CAAT is 50!

CAAT is 50!

Fifty years of campaigning against the arms trade.
We sincerely hope our work will not be needed in another 50 years. 
But, while this trade in death and destruction continues, we remain resolute in our opposition and commitment to end it.

Welcome to the last CAAT News of 2024 – it’s now on our website to read, just follow the link below.

Those of you who, like me, enjoyed the occasional double issues of your favourite comic will be pleased by this “bumper” edition, which includes a special supplement covering some stories and reflections relating to our 50th anniversary. We all hope you enjoy reading it.

Thank you to all who have joined us on this journey, we couldn’t have come this far without you!

And thank you for all the donations we’ve received towards our work.

Do please continue your support!

Here’s a brief overview of some of the highlights you’ll find in this issue:

1. Still arming Israel: the government in the dock. We have an update of the Global Legal Action Network (GLAN and Al-Haq’s hearing in the High Court, and information about CAAT’s involvement.

2. Spotlight on Lancashire. A special look at how Lancashire is the heart of the UK arms manufacturing industry. (STOP PRESS: since CAAT News was laid out, it seems as if the Typhoon may have reached its end, as orders have dried up. But does that mean even more F-35s?)

3. Arms fairs looming: dates for your diary. 2025 is a DSEI year, one we fear will be even bigger than usual, requiring as much support for our campaigning as possible. But January has a big kick off with the International Armoured Vehicles fair and the Arms Dealers Dinner; why not come and join us outside?

4. US elections. Read our first thoughts about Donald Trump and the arms trade.

5. Scotland. We held a very successful and well-received Scotland Gathering in Glasgow. It created a useful template, which we hope to reproduce elsewhere as a way to bring supporters and CAAT staff together. And our searchlight was focussed on Strathclyde University and its role as a “playground” for major arms companies.

And a look some of the things in the 50th supplement:

1. LSE Library. Personal thoughts from Samantar and Angèle, the people who have archived decades of CAAT’s history. Our archives are now searchable.

2. A brief history of CAAT. A fascinating timeline of some of the special moments over the past 50 years.

3. How to support CAAT. The main ways our supporters give their financial support are set out; do see how your support could fit in.

4. CAAT News. A retrospective from the editor.

5. Then and now. We look back at what is different now – and what remains similar – when compared with 1974.

Events
Do keep an eye on the Events page on our website for details of in-person and online events.

We use these emails to ask you to support CAAT in our continuing work to STOP the arms trade by making a donation. 

Do, please, help as you are able.

We trust that you believe in what we are doing, and support our work. Do let us know your thoughts, and alert us of anything you hear of that you think would be useful for us to know.

As you know, one of my major themes this year has been to ask you to consider making your donation to us by Direct Debit: these are easy to set up and really do mount up over time (you can easily stop them at any time). There’s the further benefit of helping us manage our regular budget and plan for the future. One-off donations are still greatly welcomed, of course!

If you are not able to help financially at the moment, you can read on for plenty of other ways to get involved in our work.

Thank you all again so much for your support in so many ways over the years!

With best wishes for a peaceful Christmas and New Year,

Charles and all of the team at CAAT

PS – Do let me know if you have any stories you’d like to pass on about your involvement with CAAT over this half-century. I’d love to include them in future issues of CAAT News. [email protected]