Pivotal Protest: Stop NATO’s Race to Global War
All eyes must be on NATO next month – and on the anti-NATO protests that are being organised to counter the obscene militarism and war-mongering that the nuclear-armed alliance generates.
On 24th and 25th June, NATO Heads of State will gather in The Hague to discuss military spending, rearmament and expansion.
These spell disaster for Europe and the wider world, wasting valuable resources that should be spent on meeting people’s needs, and increasing the risk of catastrophic war.
The new Trump presidency has thrown European NATO states into turmoil, by its threats to ‘abandon’ Europe. European militarisation has already dramatically expanded with the Ukraine war; now some European leaders plan massively increased military budgets, to comply with Trump’s demands; others do so to build a European military alternative to dependence on the US.
Whatever the reason, a massive arms race is now underway.
In the latest news, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that by the time of the Summit, all NATO members will have agreed on a goal of spending 5% GDP on ‘defence’ over the next decade. The German Foreign Minister has already announced that Berlin accepts the demand.
Of course, the crisis amongst European member states has not stopped NATO’s continuing and expanding global role, its military operations, its increasing presence on every continent, its deadly carbon boot print, and its growing list of partners and alliances. These back up NATO complicity in the US’s anti-China agenda, and its determination to maintain its global domination.
It’s crucial for the left and the peace movement to come together to analyse, strategise and take action. The counter-summit will take place in The Hague on Saturday 21st June, followed by a demonstration against NATO – expected to be massive – on Sunday 22nd June. The counter-summit, organised by the Dutch movement, with support from the international No to War – No to NATO network and others, is presenting a fantastic programme of discussions, which will enable in-depth thinking and planning to take place. Subjects include protecting the welfare state against the war state; imperialist war and global resistance against NATO; nuclear weapons out of Netherlands and Europe; the Middle East political situation; NATO’s global expansion; the arms race in Europe; international solidarity – how we achieve it; will there be Cold War in Europe; genocide in Palestine; anti-militarism and feminism; climate change and war; alternatives to NATO; the war in Ukraine; the debate in Dutch politics on war and peace.
Speakers are not yet announced – except that we will welcome Peter Mertens from the Workers’ Party of Belgium and Jeremy Corbyn, British Independent MP, to speak in the opening session.
Whatever area of peace and anti-war work you are engaged in – and both are at the heart of our political movement and its founding principles – there is something of great interest for you, and for your party. Please do everything you can to attend the counter-summit – make sure you are represented: this is a pivotal moment for our movement – and for the future of humanity.