ACTIVISTS, politicians and concerned members of the public will meet in Ipswich next week to discuss the future of Iraq.A public meeting has been organised by the Ipswich Stop the War Coalition to discuss the implications of the war in Iraq and the possibilities for the country's future.

ACTIVISTS, politicians and concerned members of the public will meet in Ipswich next week to discuss the future of Iraq.

A public meeting has been organised by the Ipswich Stop the War Coalition to discuss the implications of the war in Iraq and the possibilities for the country's future.

Vivienne Quay, a committee member of the Ipswich Stop the War Coalition said: "We want to encourage people to talk about the occupation.

"We think that it's absolutely appalling and that it isn't doing any good.

"There is no security and it hasn't been constructive at all.

"It is an illegal occupation and we want to discuss whether anything has been achieved by it."

The meeting is open to all members of the community whether they support or oppose the occupation of Iraq.

All aspects of the war will be discussed, as will the alternatives to American rule.

Ms Quay added: "I think that the US and UK should leave immediately and put money into the country to rebuild Iraq in the way that the Iraqi people want to."

Speakers will include Milan Rai, an anti war activist and member of the Active Resistance to the Roots of War (ARROW) and a new group, known as Justice not Vengeance, which disagrees with retaliation for terrorist acts.

He is also a member of Voices in the Wilderness, a group which has campaigned to end economic and military warfare against the Iraqi people and has delivered medical supplies to Iraqi people despite violating UN and US economic sanctions.

Mr Rai will be launching a new book entitled Regime Unchanged, a follow-up to the successful War Plan Iraq: Ten Reasons Against War which will be available at the meeting.

He said: "The UN envoy Sergio Vieira de Mello, talked about setting a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq, prior to his death.

"He believed that it would reduce the number of hostile attacks.

"I think it needs to be done quickly with transitional peacekeeping that isn't hated by the people."

Chris Nineham, a leading activist for the Stop the War Coalition and Jayne Chambers, an Ipswich Liberal Democrat councillor will also be speaking at the event.

The public meeting begins at 7.30pm on Wednesday, September 10 in the Queen Victoria Room at Ipswich Town Hall- everyone is welcome to attend.