International Campaign Against US Military Bases

The international "peace" movement is launching a world wide campaign against US military bases.

From the Communist Party of Australia's Guardian

Over 400 delegates from 40 countries spanning Asia, the Pacific, Africa, Europe and North and South America are meeting from March 5-9 in Quito, Ecuador and at the coastal city of Manta to discuss the social, political, security and environmental problems posed by the presence of foreign military bases in their countries.


They are participating in an International Conference for the elimination of foreign military bases to co-ordinate and organise the growing global movement against foreign, mainly United States, bases. Delegates will travel to the US military base at Manta. President Correa has declared that the lease on the base will not be renewed when it falls due in 2009.

Australian delegate Denis Doherty, speaking from Quito on Monday, pointed to the contrast in positions between Ecuador and Australia: "The people of Ecuador have decided to throw out the US base at Manta. At the same time in Australia a new US military base at Geraldton has been agreed after two years of secret negotiations about which the Australian people knew nothing.

"However, the 30-year-old campaign to rid Australia of United States bases will find new strength from this new global anti-bases organisation," Doherty said.

"Major demonstrations are already planned against the Talisman Saber US-Australian war games to be held in June at the new base at Shoalwater Bay in Queensland. Other actions will take place at Pine Gap, Geraldton and others of the almost 40 United States military facilities on our soil."


Dennis Doherty who was a keynote speaker at the conference, is an important figure in the Australian and international peace movement.

He has been a leader of the New South Wales branch of the Catholic peace organisation, Pax Christi. With his partner Hannah Middleton, Doherty leads the Australian Anti-Bases Campaign Coalition, which for over 20 years has campaigned against US bases in Australia.

The couple also works closely with NZ's Anti Bases Campaign. In January 2003 they both joined the protest against the US satellite tracking station at Waihopai, near Blenheim.

Middleton is also a board member of the Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space.

Doherty is a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Australia, while Middleton is the Party's president.

Look to a new wave of anti-US base campaigns as the "peace" movement goes all out to weaken US military capability.