Page "Peter Tatchell" Paragraph 33

Tatchell opposed the Iraq war and the occupation of Iraq by the United States.

He had previously advocated military and financial aid to opponents of the Saddam government in order to assist them to overthrow it ; specifically suggesting that anti-Saddam organisations be given " tanks, helicopter gun-ships, fighter planes, heavy artillery and anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles ".

He suggested that " A democratic Iraq would be a beacon for human rights throughout the Middle East ; giving the Arab people their first taste of freedom in a region that is dominated by semi-feudal Islamic fundamentalist dictatorships, notorious for their brutality, nepotism and corruption.

" While opposing western intervention, he further advocated " regime change from within, by and for the people, in neighboring countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iran and Syria.

" Writing in the New Statesman, Tatchell reported that on 12 March 2003 he ambushed Tony Blair's motorcade in an anti-Iraq war protest.

He forced the PM's limousine to stop, and then unfolded a banner that read " Arm the Kurds!

Topple Saddam ".

Footage of his ambush was shown on ITN News the same evening.

Later in his New Statesman article he wrote that in terms of the political struggle within Britain ( as opposed to struggles against absolute tyrants like Hitler and Saddam where violent resistance can be the lesser of two evils ): " I remain committed to the Gandhian principle of non-violence ".

Since the war he has signed the ' Unite Against Terror ' declaration, arguing that " the pseudo-left reveals its shameless hypocrisy and its wholesale abandonment of humanitarian values " by supporting resistance and insurgent groups in Iraq that resort to indiscriminate terrorism, killing innocent civilians.

In 2002 he reiterated his support for Iraqis bidding to overthrow Saddam, noting that " Saddam's repression is, if anything, getting worse.

In November 2001, the death penalty was extended to include the offences of prostitution, homosexuality, incest and rape.

" Despite the introduction of the death penalty, many gay Iraqis say they rarely faced overt persecution during Saddam's time.

This led Tatchell to write in 2006 that " Under Saddam Hussein discreet homosexuality was usually tolerated.