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Menwith Hill

From Peter Lazenby

Wednesday, 22 June 2011

From: The Campaign for the Accountability of American Bases ? CAAB

Three well known speakers confirmed at annual demonstration

Independence from America ? 4 July at NSA/USAF Menwith Hill 3-8 pm

Peter Tatchell (human rights campaigner) John Sloboda (co-founder Iraq Body Count) and journalist and activist (convert to Islam) Yvonne Ridley will be speaking at this demonstration. There will be a 'line-up' of musicians including the renowned folk singer Roy Bailey and Les Vagas and the International Playboys of Rhythm (Northern band). A public reading of the abridged version of 'The Peoples Declaration of Independence from America' will be read.

Peter Tatchell said: "I am proud to support the Campaign for the Accountability of American Bases and look forward to joining the CAAB protest at Menwith Hill on 4 July. It is time the UK reclaimed its sovereignty and stopped kow-towing to the US. Britain hosts US military bases over which we have little control. Too often our government has supported unjust and illegal US wars. 4 July is US Independence Day. Let's also make it a day when we demand: Independence from the US. Instead of following Washington, Britain should chart its own independent course, by promoting international peace, disarmament, cooperation and development. The British people need welfare, not warfare."

Menwith Hill is a United States intelligence gathering and surveillance base near Harrogate North Yorkshire. ?It is the largest such base outside the US.

It is linked to satellites circling the Earth gathering military, political and economic information which is fed back to the United States
Menwith Hill has been involved in all US overseas military operation of recent years, including the first Gulf War and the invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq.

Over 2,000 people work on the base ? two thirds are US military and civilian personnel. ?There are also a number of staff from GCHQ ? Britain's intelligence gathering operation (numbers unknown).

Menwith Hill became operational in 1960 and is run by the National Security Agency of America ? it is referred to as RAF Menwith Hill ? however it is under the operational control of the US Commander ? at present Colonel Michelle Clays.

Construction of the 33rd radome (covered satellite dish) is expected to start soon.

CAAB was the first campaign to discover that Menwith Hill (and later RAF Fylingdales) was to be designated a crucial part of the US Missile Defense system.

It is secretive, unaccountable and out of control of the UK government

www.caab.org.uk