speaking in

3010-606: The idea that democracy will suddenly blossom is something that I can't share. … Are Americans ready for this?" There were serious legal questions surrounding the launching of the war against Iraq and the Bush Doctrine of preemptive war in general. On 16 September 2004, Kofi Annan , the Secretary-General of the United Nations, said of the invasion "...was not in conformity with the UN ;Charter . From our point of view, from

3080-409: The invasion centered around claims Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) and that Saddam Hussein was supporting al-Qaeda . However, the 9/11 Commission concluded in 2004 that there was no credible evidence linking Saddam to al-Qaeda, and no WMD stockpiles were ever found in Iraq. These false claims faced widespread criticism , in the US and abroad. Kofi Annan , then Secretary-General of

3150-401: The invasion of Iraq with a host of public relations and military moves. In an address to the nation on 17 March 2003, Bush demanded that Saddam and his two sons, Uday and Qusay , surrender and leave Iraq, giving them a 48-hour deadline. The UK House of Commons held a debate on going to war on 18 March 2003 where the government motion was approved 412 to 149 . The vote was a key moment in

3220-415: The military intervention. During a private meeting, he also said directly to George W. Bush: "Mr. President, you know my opinion about the war in Iraq. Let's talk about something else. Every violence, against one or a million, is a blasphemy addressed to the image and likeness of God." On 20 January 2003, French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin declared "we believe that military intervention would be

3290-415: The mosque's construction. The party claimed the planned mosque was an "unwanted landmark", stating its belief that the construction would "undermine community cohesion". A petition on the official Downing Street website to prevent the mosque's construction gained more than 255,000 signatures, claiming that the mosque would "cause terrible violence". In November 2019, during the general election campaign, it

3360-526: The number of troops required to win the war, and that "the idea that it would take several hundred thousand US forces is far from the mark." Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz said Shinseki's estimate was "way off the mark," because other countries would take part in an occupying force. Germany's Foreign Secretary Joschka Fischer , although having been in favor of stationing German troops in Afghanistan , advised Federal Chancellor Schröder not to join

3430-473: The oil fields in southern Iraq. The heavy armor of the US 3rd Infantry Division moved westward and then northward through the western desert toward Baghdad, while the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force moved more easterly along Highway 1 through the center of the country, and 1 (UK) Armoured Division moved northward through the eastern marshland. The American 1st Marine Division fought through Nasiriyah in

3500-580: The party continued campaigning in London, mostly in working class areas, such as Canning Town in Newham . In 2002, Alan Craig became the first Christian Democrat to be elected in Britain, as a member of Newham London Borough Council . After the 2004 London mayoral election , Gidoomal stepped down as party leader to be succeeded by Craig. The party contested the 2005 general election with little electoral success, though

3570-450: The party sets out its goals and desires as providing resources to discourage economic dependency and promote gainful employment. It also supports a holistic approach to care, which moves beyond mere financial assistance, as well as help for those in danger of being pushed to the margins of society, like the homeless and disabled . The Mayflower Declaration was updated and reprinted in early 2013 just after Cordle became leader. It now has

SECTION 50

#1732858948011

3640-588: The party's leader. Gidoomal stood for election in the 2000 London mayoral election , gaining 98,549 votes and finishing fifth, ahead of the Green Party in first preference votes. The party campaigned on job opportunities for Londoners, amongst other policies. In November that year, a candidate supported by the Christian Peoples Alliance stood at the Preston by-election , finishing seventh. Following this,

3710-618: The party's values and policies, voicing its opposition to the prospect of the Iraq War , deeming it "illegal, unwise and immoral" — a position by which it has stood. In 2011, Craig was criticised for comparing gay rights activists to Nazis in the Church of England Newspaper . Craig resigned as leader in October 2012; he later joined the UK Independence Party (UKIP). The CPA campaigned against

3780-419: The passage of the Iraq Liberation Act, the US and UK launched a bombardment campaign of Iraq called Operation Desert Fox . The campaign's express rationale was to hamper Saddam Hussein's government's ability to produce chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons, but US intelligence personnel also hoped it would help weaken Saddam's grip on power. Following the election of George W. Bush as president in 2000 ,

3850-402: The public groundwork for an invasion of Iraq in January 2002 State of the Union address, calling Iraq a member of the Axis of Evil , and saying "The United States of America will not permit the world's most dangerous regimes to threaten us with the world's most destructive weapons." Bush said this and made many other dire allegations about the threat of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction despite

3920-687: The reclassification of cannabis. When Craig became leader he introduced policies in favour of linking Christianity to the European Union Constitution , building more church schools and supporting 5th century Christian morality. He led campaigns backing the UNISON steward at Newham Council who faced disciplinary action; against plans to build London's large casino in Newham, against the Excel Arms Fair; against what he claims are Labour 's plans to move local families out of Canning Town in support of yuppie housing. Craig has also campaigned against proposals to demolish parts of Queen Street Market in favour of "non-invasive refurbishment" environment. The party

