MODEL AMENDMENT TO
BRITAIN IN THE WORLD
PARTNERSHIP IN POWER DRAFT
FINAL YEAR DOCUMENT

Constituency Labour Party amendments to Partnership in Power policy documents - amendment to "Britain in the World".

Before 20th June your CLP is entitled to suggest amendments to the draft Partnership in Power policy documents.

The procedure to do so is set out in a document sent to Constituency Labour Parties by the national Labour Party on 2nd May.

CLP secretaries are required to make the submission through the Membersnet section of the Labour Party website.

This is an opportunity to change policy on Iraq and Afghanistan. LAtW suggest the following amendment to the document "Britain in the World" below.

All documents are available of the Labour Party website http://members.labour.org.uk/ , if you have difficulty accessing them email LAtW at: latw@gn.apc.org and we will send a copy by return.

There are no limits to the number of amendments that a CLP can submit, but there is not much time until the deadline of Friday 20th June 2008.

AMENDMENT TO BRITAIN IN THE WORLD POLICY DOCUMENT

Delete from Line 25 (p.16), "British troops are currently on operations in Iraq and Afghanistan,…". to Line 45 (p.17) ending, "Between 2009 and 2012 we will provide £450 million in development and stabilisation assistance", and replace with:

Iraq
The US invasion of Iraq in 2003 has not resulted in victory. Neither has it established a stable democracy. Five years since the invasion British troops are now largely confined to a single base at Basra International Airport.

Every single war aim has been shown to have completely failed.

• Not a single piece of credible evidence has emerged to support the assertion that Saddam Hussein possessed any chemical, biological or nuclear weapons.
• No links between Saddam Hussein and al Qa'ida have ever been established.
• Saddam Hussein had nothing to do with 9/11.
• Saddam Hussein did not pose a current or serious threat to Britain or our allies.
• Post-Saddam Iraq is not a thriving democracy, it is a dangerous mess with its economy in ruins with billions of frozen dollars and oil revenues spent but unaccounted for.
• Britain continues to be a prime target for terrorist attacks.

British troops remain the target of Iraqi insurgents but perform no useful function; therefore all British troops should be withdrawn from Iraq immediately. We must promote an international peacekeeping force acceptable to the Iraqi people and support the right of the Iraqi people to determine their own future, free from international interference and from the debts of the former regime, which should be cancelled. Iraq should retain full territorial sovereignty over its borders and economic sovereignty over its resources.

Afghanistan
The events of 9/11 were a dividing line in world politics. The swift revenge of the US against Afghanistan in 2001 has not resulted in victory over the Taliban, and neither has it established a stable democracy. More than six years since the invasion the Taliban have regrouped and now are back in control of the south. Opium production continues unabated. British casualties are growing along with the uncounted Afghani dead. We must withdraw all British troops from Afghanistan and must promote an international peacekeeping force acceptable to the Afghani people. We must support the right of the Afghani people to determine their own future, free from international interference.

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The consultation period for CLPs closes on Friday 20th June 2008.

LAtW are also recommending that CLPs support the LCND amendments on the nuclear weapons proliferation, see below:

Suggested amendment to Britain in the World: Delete from Line 29 (p.18) "We are committed" to end of Line 43 "the safety of its citizens" and then replace with:

"Article 6 of nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty demands that the present nuclear powers should pursue global nuclear disarmament. Labour believes that Britain should therefore support the draft nuclear weapons convention lodged with the United Nations, designed to ban all nuclear weapons, and that Britain should mount a series of diplomatic initiatives for global nuclear disarmament. We are opposed to nuclear weapons proliferation and therefore the Trident nuclear weapons system will not be replaced.
Labour believes the United States Missile Defence system further undermines non-proliferation efforts and represents a major threat to global security. Labour opposes the extension of this system to Poland and the Czech Republic and will rescind its permission to use bases in Britain for this purpose."

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