ANDY NEWMAN, of the Swindon Stop The War Coalition, talks of his feelings this week as US president George Bush visits Britain

President Bush's visit to the UK has clearly stirred up strong emotions. Given all the security, it seems more like an invasion than a friendly visit.

I personally believe Bush should be prosecuted as a war criminal, not wined and dined by the Queen.

The war against Iraq was based upon lies. At the time of the invasion, Saddam Hussein clearly had no Weapons of Mass Destruction, and was no imminent threat to Britain or the USA.

We know that Tony Blair is not a stupid man, so he must have been deliberately lying. Perhaps our pro-war Swindon MPs are just easily fooled.

Certainly, even before the war started, millions of us were not convinced of the need for war, which is why two million people demonstrated in London in February, including hundreds from Swindon.

We hoped the mass protests would stop the war. Unfortunately we didn't achieve that, but we did deny Tony Blair any moral legitimacy. We showed he did not have the consent of the British people.

This visit is just designed to boost George Bush for his re-election next year. The British people deserve better than to be the backdrop for a promotional video for this terrible man.

He has ripped up the Kyoto agreement designed to slow global warming, and he is trying to force GM crops onto us.

We are not anti-American, we are anti George Bush. Many Americans dislike Bush as much as we do.

George Bush is responsible for a war in Iraq that has left an estimated 20,000 people dead already, including 500 allied servicemen.

The Americans have also seen 3,000 wounded, many of whom are brain damaged or have lost limbs.

The Iraqi deaths are not even counted.

The health system, electricity, water and sewerage in Iraq are in chaos, and thousands of people are on the brink of starvation.

We were told there would be dancing in the street to welcome the Coalition troops. Instead a long and bloody guerrilla war is developing.

We were told that there would be a quick transition to democracy. Instead we see Iraqi industry and services handed over to American companies. Even if Iraq did have a civilian government, all the important decisions would be made by American businessmen.

I believe there will never be peace until there is justice, either in Iraq or in Palestine.

Nor should we forget George Bush's broken promises to the Afghan people, who are worse off now than they were under the Taliban.

The Arab people are very aware of all this. Not only in Iraq, but across the Middle East, there is resentment of American policy.

The anti-war movement has fortunately prevented this war being seen as a clash between the West and the Muslim world.

We have united people of all faiths, races, political persuasions and ages. Pictures of the huge anti-war demonstrations in London were shown throughout the Middle East on TV.

The Arab people have seen that there are many of us in the West who are their genuine friends.

The pictures of British protests against George Bush will also be shown around the world, and will send a strong message that the British people do not support war and injustice.