3990-435: The use of force in Iraq, but NATO members like Canada , France, and Germany, together with Russia, strongly urged continued diplomacy. Facing a losing vote as well as a likely veto from France and Russia, the US, the UK, Poland, Spain, Denmark, Italy, Japan, and Australia eventually withdrew their resolution. In March 2003, the United States, the United Kingdom, Poland, Australia, Spain, Denmark, and Italy began preparing for

4060-426: The vote. Annual accounts submitted to the Electoral Commission show an income of £11,000 for 2013. Since 2007, the party has been affiliated to the European Christian Political Movement , an association of Christian Democrat parties, think tanks and politicians across Europe. In 2000 and 2004 in London, it put inner-city regeneration and fighting discrimination, as its top policy priorities. The CPA has opposed

4130-458: The war diminished his standing, contributing to his resignation in 2007. Strong international opposition to the Saddam Hussein regime began following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990. The international community condemned the invasion, and in 1991 a military coalition led by the United States launched the Gulf War to expel Iraqi forces from Kuwait . Following the Gulf War, the US and its allies tried to keep Saddam Hussein in check with

4200-440: The war in Iraq. Fischer famously confronted United States Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld at the 39th Munich Security Conference in 2003 on the secretary's purported evidence for Iraq's possession of weapons of mass destruction : "Excuse me, I am not convinced!" Fischer also cautioned the United States against assuming that democracy would easily take root post-invasion; "You're going to have to occupy Iraq for years and years,

4270-448: The war plan for invading Iraq. Rumsfeld met with General Tommy Franks , the commander of US Central Command , on 27 November to go over the plans. A record of the meeting includes the question "How start?", listing multiple possible justifications for a US–Iraq War. The rationale for invading Iraq as a response to 9/11 has been refuted, as there was no cooperation between Saddam Hussein and al-Qaeda . President Bush began laying

SECTION 60

#1732858948011

4340-454: The war to its citizens. Americans overwhelmingly believed Saddam did have weapons of mass destruction: 85% said so, even though the inspectors had not uncovered those weapons. By February 2003, 64% of Americans supported taking military action to remove Saddam from power. On 5 February 2003, Secretary of State Colin Powell appeared before the UN to present evidence that Iraq was hiding unconventional weapons. However, despite warnings from

4410-430: The worst solution". Meanwhile, anti-war groups across the world organized public protests. According to French academic Dominique Reynié , between 3 January and 12 April 2003, 36 million people across the globe took part in almost 3,000 protests against the war in Iraq, with demonstrations on 15 February 2003 being the largest. Nelson Mandela voiced his opposition in late January, stating "All that (Mr. Bush) wants

4480-421: The years that Iraq was impeding the work of the special commission and failing to take seriously its disarmament obligations. Iraqi officials harassed the inspectors and obstructed their work, and in August 1998, the Iraqi government suspended cooperation with the inspectors completely, alleging that the inspectors were spying for the US. The spying allegations were later substantiated. In October 1998, removing

4550-399: Was " fake news ". The Christian Peoples Alliance rejects the class struggle doctrine and supports a mixed market economy , with an emphasis on the community, social solidarity, support for social welfare provision and some regulation of market forces. The central theme is social justice , responsible charity and an emphasis on "people before profit". Within the Mayflower Declaration,

4620-430: Was a councillor (2002-2010), as were Simeon Ademolake (2006–2010) and Denise Stafford (2006–2010). Paul Martin and David Gee were elected to Aston-cum-Aughton Parish Council (2007–2009). The party has contested a number of seats for the UK Parliament . The party contested nine by-elections after 2017. The party has consistently contested elections to the London Assembly but failed to gain any seats. † In 2008

4690-577: Was attempting to acquire weapons of mass destruction from Iraq: " Al-Qaida continues to have a deep interest in acquiring weapons of mass destruction . As with the story of Zarqawi and his network, I can trace the story of a senior terrorist operative telling how Iraq provided training in these weapons to al-Qaida. Fortunately, this operative is now detained and he has told his story. ... The support that this detainee describes included Iraq offering chemical or biological weapons training for two al-Qaida associates beginning in December 2000. He says that

4760-555: Was involved in the campaign against the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 with its leader Sid Cordle speaking at a rally in Trafalgar Square. While the debates were taking place he spoke at a rally outside Westminster. In May 2014, during the EU elections, under questioning from Andrew Neil on the BBC Daily Politics programme Cordle said that it was possible that recent storms in the UK could have been caused by God, saying, "I think all Christians believe that God does, and can do, things with nature. A lot of Christians believe God

4830-441: Was led by US Army General Tommy Franks , under the code-name Operation Iraqi Freedom , the UK code-name Operation Telic , and the Australian code-name Operation Falconer . Coalition forces also cooperated with Kurdish Peshmerga forces in the north. Approximately forty other governments, the " Coalition of the Willing ", participated by providing troops, equipment, services, security, and special forces, with 248,000 soldiers from

4900-475: Was reported that CPA would focus on opposing Stella Creasy in her Walthamstow constituency . Creasy had that summer led successful attempts to decriminalise abortion in Northern Ireland. The CPA campaign followed another in October that year by the Center for Bio-Ethical Reform , an anti-abortion group. The CBR campaign led to police passing a file to the Crown Prosecution Service to consider whether it constituted harassment. The CPA came last with 0.5% of

#10989