TAKE ACTION to challenge UK-US arms industry intertwinement

Dear friends,

UK-produced F-35 fighter jet components continue to play a key role in the US-Israeli war on Iran. Fifteen percent of every F-35 is produced in the UK. As the death toll in Iran and Lebanon continues to rise, while our government refuses to share the number of Iranian civilians killed by American bombing from British bases, please take a moment to email your MP to help build the movement that is fighting to end UK involvement in this war.

It has recently been revealed that for the first time since the gulf war, the US has evidently deployed land mines across a residential area in southern Iran. The US remains the UK’s second biggest arms customer. Our government must act now to dis-entangle its foreign policy and arms industry from the United States.

Furthermore, F-35 fighter jet components are produced across the UK. BAE Systems in Kent and Lancashire, Leonardo in Edinburgh, L3 Harris in Brighton, amongst many other corporations with locations across the UK, are all involved in the global F-35 supply chain. The UK government is further implicated in the US-Israeli war on Iran through the use of British bases, jets, helicopters and the deployment of a warship earlier this month.

There is a long history of resistance to the arms trade at RAF Fairford. Our friends at Drone Wars UK have produced a briefing on the use of this base by the US military in the current US-Israeli war on Iran, as our government continues to go against its initial assertion that the US could not use UK bases in the war. You can click here to read the briefing, which may be helpful to inform your email to your MP.

Our government first framed its decision to allow the US to use UK bases in terms of “defending British interests” in the region, but has now broadenedthis to allow the use of UK bases in support of the US’s attempts to stop Iran from halting the flow of trade through the Strait of Hormuz.

It remains unclear how supporting commercial and third party country interests can possibly be legally classified as a “defensive” operation. These shifts in language the government is using are important to pay attention to, as it becomes increasingly more clear what the use of UK bases is truly about: supporting American and Israeli aggression in the region.

With thousands of US marines already deployed, and as the US considers sending over ten thousand ground troops to the region, a rising tide of anti-militarism is growing around the world, even coming from within the US military. Evidently, conscientious objector applications from US soldiers have surged since the US-Israeli war on Iran began. Emailing your MP plays a role in this global movement for peace.

As always, we thank you for your support of CAAT’s campaigning. CAAT could not continue to campaign without all of you who share CAAT’s reports, statements and social media posts, take part in protests against the arms trade, organise events with CAAT and contact your MPs and councils. Your donations are invaluable as well.

Please support CAAT in our continuing work to STOP the arms trade by making a donation to keep CAAT campaigning.

While any donation is hugely appreciated, the sustained impact from choosing to make a regular monthly donation by Direct Debit helps CAAT plan for campaigns moving forward. You can click the button above to set up a Direct Debit, which can be stopped at any time.

Thank you for your continued support in resisting the deadly arms trade,

Zoe and everyone at Campaign Against Arms Trade